Figured I would do a quick update. Knowing me, nothing is ever really quick. I'm so long-winded! Don't worry....I know it. :)
I have decided to not go back to school as originally planned. So once I'm done with the two classes I'm taking now, I'm done. After much prayer, I know that I would never be able to apply myself 100% to homeschooling if in the back of my mind, I'm worrying about homework and passing my own courses. I received all of Aidan's books for next year from ABEKA. He is going to be doing the video course which is actually online instead of the DVDs. That saved us a $100. Woohoo! Mattea will, of course, be using mostly Rod and Staff. I'm also going to a huge homeschool convention/book sale in Atlanta in May to stock up on some other items. I'm really excited. I do know that to create the environment that the kids need to help them enjoy learning, I have to be fully committed. I know now that I will be able to provide it. I'm very excited.
We have also been having some allergy trouble with Zane. He has always had little patches on his body and we thought it was just dry skin. Recently, within the last month or so, they have been getting really bad. I took him to a naturepath and she said that his immune system was very low and he was put on immunity boosters as well as Vitamin C. I also switched our laundry detergent and his lotion/bodywash. His skin was so sensitive that I also had to watch what everyone else was using. (Bye bye bath and bodyworks for me!! SNIFF.) We noticed a marked improvement and then it went downhill, fast. We returned from a mini-vaca in Gatlinburg, Tn and I started to notice the rash on the insides of his elbows, the backs of his knees, and the tops of his feet getting worse. By Sunday evening, the insides of his little arms were blistered up and oozing. He would also scratch at his arms and so he was an oozing bleeding mess. It was horrible and I felt helpless. At that moment, God spoke so clearly, and told me it was diet. Starting the next morning, I took him off of all wheat, dairy, eggs, gluten, etc...you get the picture. Within 24 hours, we noticed a marked difference. By the end of the week, it was pretty much gone. I took him to our regular doctor to make sure I was on the right path and he gave me a cream to clear up the rest. He said that it was a form of eczema but allergy related. Next week I will be starting the process of figuring out which food/foods we need to be aware of but I honestly believe that it is dairy/egg related. Call it gut instinct. So we shall see!
That's about it though. Looking forward to some nice weather. We have been oh so rainy. Nothing compared to what is going on up in Idaho though. I almost had to complain about my balmy 68 degrees. I do have some beautiful colors to look at too! Aidan has 3 ball games this weekend and Mattea has 1. Hopefully I will have some good pictures to put up.
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10 years ago
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yeah, not sure how I'd homeschool and do my own study as well, probably a wise move so you don't go crazy!
About Zanes skin... Terah's kids and our kids have that same exact thing. Kira's doesn't bleed anymore and is slowly outgrowing hers. Preston still has it pretty bad on his hands and inside elbows. He doesn't get upset about too much, but he's had it his whole life. Jude was the worst case I've ever seen. Terah could go into so much more detail, but let just say she could hardly give him a bath, and when she did he screamed bloody murder, and his skin looked like raw hamburger. Anyways, after going to an allergy doctor, he cured him of some stuff and around that time they also decovered a mold issue in there house where Jude was sleeping next to every night! I believe Judes skin is pretty much all better maybe flare up from time to time, but nothing like it was!
Good luck to you, it's teribble thing to try to figure out, I have yet to figure out completly, slowly though.
68 degree weather is the best! 30ish is not!
Thank you so much for your comment. I'm actually also concerned about possible mold in our basement. The carpet, although in good condition is very old. Buddy and I are talking about tearing it out. Big job but totally worth it. I'm so sorry about ya'lls babies. I'm very glad they are better.
Heya!
Sounds like you've been making some big decisions and Im glad if thats what God has laid on your heart- there's such joy knowing you are walking in obedience to Him. I have been on 'study hiatus' several times, it just means I'll finish when God wants me to I guess!
Dont want to scare you or create a panic at all. When you spoke about Zanes skin and your feeling that it was allergy related, it reminded me of a Celiac Disease symptom. I've copied & pasted since a professional can explain more effectively than I...
"Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) is an itchy, blistering skin rash that affects 15 to 25 percent of people with celiac disease. The dermatitis herpetiformis rash usually occurs on the elbows, lower back, buttocks, knees, hands, and back of the head, but other areas of the body can also be affected. Most people with DH have no digestive symptoms of celiac disease.
DH is diagnosed through blood tests and a skin biopsy. If the antibody tests are positive and the skin biopsy has the typical findings of DH, patients do not need to have an intestinal biopsy. Both the skin disease and the intestinal disease respond to a gluten-free diet and recur if gluten is added back into the diet. The rash symptoms can be controlled with antibiotics such as dapsone. Because dapsone does not treat the intestinal condition, people with DH must maintain a gluten-free diet".
