Julia's Guardian Angel

Dear Friends -
This is our daughter Julia.  She is 13 and has a life threatening allergy to peanuts.  1/100 of a peanut could and probably would kill her if she ingested it.  She could possibly die if she comes into contact with peanuts because her body sends blood rushing to the area touched by the allergen, causing blood to pool in the area (typically extremities) resulting in a drop in blood pressure and possible stroke.

 

She recently met Bullet, an Australian Labradoodle that is a Peanut Detection Dog.  His job is, like a narcotics dog, to sniff out peanuts and peanut residue for people that have life threatening peanut allergies.

On Sunday we called 911 after arriving home from our Montana vacation. Julia had touched something with peanut residue at a restaurant on the way home. Within minutes, her fingers, knuckles and hands were swollen and covered with hives. She must have also brushed her lips because they were swelling up, too.

We've been contemplating getting a peanut detection dog for Julia for almost a year now, but there is just no way we can afford it.

Today we decided we just have to ask for help.

Please check out our fundraising site.

Thank you for taking a look and please pray that Julia will be able to raise the money for a guardian angel.

By the way, we are quite certain that the contact happened when she touched something in the bathroom at the restaurant, possibly the bathroom door.   Whatever it was, it was small enough to not be visible or smell-able because she is overly scrupulous about what she touches.

Thanks,
Cathie

Yet another Austen Allegory...

My very favorite character in Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen is Colonel Brandon.  He always does the right thing.  He takes care of his niece.  He loves Marianne Dashwood and, while he sees her falling for Mr. Willoughby, he does the right thing and steps back.  When Mr. Willoughby is proven a cad, Marianne falls heartbroken.  She also falls ill and it is Colonel Brandon, who ultimately needs "an occupation lest he go mad..."  He who had carried her in when she fainted.  Finally, he rides off to get her mother when he can do nothing else.

Today one of my very best friends was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.  She will need to remain in the hospital for 6 weeks, followed by 8 months of chemo, then perhaps a bone marrow transplant.

I have been uber busy the last several weeks overseeing Catholic Vacation Bible School.  My dear friend helped to get out our confirmation letters to each student, helped package art kits for craft time and on the very last day of CVBS, gave me a meal.   And while this was all happening, she was moving.  I told her she didn't look like she felt well and she just sighed and said, "Yes, I have been very tired."  Last week, I had three sick children and company coming, so I didn't realize how sick she had gotten and she ended up with having a bone marrow biopsy on Friday, last, one week from when she said she was very tired.

This morning she shared an initial diagnosis of leukemia and lymphoma.  I spent the day crying.  I cried because I was too busy last week to realize she might have needed my help.  I cried because I didn't know the extent of her illness and that she took care of me in my time of need.  I cried because I didn't know how serious it was and felt helpless.  I cried because I love her like a sister, her husband like a brother and her kids like my own.  I paced the house, trying to find things to do to help.  I felt like Colonel Brandon, like I needed an occupation, lest I go mad. 

Her husband called me to tonight to share the full details.  Finally those of us who have been asking how to help, know what they need.  That's no consolation, but at least we have an occupation so we can, at the least, feel like we're helping.

If you have time, can you say a prayer to Blessed Fr. Anibal asking his intercession on my friend's behalf?  He'll know who you are talking about without having to name her because he's hearing many, many prayers from those of us who got her request to pray for his intercession.  Click on the picture for his intercessory prayer.

Regardless of your denomination, please pray for my friend.  We need a miracle.  Her husband and 4 kids need one, too.

 

Sometimes I hate being the Mom

My four year old, with allergies and failure to thrive, gets to have a colonoscopy and EGD tomorrow.  Please pray for both of us.

But, that is not the worst of it.  The worst of it is being the mom, coaching a 31 lb kid through drinking 32 ounces of Gatorade mixed with 1/2 a bottle of Miralax.  He's supposed to down 8 oz. every 15 minutes.  The first 8 ounces went down in 40 minutes.  He struggled, gagging after each drink.  I gave him spit breaks (rinsing and spitting helps the need to vomit) in between drinks.  At this rate, with 15 minute breaks in between each 8 ounce session, we'll be done by 9:00.  It was only supposed to take an hour and 15 minutes.  Oh well.

