Having a bit of a flare, Grrrr!

[CAMary]

I'm trying to figure out the cause but have had no luck as of yet. I think it might be a combo of factors, but it is hard to tell!

1. Stress. Mike left Sunday for a *12* day business trip (actually 2 trips scheduled back-to-back) Oh and we had 3 days notice that he would be leaving!! I work part-time, late afternoons and evenings to minimize childcare expenses - I had to jump through hoops in the beginning of the week to get my hours covered by babysitters. It has also cost a small fortune, and I've already blown our new budget plan we started for '06!

2. Not eating well *at all* this week....since it's just me and the kids I usually fix them something kid-friendly for dinner and I eat *whatever*. One day I realized about 10pm that I hadn't had anything but a banana since breakfast time. I'm tired and so busy trying to handle everything myself I am literally "forgetting" to eat - not eating enough can give us D, right? Especially since what I am experiencing is very low volume - just a small amount of "slick willy" stuff....

3. Been battling a cold for about a week...it never became a full-fledged illness, but I've got a lot of mucous running down the back of my throat and it has to come out somehow, right . In the past I've recalled having minor *issues* when I've got a respiratory virus....

I haven't eaten anything new. Fortunately I've made it to Friday (Thursday is the end of my work-week) and Elyse and I are hanging out in our jammies. It is supposed to rain all weekend, so I'm going to take the boys to Blockbuster and we are just going to hang out and watch movies this weekend. I am also going to make sure I eat enough *healthy* stuff all weekend long....

It is very frustrating as of course the first thought is *it's back* and my life will once again revolve around bathroom trips - honestly that thought depresses me so much I don't even want to go there...

Oh - got some other good news yesterday - after I wrote a lengthy note to the schoool psychologist explaining WHY I disagreed with their decision and citing special education law, they have finally *agreed* to evaluate my son for a learning disability ....I was looking into hiring an adovcate or legal counsel and was encountering a lot of roadblocks. It is a huge relief that they have agreed to *do the right thing* without me having to get nasty with them


I'll check in again later - if I work it right I might even get a this afternoon!

Mary

[Jean]

Mary,

Sounds like just an awful week. My girls and I used to call those "cuddle days", and I miss them now that the girls are grown.

I'm kind of hoping that you just got some hidden gluten, and I'm betting on it. Maybe you contaminated yourself when you made food for the kids?

I hope you feel better soon! Love, Jean

[Peggy]

Hey Mary, nice to see you!

Bummer (if you'll pardon the pun) about the flare. Sounds like you've got the right recipe to settle it down, though. Eat well, enjoy a stress-free weekend with the kids, have a nap - heck, except for the kid part I think I'll try and follow in your footsteps

I hope it all settles real quick for you bud. Don't stress about it, you'll have it under control in no time.

Love
Peg

[Liz]

Hang in there Mary. It could be a combination of things. Stress does play a part too I know. Have a lovely quiet weekend with the kids & hopefully things will settle down.

Love

Liz

[Wendy]

It sounds like you have a multitude of reasons for a flare up right now. Although I don't have the problem now of having to find a babysitter on short notice, I do remember when I worked, that if there was something that happened last minute, it was horrible. And basically you have to pay what is asked, its not much fun. Very frustrating for a mother, you are stuck between a wall and a hard place. And when you have all that going on, it is very easy to forget to take care of yourself. How many mothers can relate to forgetting to eat while taking care of the family??? For me, being alone, I always have some reason of why I don't want to cook a meal, usually its that I don't know how to cook for one, and so end up eating the same thing for days on end so as not to waste anything. Or I eat what is quick, but not exactly a balanced meal. Like I will eat an apple, and cheddar cheese, or just celery and carrots, and crackers. So what I have done, mainly because I know that I am now ending up with deficiencies, so I am drinking a protein drink to try and balance out my body. Then I also started to make homemade soup. I cut up the veggies, and trim every visible bit of fat off of the chicken or turkey, and then add lentils and whatever else that would give me some nutrition. Then I freeze it, in containers that have about 2 servings a container. That way I don't have to eat it everyday, but its all made and ready to go.

I know I have a long way to go before I reach a balance, but it helps for those days when I just can't do it. And with your hubby gone for almost 2 weeks, you are sure to have allot of those times. I know that it can be hard to even find the time to make something up ahead of time, but if you do get a chance, its a start. And nothing beats soup on a rainy day!!!

I do hope that you find something that will help you, it is just no fun to have this kind of trouble when you have so much already on your plate to deal with.

Gentle hugs
Wendy

[Polly]

Bummer, CA Mary.

