The Art of Making Doctors' Appointments

No matter how many times I go through this, I expect a different result. I expect that, when I need to make three appointments, I'll make three calls, talk to three different people, and put three appointments on my calendar!

It never, ever works out that way.

Ever.

Jay's been having a tough time. He's had a bad eczema flare and he's in pain. It keeps him awake at night, and the sleep deprivation makes it harder for him to handle things during the day. He's full of anxiety and just plain unhappy.

In three weeks, he's scheduled to start a Social Skills Day Camp for kids with Autism. He is in such turmoil about this! He doesn't want to ride the bus because buses are too crowded. He doesn't want to eat lunch there because he's worried that he'll gag. (He used to have reflux but outgrew it. Apparently, he's still anxious about it.) He doesn't like to be outside because of his allergies and because the heat bothers his eczema. Gnats bother his eczema. He won't swim because pool water bothers his eczema. And on it goes.

Yesterday, I thought that I'd see if he could talk to our psychologist, thinking that maybe he could figure out a way to alleviate some of Jay's anxiety.

Our home phone decided to break. We could get incoming calls but the phone didn't ring. We couldn't make outgoing calls. So, I used my cell phone. I could talk for maybe a minute and then it would disconnect. This happened over and over, which just didn't make for a smooth phone call! I finally learned that they now have walk-in evals, which start next week, and then he'll be scheduled with the psychologist, which means no appointment before camp starts.

My next call was to his dermatologist at Children's Hospital. The receptionist informed me that the doctor had moved to Ohio. I said, "Oh no, she can't do that!" The receptionist said, "Oh yes, she just did!"

Ugh. There isn't another dermatologist there, so we'll have to go to another branch to a very popular dermatologist who doesn't have any openings until September.

Great.

Jay's sensory issues make it tough for him to deal with the eczema treatments, so I called his autism doctor, again at Children's Hospital, who helps him deal with those treatments. She didn't have any appointments. We sometimes see a different doctor, so I asked about an appointment with her. She's no longer at our branch.

They told me that appointments for September opened up at 8:00 this morning and I'd better call right at 8:00 if I wanted to get an appointment.

Yes, I know that, all too well.

I called this morning and got the first available appointment...at the end of September.

So, camp should be interesting. I just keep praying for Jay because he really is struggling. Lots of issues with the holiday and his birth parents have been coming up, too, all wrapped up into one big meltdown...

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First Week of Camp

My kids have never been to day camp before, but after seeing how much better E functioned in preschool, I realized that camp would be a good thing for him. So, I signed up all four kids!

Yes, I had dreams of being alone all day long, and having some time to actually get things accomplished. No, I didn't believe that it would ever really happen.

Camp started on Tuesday. J fell apart Monday night and I knew he wasn't going to make it. Day One went well for the other kids; Day Two, not so much.

Nick went to pick them up, and discovered that E's EpiPen bag was gone. Turns out they'd left it at the pool, a couple of miles away!

It's a good thing that it was Nick and not me, because I probably would have had a coronary right then and there. Especially since he'd discovered the day before that they'd locked up E's EpiPen with the other meds, so he didn't have it when they went off to the playground down the street. Nick explained that, if E were to have a reaction at the playground, it would be too late by the time someone ran back to the building to get the EpiPen!

Then E told us that they'd given him a snack. He told them he has allergies and brings his own snack. They told him to eat it anyway. And, for once in his life, my little non-compliant child did as he was told.

One more way to send this momma over the edge...


I spent a few minutes pulling myself together and then I called the director. No answer. So, I sent her a lengthy email. I was polite but didn't pull any punches.

My phone rang five minutes later.

The director took it very seriously, saying that she felt sick to her stomach after reading my email.

Yeah, I can relate.

I told her that we'd done everything we were supposed to do. Everything was in place, but somewhere along the line, there was a communications breakdown. I was angry because we're not talking about a Tylenol here; we're talking about something that can make the difference between life and death in the event of an allergic reaction! And, since it's supposed to be a peanut-free facility, but in fact is not, the potential for E to have had a reaction is very real!

In spite of my desire to take him home and never let him leave the house again, he returned to camp yesterday. He now has an adult buddy who is responsible for carrying his EpiPen and supervising lunch and snacks. (His PCAs also go with him, but those things happened in the short period of time when they weren't there with him!) The director held a meeting with the staff, and also sent out notices to the parents, banning peanuts from the facility, so I feel like this won't happen again.

I'm sure praying it doesn't!

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Raw Chocolate Smoothie

This is a decadent favorite around here. It provides a "similar to peanut butter" taste, without any nuts!


Raw Chocolate Smoothie

1 cup water
1 cup ice cubes
1 frozen banana, chopped
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
1/4 cup organic sunflower butter
1/4 cup raw honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract


Blend all ingredients in a Vitamix or other high-powered blender until smooth.

Enjoy!

Allergies and Asthma and Eczema...oh My!

I took GracieGirl and E to the allergist today. We borrowed a van from a friend (thank you!!) so that Nick could pick Jay up from his autism class, while I took the kids. I was a little bit nervous about E getting out of control, so I pulled Nate away from his friends to come along and help. He was not thrilled.

