Mixed News.

On Friday, we had our second appointment with the amazing Dr Donahue. While it looks like at this stage that it is only Raven and I are the only with Coeliac's Disease, Monika definately has a carotene allergy, and she has either a cow's milk intolerance or allergy. Dante has probably got Lactose Intolerance. Labyrinth is going to have extensive psychological and physiological testing for her various problems. Kai is all good. Any one of the others do have the potential of developing coeliac's disease (or it didn't show up in the bloods, apparently it doesn't often with children), but considering Dante can predict when he will get diahrea, it's due to milk usually, Monika's diahrea has really lost it's severity since severely removing dairy and carotene from her diet. The doctor believes this will disappear eventually. I do hope that none of the other's has got it, because they'll continue to cop damage until it's spottable/spotted. This can be tested for annually. We have some tests to run on Dante, some strategies to use with Kai (its not a medical issue), lots of testing for Labyrinth and to keep doing the same as we are dietry speaking and homeschooling.

I've really been fantastic, with the sleep apnoea machine filling in a significant part of my health recovery puzzle. I have been feeling amazing, actually able to keep up with a pretty great aerobic routine and have lost a dress size. But on my birthday (I'm cursed I swear) I pulled a muscle in my back and haven't been able to excercise (or do much fun stuff) since. I've got bruising all over my back, and slowly getting rid of the knots. It was caused by from a crouch jumping straight up into the air to a straight position, then back. The problems arose when the Wii remote and Nunchuck were not far enough apart (and geez I'm only average height) and it tugged on my right side (been doing the high impact version on the Active (game?). It is also naughty of me as I've a curve in my spine and I shouldn't jump or do high impact. Huh, I have been handling it OK until then, I'd completed 6 days at that stage. I was doing other stuff too, this is just so frustrating! The one good thing this week it seems is Dr Donahue accepts that Raven and I are both Coeliac, while he can't 'officially' give the diagnosis he will give a letter to us to the effect that Raven must stay on a Gluten Free Diet. When Raven gets older he can make a decision to do a gluten challenge and see what happens. It's pretty obvious though, and it would suck for him, but it is his decision when he is old enough to do so. I was totally divided in wanting the full diagnosis and not wanting him to go through the biopsy.

That's all really, besides lots of recipes I'll be sharing in the next few days! Here's to a better health for all of us!
Cheers, Q.

Getting Somewhere.... FINALLY!!

My health is getting lots better since using the Sleep Apnoea machine, excercise and obviously off the gluten/mostly off dairy diet. I feel flexible, alive and energetic, YAY!
All of the children except Raven has been on a mini-gluten challenge followed up by a blood test for all of them, Raven as a bit of a control.
The bloods were taken on Monday, hopefully in time for the results to be ready for their next appointment with the pediatrician in three weeks. He is a great doc so far, it took some pushing to get this far, but finally we're there, and he's hearing us, nice feeling. But really it is expected just never seems to happen that way...

Labyrinth has a Sleep Apnoea test when Andrew has one middle of next month, if she has that it might explain her move swings and lack of attention span at times.

Monika is still sore and sick, the poor lass. Little improvements are big here, and she has been a little improved, strange since she's had more gluten than usual...

Other than that I'm going to make Cornbread for tea, which I'd better get on with right now!
Weight has been coming off, it is visible now... but still got quite a bit to go... too much really but I'm capable and determined now! Until next time Q.

Getting better everyday...

But the road is definately one of trial and error. Somethings seem so difficult, other things are really really good and worth all the fuss.
For instance, last fortnight's shop I brought myself some 'treats' like chick pea bites and rice and corn chicken flavoured cakes. These ended up containing gluten (stupid me for not checking, hey they sounded fine). Alas, not the case. The kids ate up the rice and corn cakes but haven't touched the chick pea bites as yet. I thought to myself that it doesn't matter anyways, I've enjoyed munching on sunflower seeds and nuts.
According to the BetaLife program, that's exactly the kind of thing I should be eating to liven up my metabolism. It certainly has changed my energy levels (topping out for late nights but still tired and unable to wake in the morning.) Hey I even got out into the garden for the first time in 4 months to do the weeding yesterday! I think it's not so much my diet that is the issue with my over tiredness but my anti-depressants. Yeah, I know they are suppose to be lifting my mood and giving me energy. They may be lifting my mood (or it may be my health improving expotentially), but they are most probably responsible for my slow morning starts. I was unable to wake until nearly lunch time today. Poor kids!
It may be my anemia, too. It is a real problem for those who have CD and still eat gluten! But I've been really good and avoiding it like it's poison (which in fact it is to me - it causes malnurishment and no end of health issues.) I can't believe all the wonderful changes in my body and my mind since ridding myself of it. So, ultimately instead of eating fish so often I'll be looking at upping my reds next week.
Another side to my situation is I am being inspired to create new dishes, and looking at other Gluten Free blogs for inspiration. I'm going to give making a fish potato bake a go, and a garlic chicken polenta dish a whirl. They seem like they should go rather nicely together. I also probably should buy a GF cook book but I need to buy some boots so I can do gardening/fishing. I also want to get hiking boots. I guess I'll be using the wonderful expertise on the web for some time.
What a wonderful, masterful and expensive machine the Kenwood Chef is. I've already got the mincer attachment, I'm looking at getting a liquidiser/icecream maker/food processer/grain mill in the next few months. They'll end up costing MORE than the machine. Oh, but the culinary places I can go! The money I'll be able to save to be able to grind my own grains, make my own so many things, like icecream.
Andrew (partner) has agreed that he'd like to move bush with me. You know what that will mean? A sheep or two and some goats. I'll make my own fetta/cheese/icecream and milk! I'll put in a food forest and grow my own vegies. I'll have laying chickens. I just have to save some money and get some bank to agree to a loan. He wants to build a subterranian house, kind of inspired by the hobbit holes in LOTR. Its a wonderful dream and we should be able to save around $5000 by christmas without hurting too much. I'll be honing my gardening skills with a green house and raised garden bed and raspberry canes in the next few months that may save us some dosh. Oh, and fishing always helps on the meat quotient. (Even though I be needing a bit more of the reds of late).
My depression is lifting and my head is full of dreams. I just have to get me a writing so I can make maybe a bit more money and get our dream a bit sooner than later...
And on a good note, I've been losing a bit more of the heavy stuff. YA!!!
I'll be brave and post a pic soon so there will be a before shot up... and showing my progress and helping me to keep it up!

Current Weight: 123.4 kg