Warning. You are not going to want to read this. This blog is about two topics that can tie your stomach in knots and make you want to click on the sports blog.
Topic 1: Foods that could kill you.
Topic 2: Breastfeeding.
OK. If you’re still with me, the reason I’m writing is because over the years I have been encouraged to tell my story, share my recipes, and even open my own business consulting and baking for people with food allergies. Since journalism is my business here’s the story. The recipes will come later.
I have mentioned before that my daughter is allergic to some foods. Currently it’s dairy and peanuts.
Something was wrong from the beginning. We spent hours upon hours trying to comfort our crying baby. Colic they said ... common for first-time parents, although not so common when a mother is breastfeeding.
It seemed as though Veronica spit up everything. At 5 months they gave her Zantac for her stomach. My sister, a mother of three, told me to cut all dairy products out of my diet. I switched to soy milk and stopped eating cheese and ice cream.
At 9 months Veronica caught a stomach bug. I got sick also. On the mend, my first meal on a Sunday morning was scrambled eggs and toast. I took Veronica to my bed to rest and feed her. Within minutes I knew something was terribly wrong. She was crying and fussing, pulling away, then rubbing her face on me. I lifted her away, took one look and screamed for my husband. Her sweet little face, neck and chest were covered with hives and they were swelling up fast.
At the time we lived minutes from a nationally recognized children’s hosptial in another state. After eight hours in the emergency room we were given a milk-based formula and I was told not to breastfeed my daughter until a specialist could see us the following day. We left exhausted and distraught.
Anyone who has ever had a sick child knows the feeling. Months of being told it’s this or that, she’ll grow out of it etc. are no comfort when your gut is telling you that something is wrong.
So with desperate hope we called the specialist the next morning. “No. Your daughter can’t be seen for a follow-up today.” The next available appointment was in four months.
Thankfully our pediatrician knew someone who would see us that day.
It was a day that changed everything.
NEXT: The Diagnosis. Finally some answers ... and more questions.