I have two thoughts. One, this happens to me too when I am not paying enough attention to my diet. Is there any way someone can babysit for a few hours and you can go to WF or somewhere and fix up a good stash of healthy foods for yourself? It helps to have a ready supply - especially during the insanely busy times. Maybe when the kids go to bed you can cook yourself a bunch of meals to freeze. I remember you gave me the idea of grilling lots of chicken at one time.

Two, I am wondering about lactose. I remember that you had a problem with it once but that it improved. Since it is a problem that often gets worse as we get older, do you think it could be a problem? Maybe you could try omitting it for a while and see what happens.

Good luck. In my experience, these flares are self-limited and not the sign of worsening MC, so please don't worry about that. I hope all is well SOON.

Love,

Polly

[barbaranoela]

Hi Mary--nice to see U but sorry about the issues---althought it seems that U have the problems lined up right in a row!!!

With me STRESS is my major downfall now and---know ya gonna laugh @ this being thrown in with stress, but NUTS kill me!!!

Its always nice when the *hub* is around to help with the kids and just be there~~~~

So try to take in a deep breath and let it out and *relax*

luve to U
Barbara

[annie oakley]

Hi Mary.......I know that stress pays a large part of a flare for me. It happened to me right after the surgery because of my issues with bills (which I am working on) I also had to go back and keep my food diary and what I call a stress diary and my stress triggers. It's hard but I had to stop and re group...this board helped me there. Thank Goodness. Hope you get it under control soon. Love Oma

[m]

Mary,
Are you feeling any better? Stress and disruption of routine does me in too. Drinking lots and lots of coffee does as well.
m

[annie oakley]

Mary...try some plain yogurt w/ Acidolphlus in it and take acidolphuls on the side as well...and a bland diet for awhile. I know you probably already know all this. Fell better soon. Love and Hugs Oma

[CAMary]

Thanks Everyone for your thoughts and suggestions! This is seriously the *best* place on the net to come for support/advice!!

I went to Trader Joe's yesterday and loaded up on some healthy snacks/convenience meals etc....I made a huge pot of GF chicken noodle soup yesterday and made a conscious effort to eat *something* every few hours....I started feeling a lot better!

Today we had to do some running around, but again I kept track of when I last ate and made an effort to eat something healthy every few hours...had a visit today - it wasn't Norman, but it was very close - things are definitely moving in the right direction

Mike is now in MN (via Boston). Both he and his dad had a stomach bug yesterday - not but and apparently his sister and her kids had something last week, so I can't rule out that there was something viral happening...I know there is all kinds of stuff going around this time of year!

He will be back on Thursday and he is making a trip to the Bittersweet Bakery (GF bakery in MN) and bringing me home some goodies Tomorrow is a holiday, so I don't have to work and there is no school. An extra day of R & R never hurt anyone

Mary

[annie oakley]

Feel Better soon..... Love Oma

[Lucy]

Mary,

Glad you are all better now.
I'm curious -- what kind of noodles do you use in your chicken noodle soup?

Notice that Thai Kitchen has a box of rice noodles that should surely work well in a dish like that, but haven't tried it yet. Only place where I've seen this box of noodles is at Whole Foods, but then I don't really get to shop frequently enough to check out other stores. The brand is most everywhere, so stores getting deliveries of their other products would likely be able to supply that product if we request it.

By the way, a local independent store that is very near me recently requested that I let them know of gf and other allergen-free products that they would like to be able to order and keep in stock for other customers. They are already well on the way to being one-stop shopping for me.

Also, this store has meats that are free of injections, etc, but not with the added benefits of being range fed/organic as are Whole Food's.

Think I'll make a general post about those Thai kitchen rice noodles in the box to see if anyone has tried them while I'm thinking about it.

Yours, Luce

[Polly]

Hi Luce!

Most healthfood stores have those plain rice noodles for sale - either in a box or cellophane bag. I use them in chicken noodle soup, too.

The product that CA Mary and I have always wished for is GF tortellini! Has anyone ever seen it? Of course, for many of us, it couldn't have any dairy filling. But it could have herbs, chicken, etc. YUM.

Love,

Polly

[Lucy]

Polly,

For some reason, I'm thinking that I saw it at Whole Foods. Will look again next time I'm in there. Either that or in one of the gf/celiac publications we get. Might've just seen a package of the wheat version right beside the rice pasta (where I get our Tinkyada for Italian meals.)

So, it's the Asian version that you use in your chicken noodle soup, after all?
I remember when I thought I could have some of the Thai Kitchen ready-made soups.
Sure got my bubble burst on that one! Anyway, I'll just bet those are the very same noodles as the ones they sell plain.

Yours, Luce