Mr. Q. and the Oral Allergy Syndrome

I'm slightly delayed in my follow-up to Mr. Q's mini-allergy crisis. Mostly because I'm not terribly wowed by the results. Over our long weekend away (because these things always happen when one is away), he had an unexpected and unusual reaction to a raspberry sorbet; it wasn't anything he usually reacts to and it wasn't the usual type of reaction.

A brief background: Mr. Q has big time allergies and intolerances. Nothing deadly, but a lot of them. The list now includes, but may not be limited to: dairy (+/- lactose intolerance), yeast, corn, tuna, soy, hazelnuts, almonds, cherries, blackberries, strawberries, kiwis, apples, peaches, pears, plums, carrots, snow peas, raw potatoes, and birch, alder and elm pollen.

Yay.

The first four are being dealt with through a Naturopath and may be transitory [god, or somesuch, willing]. The remainder are, in large part apparently, related. This is according to the allergist that Mr. Q saw last week. On some level, birch trees are related to nearly every seed and/or pitted fruit out there, as well as carrots [?! seriously, that's what he said]. Therefore, Mr. Q's allergies, aren't "all that uncommon".

[Maybe not uncommon for a specialist who sees nothing but people with seriously obnoxious allergies, she sniffed, quietly, in the corner of the doctor's office to which she'd been relegated]

The end result of this, health wise, is no more enlightening than it was before we went in:

• My dear SigOther has allergies, many of which are related to his seasonal pollen allergies.
• The remainder are one-offs that don't [apparently] warrant much comment.
• Any allergies for which he would like confirmation can be tested for by bringing in a bit of the substance in question and the good doctor will perform a skin test with that exact substance. [ooohhh, how very high tech; a scratch and a stain].
• Several of his current food allergies can be alleviated through thorough cooking [bleh] while the remaining allergens are simply to be avoided. [duh]
• Aside from that, allergy shots may lessen the seasonal pollen symptoms, but only high, long-term doses of the allergy shots offer the slightest chance of maybe reducing some of the food allergies. A little. Maybe.
  

Oh, do I sound unimpressed?? Forgive me. It is, really and truly, very good to have confirmation that these allergies are, in some part, related and there is, therefore, some hope that Mr. Q will stop accumulating new reactions. His immune system isn't completely random and may truly be working in some semblance of order, albeit an excessive order.

And, he has decided to go ahead with the shots next spring. We'll see how much, or how little it helps.

I, though, get to continue peeling all the potatoes and carrots.

children of the corn

Mr.Q is at it again. Never one to be content with status quo, he has upped the ante. Gone are the days of mere seasonal allergies, oral allergy syndrome, lactose intolerance and mild allergies to yeast, dairy, tuna and corn! Ah, corn....surely that sounds like a reasonable thing to be allergic to - and why not? Why not run wild with it and see what happens?

We thought we had done pretty good eliminating corn products, even though Mr.Q's original testing suggested that he could have corn once or twice a week. I mean, corn, maize, corn starch ...what else is there? We did our due diligence and read every label. Twice.

And, yet, a second violent allergy attack has brought us around to the thought that he is now, perhaps, affected by small amounts of corn, corn derivatives and anything that may have even grown next to corn. Or thought about it.

So, all hail the internet. And, holy crap, what an information overload that is. Here are just a few of the sites that are making me rather fearful of a life eating chicken and rice [until he becomes allergic to those, too]. My favourite? Toothpaste is likely to contain corn products. Great.

The naturopath has been called. This definitely requires confirmation and follow up. And then we get to discuss babyQ. How am I ever supposed to be able to introduce any food to her? At the slow rate we may have to go at, we'll be lucky if she's eating more than a handful of veggies by the time she starts school. But, by that point, that may be all that's left in our house for food, anyway.

my new favourite word

Forget catastrofuck. [Okay, no, don't - because I still love it too]

Mr.Q has found a new word. In his search for a Toastmaster's word of the day, he found a new description for those afflicted like himself and are intolerant to lactose: lactard. It is, apparently, used to refer to those who are lactose intolerant and I'm incredibly ready and willing to fire it off at him on a moment's notice - particularly while eating yogurt or having a bowl of cereal.

However, I would like to suggest an alternate meaning from that of one who has lost the ability to digest milk: one who has lost the ability to produce milk.

Because, whether it is the cold/allergies that I have been fighting for the last four weeks or the slightly smaller nursing bra that I've been wearing while putting off laundry or the slightly lower fat diet that I've opted for in recent weeks, I've been running a little low.