I sent the rest of the clan off to see the Holidazzle parade so I can focus on him only.  Please pray for both of us, that we get through it without too many tears.  We haven't even begun the purging (the result of drinking the Miralax/Gatorade) yet.
UPDATE:  After throwing up three times and still having 8 oz. to finish at 9:30pm, I finally called the doctor.  He told me to be done, put him to bed and he'd see me in the morning.  My little guy was such a trooper.  Through it all, he never refused to drink even though it made him gag and shudder.  He was so brave.  The doctor admitted to me that they can't predict how much solution a child will need.  That at some point you may be done before the solution is all gone.  He was right.  WE were done!

Mr. Peterson's Gingersnap Cookies

I'm waxing poetic today about two wonderful men that died of complications of Diabetes.  One is my brother-in-law John, who loved these cookies and Mr. Peterson, who made these cookies.  Both were lovely men that left behind 5 kids and a beautiful wife.

Mr. Peterson was the father of my good friend Deb.  We were in all-things-choir together.  So was John.  We were a tight-knit group.  After EVERY choir concert or musical performance Mr. Peterson brought an ice cream bucket full of these delicious cookies.  John loved anything full of cinnamon, ginger and cloves.  His apple pies and pumpkin pies always had DOUBLE the spice.

Today, I was feeling badly I couldn't attend my dear neighbor Bob's funeral yesterday because I have coughing kids.  We've had lots of asthma attacks this fall, thanks to the dry, windy weather and a respiratory virus that is wreaking havoc on my two youngest kids' lungs.  This mommy has been up several nights now, battling coughs with Benedryl and Albuterol.  I couldn't make it yesterday because we had had one of  "those" nights and I was worried about leaving the coughers to someone else's care.

So, I baked up a batch of these cookies today, egg-free, and we shared a 1/2 dozen with Diane, Bob's beautiful wife.  I got the benefit of seeing all the beautiful flowers that were at the church and picture boards because they were home, in Diane's living room and dining room.  Diane said they served over 200 people lunch.  Bob was a great man, and I was happy to find out that Gingersnaps were his favorite cookie.  Diane got an extra hug because I needed to give one.  She told me, as she squeezed my hand, that she wants to stay in her house as long as she can because she and Bob built that house and Bob is everywhere in that house.  I'm so glad to hear that.

Here's the recipe WITH the eggs. I replaced the two eggs with a mixture 1 Tbsp flax seed meal, 1 Tbsp chia seed meal and 6 Tbsp. water.

Mr. Peterson's Gingersnap Cookies
(These are soft and chewy, not hard.  If you want hard cookies, do not store them in an airtight container.)

1 1/2 c. melted shortening (I know, not good for you, but these are cookies!  They AREN'T good for you!)
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c. molasses
4 c. sifted flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ginger
2 tsp. cloves
2 tsp. cinnamon

Sugar for rolling cookies

Mix all the ingredients together.  Using a small scoop, make a ball and roll in granulated sugar.  Bake 9 minutes at 350 degrees.  Allow to cool on the pan for a few minutes before cooling on a rack.


One last thing...please say a prayer for Beth, my sister.  She and her five kids are on vacation this week.  Please also say a prayer for the repose of Bob's soul and his wife of 56 years, Diane, and their four sons as they get used to life without Bob.

UPDATE:  Please also pray for my stepdad, Tom. I just found out today he has been diagnosed with Colon Cancer.  We don't know what stage the cancer is, but he's been feeling drained for a long time.  The doctor doing the colonoscopy did not biopsy because it was very evident it was cancerous and had perforated the inside layer of the bowel.  They are awaiting a surgeon to know how to proceed.  St. Peregrine, pray for us!

