The most adorable video featuring kids trying to think of what is different between them - hint: it’s hard for them! BUT - we should also teach our kids to celebrate those differences and acknowledge them and respect them.
“How Are You Different From Each Other?”
Tuesday, June 26, 2018
Tuesday, June 12, 2018
An Epic Tale of Health Discovery...
I’ve made vague mention of Tim’s temporary Paleo diet and restrictions the past months... here’s what I hope is a concise summary of what’s been going on...
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Tim and I started dating in spring of 2002. As long as I’ve known him, he’s had Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). And he’d had it before I met him. I remember him being on Nexium, then ramping up to Protonix (Rx), and most recently back down to Nexium.
Tim did not want to be on PPIs (proton pump inhibitors) for years on end. More so, he wanted off them because he felt the long-term effects were too great. He’s been through about four or five gastro MDs who all said he was pretty young to have such bad GERD. His MDs constantly tinkered with various meds and doses. Most recently (spring of 2017 I think) even put him on anti-depressants for the sake of their side effects of numbing his gut - !!
PPIs reduce stomach acid when really, Tim’s issue was that he needed to produce more stomach acid. Hm.
Tim has always just felt chronically bad. There had been a stitch in his gut for months on end. As 2017 went on, he felt worse and worse, to the point his brain thought he was dying.
I’d had enough of seeing him in such bad shape. I told him I was sick of his doctors just putting Band-Aids on his symptoms instead of getting to the root of the problem (August 2017). A friend of his had touched base with a holistic center, Living Proof, so I made Tim get in touch with them. What’s infuriating about our healthcare system is that the holistic centers in Cincinnati (or anywhere?) are not covered by insurance. But to me, a lighter pocketbook was worth my husband’s health and sanity.
They made Tim immediately go on the Paleo Diet while they figured out what was going on with his body. Tim had a full hour meeting plus gave blood, urine and stool samples. He went through months of supplements to try and promote his body to create stomach acid. He was feeling better, but only slightly. This time frame was August 2017 - January 2018.
In January of this 2018, Tim retook the blood, urine, and stool tests. Only, this round, there was one new part: a parasite test. And guess what? Tim. Has. Worms.
His doctors were able to pinpoint that these whipworms came directly from bad pork Tim ate on our honeymoon in October of 2005 in Mexico. My God.
The worms have been taking all Tim’s nutrients and leaving the bad stuff behind, therefore making Tim feel terrible. They cannot be found on MRIs, regular blood tests, or colonoscopies. Only stool tests. And his new MD said 1 in 4 people probably have worms and don’t realize it.
Tim has been taking a de-wormer since the beginning of February... the long-time stitch in his side was a “big one” that after 12hours from taking the supplement, “exited.”
It’s now early June and they are still exiting... Tim is on track to set a record of those who have been through this with Living Proof.
Food has absolutely nothing to do with Tim’s temporary condition - but he’s sticking with a super clean diet (still no sugar, grains, dairy) until he’s made it through.
BUT Tim has been feeling better. He hasn’t taken any Nexium since December which was the ultimate goal. He will follow up with his old G.I. doctor - who has no idea this is going on - to educate the practice on going deeper than just prescription drugs and temporary bandages!
Fascinating, horrifying and good news all wrapped up in one crazy package!
*Update - the natural supplements could not keep up with the worm reproduction and was finally recommended to take a double-round antibiotic. Amen.
-----------
Tim and I started dating in spring of 2002. As long as I’ve known him, he’s had Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). And he’d had it before I met him. I remember him being on Nexium, then ramping up to Protonix (Rx), and most recently back down to Nexium.
Tim did not want to be on PPIs (proton pump inhibitors) for years on end. More so, he wanted off them because he felt the long-term effects were too great. He’s been through about four or five gastro MDs who all said he was pretty young to have such bad GERD. His MDs constantly tinkered with various meds and doses. Most recently (spring of 2017 I think) even put him on anti-depressants for the sake of their side effects of numbing his gut - !!
PPIs reduce stomach acid when really, Tim’s issue was that he needed to produce more stomach acid. Hm.
Tim has always just felt chronically bad. There had been a stitch in his gut for months on end. As 2017 went on, he felt worse and worse, to the point his brain thought he was dying.
