BREAD and such...

Okay, three weeks later, but here is the update, results, etc that I have been promising everyone. I will warn you, it is going to get long. But, if you want to understand, know what to feed him, and see a pretty darn cute picture, you have to read it thru...

So, as you ALL know by now - I'm sure... We have been trying to diagnose Andy's G.I. issues since the first of August. We have been all over, tried a ton of different stuff, and just kept hitting walls, after walls, after walls.

In desperation, I finally scheduled an appointment w/Dr. Dramov in Tigard. He did an IgG blood test on Andy to find out if the root of his issues could be Food Intolerance, not necessarily Food Allergies that were tested in the IgE testing we had done in August. If you want/need more info on the difference - google it. I won't bore you w/details.

We had to wait six weeks to get into see him, but it was worth it, because after an additional three weeks for test results (yes, so 9 weeks total), we got some answers. For those of you that have been, and might be curious, here are his results. Dairy (including Goat) and Eggs are the major offenders.



The funny thing was? We knew that. We knew he couldn't have Milk and Eggs. What we didn't know was that Goat was just as bad. We had been led to believe that most people that can't tolerate Cow and Soy milk, could tolerate Goat Milk. Not Andy. Apparently, for him it was pretty bad as well. If you look at the chart you can see that it is lower than the other dairy forms, but still bad. We also knew he was allergic to Egg WHITES. But, we kept giving him Egg Yolks and Eggs in baked goods because we didn't notice any improvement when we stopped. Well, that was because he was still getting the goat milk at that time and we didn't even think that it was that. So, no improvement giving up milk, no improvement giving up eggs, so we gave him both - in some form - see the vicious cycle here?

Next, we discovered, from the testing that Soy, Peanut, and Gluten (Wheat, Barley, and Rye) were secondary offenders. Well, I can tell you that we didn't give up Peanut or Gluten at all during the months prior to this. If anything he had a TON of it in PB & J sandwiches and noodles and toast for lunch - because he couldn't have mac & cheese or yogurt, etc. We quit giving him Soy MILK products, but he was still getting all the soy that is in EVERYTHING we don't think about - vegetable oil, margarine spreads, crackers, almost anything "non dairy", etc.

So, that is it... That is all. Just ALL Dairy, Egg, Soy, Peanut, and Gluten (in that order). Well, crap. That was my initial thought... I was so happy to have some answers. But, those answers were pretty crappy and overwhelming. What a life style change. What a pain...

It has been three weeks since then and we are still learning and trying to figure stuff out. It is easy to find GF stuff now. It is easy to find Dairy Free. It is NOT easy to find Milk, Egg, Soy, AND GF. It is hard and frustrating. Just when I think I find something, I don't. For example... he likes "dip". Well fry sauce and ranch are out. But, I was thinking Honey Mustard was good - something he could have. Wrong. Soy. Tons of it. Crap. Mistake. Then, I found some GF, Milk Free bread. Expensive as all get out, but he could have it, right? Third ingredient you ask? Egg Whites. Not just egg, not the 18th ingredient. Third ingredient - Egg WHITE. Great. Mistake. Crap.

Anyways, three weeks and we are learning. We found pasta he likes, we found some ultra expensive cookies (I never want to hear that Girl Scout Cookies are pricey again) that we can take w/us in public he can have. That is the hard part... Well, one of them. He doesn't understand nor can we explain it. So, he sees kids enjoying a cookie at the mall, or a donut at Starbucks, or a Graham cracker on a Gingerbread House, Hot Chocolate and Elephant Ears at Zoo Lights, and starts to cry. So, I have expensive cookies and suckers. Great - next we will be filling cavities...

Every few days I set out to find something to replace something current. Whether it be cookies, pasta, tortillas, cheese to put on said tortillas, peanut butter, Cheetos, margarine spread, pretzels, etc. It has been three weeks and we aren't done, but we are getting there, and I couldn't do it overnight. I just didn't know how. So, we do it day to day. Shopping trip to shopping trip. Every week I make a new list of things I want to switch out, find for him, or make. We are eventually getting things switched out and filtered into our new lifestyle. We will get there. But, don't get me wrong - it sucks.

I made it a goal this week to find him bread. We recently found Almond Butter at Costco to replace Peanut Butter, now he needed some bread to put it on...

I got online. I asked around. I got overwhelmed. You can make bread Dairy and Egg Free (Egg Replacers are pretty easy to use), but the GF part is OVERWHELMING. You have to buy, mix, and doctor up 2-4 types of flour and guar gum crap to make flour. Then, it may or may not taste good. Every one's definition of "good" is different.

I actually have FOUR friends that are GF and/or Vegan for various health issues. So, I put a call out to them. I got a ton of help and advice. I decided to take it slow. I got a GF Mix. Then, I figured out how to make it Egg, Dairy, and Soy free. Special Egg Replacer, no Dairy, and special oil - vegetable oil can no longer be used in my house. I pulled out the Bread Machine (probably the first time in 10 years - no joke) and got to work.

Here it is... I made my baby bread!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have to say. I was pretty proud of myself. I think I must know what it feels like for a momma bird to deliver a worm, or a caveman to bring home a bison. I had such pride that I figured this out for my baby. It isn't perfect, it might not look great, it might be dense, but it is safe, and just look at this:

I almost cried. Honestly. Since then, I have figure out how to make him PB (well, Almond) Rice Krispy Treats, Pie for Christmas Dinner (I hope), and Peas and Potatoes for Christmas Dinner (again, I hope). Next up? I want to figure out Chex Mix. I have the cereal, pretzels, and Cheetos figured out - but the soy in the sauce is holding me up.... Must do some research... :O)

Anyway... I Love you Andy. I will do my best to make you better. I might not be perfect. It might take me awhile. But, I will give it my all...

Love you, Mommy...