Much Ado About Garlic

I first made this recipe in February 2000.  We LOVED it and guess what?  I lost the recipe.  Well, not really lost it.  I put it in a really, really safe place.  It was in a storage tub full of my heritage recipes.  Heritage recipes are those recipes that have been passed down to me from my mom and grandma.  My grandma is, by the way, the best cook in the world.

So, you have to know that the first place my husband and I ate together was at "The Stinking Rose" cafe.  To say we love garlic would be an understatement.  It was at that restaurant that I was sure I had met my match.  We went back, all the way to San Francisco for our 10th anniversary and the first place we ate was "The Stinking Rose."  That night, the late-great Jeff Connaway fell in love with our then 3 year old daughter.  He flirted shamelessly with her, came over and asked if he could tell us how beautiful she was and colored on her placemat with her.  The signed it with "A hickey from Kenickie".  He smootched her on the head and kept smiling at us through our dinner.

So, back to the recipe.  It sounds like a lot of garlic, but don't cut back.  You really should add ALL 40 cloves.  By the way, my dearest brother-in-law John, who just passed away, adored garlic.  His wife didn't adore the fact that he loved garlic, but didn't fuss as long as he used Beano afterwards. This recipe is for John.

French Farmhouse Garlic Chicken
(Low Fat)
4 small skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. cooking oil
40 small cloves of garlic - if you unpeel them, they make a fabulous sauce.  If you leave them in the skin, that is fine, but you will need to peel them to eat them when they are cooked.
1/2 c. mushrooms (optional)
1 c. chicken broth (you can sub 1/2 with white wine, if you like)
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. corn starch
2  Tbsp. broth or wine

Pat chicken dry with kitchen paper.  Season with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium high heat until shimmering.  Add chicken and garlic cloves (and optional mushrooms).  Cook chicken for 2-3 minutes on each side or just until browned, turning once.  Add 1 c. liquid, lemon juice, basil and oregano.  Simmer, covered 6-8 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink.  Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken to a warm serving platter.  You have a couple of options now.  If you peeled the garlic, you can mash them into the sauce.  If you didn't peel them, remove them from the broth and peel them (just use a butter knife).  Just put it back into the pan.  Mix together the corn starch and 2 Tbsp. broth or wine and add to the pan juices.  Bring the pan juices to a boil.  Cook and stir for 1 minute.  Spoon sauce atop chicken.  Serve with mash potatoes, boiled potatoes, rice, pasta or my favorite, zucchini!

Enjoy!  And offer up a prayer for my sister and her family.  Thanks!

In Loving Memory

I don't have time to post a photo that could do him justice.  A picture would not be able to show how beautiful and amazing he was.

I'm sorry my blog has been rather sad lately.  It's not about to end right now.

At 7:11 am Wednesday, I received a call from my older (only) sister.  She was calling to tell me her 45 year old husband died at 2:45am.  John has had Type 1 Diabetes for over 30 years.  He's managed it magnificently with diet, exercise and diligence.  My sister has always helped make sure all that was possible, supporting him in any way she could.  So while he had an illness, it had never had the best of him.

John was a fabulous individual with the most incredible sense of humor.  He and my sister were parents to five spectacular kids - a 17 year old daughter and four (yes, quadruplets) 14 year olds, two boys and two girls.  I think that alone would qualify you for sainthood - raising quadruplets with a girl three years older.

I could gush about how John would drop everything if you needed help, or how he would drop a joke, just when it was needed or even how he could bake a pie better than anyone I know.  That would not, could not tell you even a little bit about him.   He was an amazing man...a marathon runner, church elder, gardener extraordinaire, a wonderful supporting husband and father.  And still that doesn't touch the surface.

My blog will probably be quiet for quite a while as I help my sister through this, as much as she will let me.  Please pray for the repose of John's soul and for my sister and her family.

UPDATED WITH PHOTO:  John loved babies.  Here he is, loving my two youngest boys.

We used to kid John that his lack of hair only made him look younger, not older.