I love our allergist, and he always keeps the kids entertained and in line. He pretended to hypnotize E with his stethoscope, and I told him that if he pulled that off, that stethoscope was coming home with me! He said that of course E couldn't sleep; he has too much energy to sleep!

He was happy with GracieGirl, except for the eczema that covers the backs of both of her legs. He wasn't happy with E at all, saying that we need to get his asthma under better control. He started him on a new med and wants to see him in three months. He also wants to do another blood test and then possibly another egg challenge, depending on the results of the blood test.

I came home with a whoppin' 14 scripts! Fourteen meds for two little kids! Unbelievable.

E was good, for the most part. He did tell the doctor that he didn't look like a doctor; he looked like he married a man. Huh?? I finally figured out that he meant that the doctor looked like a man who was getting married because he was wearing a tie! Apparently, he didn't look like a doctor because he doesn't wear a lab coat!

E did run out of the office as I was scheduling his next appointment, and then tore out of the building as we left. Couldn't have done it without Nate...

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Wrapping up Food Allergy Awareness Week

On this final day of Food Allergy Awareness Week, I wanted to post another video. The last one centered on the children's thoughts, and this one is the parents' thoughts.

I used to share people's misconceptions about food allergies. Growing up, I was one of the few people I knew who had food allergies. I tested allergic to hundreds of foods and other things. The difference between my food allergies and my son's food allergies is that mine weren't life-threatening. I always had sinus problems, which worsened when I ate problem foods. It became difficult to breathe through my nose, which is a very different thing from someone's throat closing up, making it impossible to breathe. I did the weekly shots, but I didn't even know what an EpiPen was, and I didn't live with the fear that a bite of certain foods could kill me.

I share these videos to make others aware. I've heard people say that a little bite won't hurt, that it's not necessary to take the EpiPen when you're just running into the store for a minute, that I'm being overly cautious when I ask people to wash their hands and rinse their mouths if they've eaten certain foods.

Food allergies are very real, and they can be fatal.

I'd just ask people to never offer a child anything to eat without first asking if he or she has food allergies. Don't ever assume that a food is okay. My son doesn't eat anything that's homemade (unless I make it), or anything that doesn't have an ingredients label on it. It's just not worth it.

I have food allergy resources listed on my sidebar. A few of my favorites are:

Kids with Food Allergies

FAAN (The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network)

FAI (Food Allergy Initiative)

Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Dairy-Free, Sugar-Free Chocolate Cake!

We have a little more flexibility when it comes to baking now that E has passed his egg challenge and can eat eggs in dishes baked for at least 30 minutes. I would never, ever tell my kids what's in this recipe! Without that knowledge, it was a hit!

I was reading about the Spunky Coconut's Vanilla Bean Cake (also grain, gluten, sugar, and dairy-free), which Kelly said she created after trying Healthy Indulgences' Healthy Flourless Chocolate Cake, which Lauren said she adapted from a recipe on LowCarbFriends. Phew! Follow all that??

At any rate, I made a few small changes to suit our tastes and allergy needs. I made it in the evening and let it sit overnight. I wish I'd gotten a picture but they dove into it before I could grab the camera! There's a picture on Healthy Indulgences. There's honestly no way, by looking at it, that anyone could tell what's in it!

Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Dairy-Free, Sugar-Free Chocolate Cake

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, well drained, at room temperature
5 organic free-range eggs
1 teaspoon chocolate stevia extract
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon Real Salt
6 tablespoons coconut oil

1/2 cup raw honey

1/2 cup cacao powder (cocoa powder could also be used; this is just what I had on hand)
1 teaspoon Grain-free Baking Powder* (Recipe below)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda


Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9" cake pan with Spectrum Organic Shortening. Line the bottom of the pan with unbleached parchment paper, then grease the parchment lightly with the organic shortening.

Place beans, 3 of the eggs, vanilla, stevia, and Real Salt into Vitamix. Blend on high until mixture is completely smooth and creamy.

In mixer, beat coconut oil with honey until light and fluffy. Add remaining two eggs, one at a time, beating for one minute after adding each egg. Pour bean batter into egg mixture and beat until well mixed.

In a small bowl, whisk together cacao powder, baking powder, and baking soda. Add to mixer and beat on high for one minute. Scrape batter into cake pan and smooth the top. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to eliminate any air bubbles.

Bake for 40 minutes, or until cake tests done. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out cake from pan, and flip over again on to a cooling rack. Cool cake until it reaches room temperature, then cover with cake dome. For best flavor, let cake sit for eight hours! Frost with the Spunky Coconut's Chocolate Frosting.


*Grain-free Baking Powder

2 Tbsp cream of tartar
1 Tbsp baking soda
1 Tbsp tapioca or potato starch, optional

Mix all ingredients together and pass through a fine sieve. Store in a tightly-sealed glass jar. Use within four weeks.

Grain-free Baking Powder

2 Tbsp cream of tartar
1 Tbsp baking soda
1 Tbsp tapioca or potato starch, optional

Mix all ingredients together and pass through a fine sieve. Store in a tightly-sealed glass jar. Use within four weeks.