I’d had enough of seeing him in such bad shape. I told him I was sick of his doctors just putting Band-Aids on his symptoms instead of getting to the root of the problem (August 2017). A friend of his had touched base with a holistic center, Living Proof, so I made Tim get in touch with them. What’s infuriating about our healthcare system is that the holistic centers in Cincinnati (or anywhere?) are not covered by insurance. But to me, a lighter pocketbook was worth my husband’s health and sanity.
They made Tim immediately go on the Paleo Diet while they figured out what was going on with his body. Tim had a full hour meeting plus gave blood, urine and stool samples. He went through months of supplements to try and promote his body to create stomach acid. He was feeling better, but only slightly. This time frame was August 2017 - January 2018.
In January of this 2018, Tim retook the blood, urine, and stool tests. Only, this round, there was one new part: a parasite test. And guess what? Tim. Has. Worms.
His doctors were able to pinpoint that these whipworms came directly from bad pork Tim ate on our honeymoon in October of 2005 in Mexico. My God.
The worms have been taking all Tim’s nutrients and leaving the bad stuff behind, therefore making Tim feel terrible. They cannot be found on MRIs, regular blood tests, or colonoscopies. Only stool tests. And his new MD said 1 in 4 people probably have worms and don’t realize it.
Tim has been taking a de-wormer since the beginning of February... the long-time stitch in his side was a “big one” that after 12hours from taking the supplement, “exited.”
It’s now early June and they are still exiting... Tim is on track to set a record of those who have been through this with Living Proof.
Food has absolutely nothing to do with Tim’s temporary condition - but he’s sticking with a super clean diet (still no sugar, grains, dairy) until he’s made it through.
BUT Tim has been feeling better. He hasn’t taken any Nexium since December which was the ultimate goal. He will follow up with his old G.I. doctor - who has no idea this is going on - to educate the practice on going deeper than just prescription drugs and temporary bandages!
Fascinating, horrifying and good news all wrapped up in one crazy package!
*Update - the natural supplements could not keep up with the worm reproduction and was finally recommended to take a double-round antibiotic. Amen.
Friday, June 8, 2018
Where Are You Sleep?
The parents in the Ds community are always wondering how to get their kids to sleep through the night - it’s a prevalent problem. It seems most at Hannah’s age are doing better. Hannah still tends to wake once a night; simply comes in our room to say “Hi” and have us pick her up and bring her back.
A lot of times it’s due to sleep apnea, or just our kids biological makeup - that extra chromosome can throw a wrench in anything!
*I do understand it could just be behavioral and that Hannah just wants comfort. Tim and I continue to try and stay silent, not pick her up, sit on the floor, not lay down... However with every cold, sickness, and procedure, we end up back to holding her for her own comfort. Two steps forward, one step back.
I really hope her August 3rd sleep study comes back improved and that there aren’t structural airways issues - which some kids can have. I’d rather navigate the behavior than deal with a CPAP or surgical repair.
A lot of times it’s due to sleep apnea, or just our kids biological makeup - that extra chromosome can throw a wrench in anything!
*I do understand it could just be behavioral and that Hannah just wants comfort. Tim and I continue to try and stay silent, not pick her up, sit on the floor, not lay down... However with every cold, sickness, and procedure, we end up back to holding her for her own comfort. Two steps forward, one step back.
I really hope her August 3rd sleep study comes back improved and that there aren’t structural airways issues - which some kids can have. I’d rather navigate the behavior than deal with a CPAP or surgical repair.
So to aid her sleep thus far, we have:
- blackout shades
- noise machine
- bedtime routine
- early bedtime
- weighted blanket
- vetiver oil on her spine
- removed tonsils & adnenoids
Some parents have had success with Melatonin. I’ve purchased some but haven’t jumped on it yet.
Some parents have success with Flonase before bed to open air passages (remember, low muscle tone). We did this before Hannah’s T&A and Tim remembers Hannah having successful full nights of sleep.
I’ll probably tap into these and see where we go. More interesting is one parent cut dairy; except she did it along with Flonase so she’s not sure which actually did the trick for sleeping through the night.
SO. Yesterday I didn’t send milk and our sitter didn’t give her extra. I typically send about a pint of milk every day (!). Along with our above list, Hannah slept through the night last night! It could be coincidental, but I’m going to experiment with the “no milk” and see where we go...
*6/12/2018 update: Three days of no milk has not worked. Two nights of melatonin has not worked.
*6/12/2018 update: Three days of no milk has not worked. Two nights of melatonin has not worked.
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