Prayer Request

Dear Prayer Warriors (I know you are out there),

Please pray for our family friend, Nancy.  Long story, made short:  Since September, this beautiful, 50 year old mom of three has been fighting the fight of her life.  She has an amazing sense of humor, trust in God and strength.  Please pray for a miracle.  Here's what's happened:

• September - Ovarian Mass the size of a cantaloupe removed, cancerous
• November - Lung Mass found, testing started including biopsies of lungs, lymph nodes and bone marrow
• December - One lung removed, non-smokers lung cancer confirmed
• January - Hip pain where bone marrow biopsy had been done, unable to sleep
• February - Chemo started, hip pain continued, so MRI done to investigate problem
• March - Diagnosed with Stage IV non-smokers Lung Cancer, found more cancer sprouts in remaining lung (thanks to MRI done in Feb.)  Added two more drugs to Chemo Round 3 of 6.

Obviously, she's one tough lady.  Please lift her up in prayers. She says she's not going down without a fight.

My Daughter Got Her First Big Break!!!

Actually, two!  My eleven year old daughter's ulna and radius both broke today after taking a fall while ice skating.  She's got a great attitude, though.  She was the center of attention when she came home today with x-rays (to take to the pediatrician), a sling and a splinted arm.  Her arms is pretty swollen right now, so she can't get a cast until the swelling goes down.

Say a prayer for me because I will be her personal assistant at least until the cast is on next week.  Then we'll see how she does using her left instead of her right!

On a brighter note, the Mr. Willoughby that helped her in was dreamy! She didn't notice, but I did!

Please offer prayers for my mom!

Hey all you prayer warriors out there!  You've done it before and I know you can do it again.  My mom is dealing with chronic illness and  a recent med change is making her feel pretty crummy.  Can you offer up a prayer or sacrifice for her?  Prayer and great medical treatment brought her back from the brink in 2007.  We would really appreciate it. 

We have the wonderful opportunity to have her here with us for Christmas.  We're very thankful!  I'll offer up a prayer for the intentions of my readers, as well.  Thank you!

Our Lady of the Rosary

This, my friends, is my favorite feast day.  It is also my husband's and my 15th anniversary today.

“The rosary, though clearly Marian in character, is at a heart a Christ-centered prayer. It has all the depth of the gospel messge in its entirety. It is an echo of the prayer of Mary, her perennial Magnificat for the work of the redemptive Incarnation which began in her virginal womb...It can be said that the rosary is, in some sense, a prayer-commentary on the final chapter of the Vatican II Constitution Lumen Gentium, a chapter that discusses the wondrous presence of the Mother of God in the mystery of Christ and the Church" (Pope John Paul II, apostolic letter The Rosary of the Virgin Mary).

If you say a rosary today, could you offer at least one decade for my husband and my special intention?
Thank you in advance.  I will remember all my readers and their intentions in all of my rosary today.

Now what?

I'm proud to say we have made it 8 weeks gluten free with very few slip ups (only in the first two weeks)
Despite that, my three year old's eczema is worse than ever.  It's now on his neck, arms,  face, stomach and sides.  He'd never had it anywhere but his legs (and diaper area - ouch!). It's still there and worse than ever.

He's no longer getting any dairy, eggs or wheat.  Now, he eats MOSTLY rice (which I'm allergic to), gar-fava bean flour, coconut milk, corn (tortillas), soy based cheeses, Earth Balance Buttery Spread (thank, realmom!) instead of the obvious alternatives.   One thing I've noticed is he has started to only eat a few things.  If I bake anything, he won't eat it.  I tried to make cinnamon rolls for him - nope.  I have baked GF/CF/EF brownies with a Bob's Red Mill mix and he wouldn't eat those either.   GF Biscuits?  Nope.  He will eat pancakes made with the new Gluten-free Bisquick, but not the Bob's Red Mill GF Pancake mix (any body want what's left?)  I've also made a wide variety of things like muffins, coffee cakes, etc and he's turned them all down cold.  He likes it when I make oven baked chicken with a Gluten Free Bisquick as a coating.  The last 8 weeks I have tried to make his food as much like ours as possible so that he doesn't feel denied.  I don't think he does.  Now he's being selective either because of picky-ness or because something is not agreeing with him.  He's not terribly verbal, so it's hard to figure out.  It's very frustrating when he REALLY needs to eat to gain weight.