Just thought it was worth mentioning. The adult symptoms of celiac disease- (aside from digestive symptoms) include fatigue, anemia, bone & joint pain, depression, tingling numbness, bone loss etc. I had all these symptoms for quite a while, and for a long time had extreme fatigue/pain etc being tested for other ills. Testing for Celiacs was the last thing my doctor thought of- and turns out, the right diagnosis. Children dont usually have these symptoms, but its worth testing for a wheat/rye/oats/barley intolerance at least. DH is often mis/un/diagnosed because its just not as common as other skin problems children commonly have.
Or it could just be sensitive skin :) Jayde used to get quite bad rashes, I dont use regular soap with her anymore, but sorbolene cream instead. Seemed to work.
When is Buddy getting posted to Australia so we can hang?
Thanks Karina! I'm definitly going to have him tested. Right now I'm trying to flush his system. It does sound like a possibility and its worth checking for. He has responded so well to the diet I have put him on but I want to know for sure so I can take out some of the guess work. I appreciate your post. I love all my friends on here! I praise Jesus for you all because I know as each of you endure one thing or another, your turn to others to lift them up and encourage as well. Thanks again for all the useful information.
Alas...Buddy is no longer in the military so there is no hope of us getting there that route. However, we do plan to come visit. Not sure when, but we will. We are a traveling family so I know it will happen. :) XOXO
happy to hear of your update! i'm proud of you putting the children first...you are a wonderful mommy!
i'm getting random patches on my skin now that are itching and i'm not happy about it. the thought of changing my diet so overwhelms me...i have no idea how to even begin! but i'm thinking that is what its going to take...yuck! glad to hear zane is better though...
miss you and love you mucho!
Hey there!
So sorry to hear about the little guy.
My boys don't do dairy. We discovered it when Adam was about three weeks old. He had been getting continually cranky since his birth. It took five days for my milk to come in due to large amount of blood loss so that didn't help but I thought he would start getting happier after it came in. He got worse. Every day. We would take turns holding him for two hours at a time all through the night because it was the only way he would sleep. After two weeks he had lost quite a bit of weight and he was spitting up blood from time to time. The doctor said that the blood was most likely from me as I myself was raw and cracked and bleeding. Well, finally one evening while Jay was still working, Adam was so miserable that I was trying everything to soothe him and I decided to change his diaper. There wasn't poop, just blood. Not a large amount but enough to make me start sobbing hysterically and call Jay in a panic.
Thankfully the pediatrics office stayed open late for me to bring him in and Jay met me there. The doctor said that it was most common for a milk allergy to effect a baby this way. So she told me I could eat no dairy. So I didn't and a week later it was as if we had received a whole new baby. It took a good three days to really notice a difference though.
Anyhow, both boys still have to be lactose free. At first we thought it was an actual allergy but it turned out that they seem to do okay as long as the lactose is gone.
For us there were no other signs besides them being really grumpy and uncomfortable. Adam's bowels were bleeding just because they had gotten so irritated and inflamed.
Sorry so long. I gotta go make dinner! It's late! =)
Oh Heidi! I couldn't imagine that. You are such a good mommy...what a scary time though. Your poor babies. I'm so thankful we serve such an awesome God and One who guides us to the right people at the right time. I will continue to pray for your boys and thank you for sharing....still wondering where those prego pictures are!
I feel as though I didn't get to finish last night because I realized how late it was and Jay was just getting home! =) I am very easily distracted.
I meant to ask you: What do you think about Rod and Staff? We have been considering starting Adam on this in the fall even though he'll be only 4 1/2. He often asks me when he is going to start class and recently has surprised me by recognizing letters and such. Anyhow, just thought I'd ask what you think of it. I've heard Abeka is really good but I'm not sure it's the route for us. Plus, I wanted to start him a little sooner.
Yes. Praise the Lord for showing us how to take care of our little ones. Rowan was much easier as I just cut dairy out from the start and then tried a glass of milk to see how he'd feel. Not a good response. But at least we knew right away this time. It's not easy to go nearly a year without dairy but I know God gave us mommies this very strong desire to nourish our babies and have them be happy and well.
Shelby posted a picture of us three girls and you can kinda see our bellies in that one. I promise I'm trying, I still need the software to transfer my pics from my camera to the computer. Sorry! I will get some up though.
Using both Rod and Staff and Abeka growing up, I enjoy both curriculums. As a mom though I'm definitly partial to Abeka. At least for Aidan. He has used it in K3 and now in K4 and loves it. He enjoys the predicitiblity of it. I love that he has just turned 5 but is already reading. We will use the video school for him next year. Definitly for Mattea, I think Rod and Staff is going to be perfect. There are a blue million other ones out there though. Don't limit yourself. Its all on how creative (not me) or dependent on a curriculum (totally me) you want to be! Enjoy!
Hey girl..I didn't even know you had a blog..I'm so glad i can follow up with what you guys are doing these days. Yes we should have done daycare when you were here...its really good money and lots of fun!!
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