Welcome...to my CRAZY adventure!

 I decided to start this blogging adventure in hopes to help others out there on this journey like the one I have.  There have been many changes in our family in the last two months and it’s been a bit of an emotional roller coaster in our house. 

Let me begin by saying we are a pretty big family.   We have 4 kids.  My second child was diagnosed as having a pretty serious dairy allergy two months ago and it’s been a struggle for her since.  She is 11 years old.  This is not something she was allergic to before it is something she grew to become allergic to; but she is no stranger to food allergies.  When she was a toddler she had a shrimp and crab allergy.  Kathryn had been having some terrible stomach cramps, bloating, sour stomach and smelly burps after eating food.  We couldn’t pinpoint what food it was that was causing the allergy though so I made an appointment with our ENT/allergist.  I have the same symptoms when eating garlic which I am allergic to, and thought that might be what she was reacting to.  When they tested her Milk showed up quickly.  Talk about making a child cry.  All those needles they had been poking her with I had promised ice cream afterwards as a reward for making it through the testing.  We had to change that! 

Do you know what it means to be allergic to dairy?  This is not the same as lactose intolerant. It means you are allergic to the protein in the milk.  Some people who are allergic to cow milk are so sensitive they can’t drink or eat any milk including sheep or goat.  For Kathryn we are trying sheep and goat milk, it doesn’t seem to affect her negatively.  People who are lactose intolerant have a hard time processing the enzyme lactose.  Today there are many milk or dairy alternatives: coconut, almond, rice, soy, and oat milk.  I am finding myself having to read every label now on products, especially processed ones.  She usually makes a lunch now because school lunch becomes limited. 

We have been blessed to have so many stores near us that cater to people with food issues though so we have been trying tons of different products.  The hard part for her is eating out at food establishments.  We constantly have to ask if their bread products have milk in them.   Do they use milk in the chicken breading?  Some are very understanding about it and others a bit irritated about it, the ones who answer too quickly I honestly don’t buy from cause I don’t trust that they looked.  The stores that have employees who are educated about allergies are wonderful