I'm more frustrated about the eczema, though.  While he's not lying in a pile on the couch saying he's tired anymore, he's scratching all the time now.  He can't sleep.  We're down to one bath a week with cool water and moisturizer two times a day.  I can't seem to pin point what the culprit might be that is causing the eczema.  So, next trip to the doctor we'll have to do yet another blood draw to see if he's allergic to rice, coconut, sunflower seeds or perhaps some fruits?? I don't know.  He already takes Zyrtec, which is a histamine blocker for his allergies.  I wonder what his eczema would look like if we took him off that!  I can't see putting a kid that is already short and small on steroids.  For now, we're relying on Aquaphor and tricimnalone for the eczema.

I wish we had a normal here.  He also hasn't gained any weight or grown taller.  It is hard enough to try to get him to gain weight on the short list of foods he's allowed to have.  He comes down in the morning, literally shaking because he's so hungry. Then, he turns down the food he asks for and requests something else.  It's hard to know when to give in and when to give up.

One more month and we'll have had our three month run of Gluten Free eating.  I'm not sure what will happen when we switch back.  I'm a little scared - scared that what I am doing now IS the new normal.  All prayers are gratefully accepted.

Prayer Request?

If you have the time today, could you say this prayer, found in my great grandmother's 1952 St. Joseph's Missal for a special intention? Thank you in advance!

Memorare to St. Joseph

Remember, O most chaste spouse of the Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who implored your help and sought your intercession were left unassisted.
 Full of confidence in your power I fly unto you and beg your protection.
 Despise not O Guardian of the Redeemer my humble supplication, but in your bounty, hear and answer me. Amen. 

Living with food allergies

I would be kidding if I said it wasn't a big deal to live with food allergies. We have, between 6 of us in our house, 11 major food allergies. Thankfully wheat isn't one of those, nor is corn. When my step dad comes to visit, we add those on top of our allergy list. However, you learn to cope. You have to. We all have to eat so it just becomes an exercise of trying to make it work.

We don't do fancy food here at our house. Most dinners, sit down - all of us together, usually consist of 1 meat, 2 veggies, 1 starch, 1 fruit. The starch is usually an artisan bread. The meat is usually, not always, free of sauce. We grill a lot, Spring through Fall.  We stay away from processed meats except for the occasional hot dog (Kosher, usually) and Johnsonville Brat (what can I say, we're German/Irish).

One thing I've noticed lately is that I have been having nightmares about the peanut allergy in our house.  I keep dreaming we are on a boat (inaccessible to a hospital) and other people on the boat have peanut addictions.  We had chosen the boat ride because we were assured it would be "peanut free" and here are all these people, typically girls the same age as my peanut allergic daughter, sneaking around eating peanuts.  Can someone explain this to me?  I have to go around on this boat and throw the peanuts overboard, then go wash my hands. 

Food allergies are on my mind lately because they have been affecting more of my life than normal.  Usually I'm a stay-at-home kind of gal.  But the Summer has us doing things we don't normally do, like going to VBS and the pool.  It is just control issues for me, I'm sure.  The other thing in my mind is that our pediatrician is asking me to consider having our 5th child go wheat free for a while.  He's a tiny guy.  What's worse is he's fallen from the 15th percentile for height to the 2nd percentile.  If he hadn't moved up by August, we have to consider tests, one of which would be an endoscopy with a biopsy to determine if he has Celiac's Disease, which could affect his growth. 

Please say a pray that he grows.  My nightmares will change in nature if that happens.  You see, I am allergic to rice.  If he needs to go wheat free, things change, even more for the worse here.  I will have to make all his food separately from mine.  I've actually been thankful to have an egg-free buddy as we both have egg allergies.  But now, this would make life just a little more difficult. 

I've heard it said that having a child with food allergies is like having a really bad neighbor you can't trust.  You have to keep your eye on your children at all times and can't let them go outside alone.  Food allergies affect them, too.  They feel left out and get tired of making sacrifices.  We don't eat out much, but when we do, I worry.  A lot.  They also think that we don't get invited to peoples' homes because they are worried they will contaminate us.  I worry a little about that too, both that we don't get invited for that reason and that they will, indeed, contaminate us.  So what do we do?  We have to have faith.  We have to be diligent and we have to be strong.

While I don't like that my kids might be left out because of their food allergies, I know in the long run learning to make sacrifices is an important lesson. I also know that education is the most important aspect of food allergies.  Kids need to know what they can and cannot have.  Adults need to know how to read labels and know what the allergic child needs to avoid.  People need to know we have means to mitigate an allergic reaction and what to look for and when to administer meds.

If you are reading this and you wonder what you can do?  Have a bottle of liquid Bendadryl in your house at all times.  That is the best and easiest way to make sure you can help if there is ever a food allergy at your house.

Mother of the Word Incarnate

We always do night time prayers. Many times we have tried a Rosary at night and things fall apart. So, we've opted for a Litany of Prayers before the kids go to bed.

We started out with "God's Top 3," as my husband likes to call it. That would be the Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary and Glory Be. We kept adding. Here is our current list:

Lord's Prayer
Hail Mary
Glory Be
Guardian Angel
Act of Contrition
Hail Holy Queen
St. Michael the Archangel
Apostle's Creed

And most recently we added the Memorare.

Two days after we added Memorare, we got home late, got jammies on late and Daddy decided that we would only do "God's Top 3" so we could get the kids to bed. In all reality, it only takes about 9 1/2 minutes to say all our prayers, but the kids really needed to go to bed.

When we finished and told the kids it was time to go upstairs, my 4 year old protested LOUDLY.

Him: Mom! We forgot some of the prayers!
Me: I know, honey, but it's late we are going to bed now.
Him: Mom! We didn't do "Mother of the Word Incarnate."
Me: What?!
Him: We didn't do "Mother of the Word Incarnate." I want to do "Mother of the Word Incarnate."

Now, I was tired and I wasn't tracking. I couldn't figure out what it was he was talking about and my husband looked at me and said, "Memorare." Then he took some of the kids upstairs. Still not tracking, our conversation continued:

Him: Mom, can we please do "Mother of the Word Incarnate." We didn't do "Mother of the Word Incarnate."
Me: Okay.

He and I finished the prayer together and he was happy and I was stunned. The kid surprises me regularly with the words he picks up in conversation or just from rote prayers, but this just took the cake.

So, if you wouldn't mind humoring me. I have a special intention and if you could take the minute to say the Memorarae for my special intention, I would really appreciate it!

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided.

Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me.

Amen.

More on weight loss...

This has to be quick as I have 1,000,000,000 other things I need to do why my dear hubby takes the kids to the park.

I'm slowly lowering my weight. I'm down 7.5 lbs in 4 weeks which is a healthy loss. And yet, I'm frustrated. In our "instant society," I want it now. I want to be thin now, never mind that it took me several pregnancies to get like this with really not much of a break in between.

What is hard is seeing others who get "help" lose it fast. I'm not a patient person by any stretch of the imagination. What's harder is our society bent on indulgence and indulging those of us trying to lose weight. No wonder our nation is fat. No wonder it is so hard to lose. You can get a triple and a frosty at midnight or a large fry and McSandwich. We don't eat out very much. But the temptation is there for the taking when I'm tired, don't have many groceries in the house, to drive thru for food rather than go to the store and make something healthy.

One of my favorite bloggers, Rod Dreher, feels he is also struggling. In this post, talks about how hard it really is to lose. Lent is always a good time for me to try and lose weight. Now I just have to work on not grumbling about it...

Pray for me, friends. I want to grumble more than I have here, but I won't!

We interrupt this blog for something more important...

Please pray for this little guy and his family. My heart and prayers go out to them.