Now, granted, the Magpie is eating a lot more solid food, but I'm [yes, I'm] not really ready to move on from breastfeeding and I've decided that neither is she. At not even 10 months old, that just seems too soon and, what with our food allergy freak outs, I'm terrified of introducing formula. Did I mention that she won't take a bottle? So last night saw pancakes for supper [don't ask me why, but it works] and the purchase of ginormous cheese scones in addition to an increased water intake that I might somehow turn into a camel with diabetes and a cholesterol problem.

It helped a little.

So now I wear the old, looser bra and hope for the best. Because, no matter how you define it, I'm not into becoming a lactard in the foreseeable future.

the silver lining

Because there always has to be one, right?

I've posted before about Mr.Q's innumerable allergies and intolerances before and how I haven't had take-out pizza in years and how we're now worried about introducing food to babyQ. But, it's at this time of the year that I'm actually not terribly upset about having such a restricted-by-association diet.

It's a bloody baking extravaganza out there now, people, with cookies being made here and here and gingerbread houses coming out of the woodwork here. I mean, I get to make a small batch of scones or a dozen oatmeal muffins and they're gone within 24 hours. Could you imagine what would happen if I made batch upon batch of gingerbread, shortbreads or rumballs?? I would turn into a rumball. One with a slight gingery overtone.

So, help me out here: who is everyone baking for? Okay - gingerbread houses are for the family, that's fine. But canisters of cookies? That can't be purely for home use, even with a little entertaining. And, if they're being taken around to neighbourhood open houses, you're likely getting just as many baked good in return, are you not?

I love baking - far much more so that cooking, as Mr.Q will attest - but am sorely limited in my options due to his dietary constraints. But, even if I weren't, I suspect I couldn't bring myself to do this manic kind of baking. Either that, or I'd have to be doing it, and eating, all the time.

Sunday Edition XXV - on a Saturday

hair - man made or environmental



Relevant links:

• Canada Day long weekend!
• crappy weather
• allergies cause raspy voices
  

how am I to return to work when I can't make it through the day without a nap?

This is the new dilemma.

Despite a perfectly reasonable sleep last night and despite a reasonable morning complete with the requisite cup of coffee, I happily -nay! with disturbing ease - slept for 2 and 1/2 hours this afternoon.

Perhaps it's the humidity. Perhaps it's the allergies/virus that has taken up a permanent squatter status in my lungs.

****
Mr. Q. Interlude. Jenn is busy making sure the Magpie doesn't wreck the cellphone that I gave her. All the music/videos/buttons are sure sign of hours of entertainment.

It's only a 1 week old cell phone. No problem. The phone will survive, as long as Jenn doesn't cough/hack on it :)
***

Hm. Maybe that's why I'm tired.

I've yet to figure out a way to have a nap from 12 to 2 during the workday. I get a total of one hour worth of breaks and voluntary overtime or messing with the schedule isn't an option for every day. And, really, there is simply no where to nap at work.

When one's car in the underground parking is the best available option, napping takes on slightly less importance. Particularly when I'll be taking transit most days. And, forget "available option", napping on public transit just isn't an option at all. I know I've forgotten many of the horrors of the local bus and train systems, but not enough to justify dozing during the commute.

I suspect that I will have to take the other route: coffee.

My supervisor makes a killer cup of coffee and that will have to be how I get through my days now. I'll be hopped up on enough caffeine to take down a horse [and, while taking down a horse is literally unlikely, you never know, I suppose] and that'll just have to be good enough to get me home at the end of my shift. Oh, and through my shift.

Mind you, I can pretty much guarantee that my shifts will not involve allowing toddlers to entertain themselves with the music players on cell phones while making sure they don't actually destroy them in the process. That alone might make the difference.

in which I pretend that I do not have company

We left early this morning for a big walk down along the banks of the Fraser River [many photos to be posted over the next few days].

However, the leaving was rushed since Mr.Q decided we were leaving now and didn't tell anyone and I was sore, tired and coffeeless. I may have been a touch abrupt....as I would have been, should have been and expect to be. In the comfort of my own home, with no company present. However, my mother is here. And, yes, since it has been nearly 15 years since I lived at home, she has shifted into the company category.

So now I have to ask myself: do I spend so very much energy faking it in front of company? In public? In front of my good friends? Or [gasp!] online? Okay, no, not online. Usually. Am I wont to be such a bitch uninhibited speaker that I must prescreen everything that leaves my mouth in front of anyone and everyone?

Maybe once my allergies have passed, and my aches and pains with them, I'll be able to stop coughing out whatever words pass through my head and trip tactlessly off my tongue.

when in doubt....

...call the 1.800 number on the Diaper Genie package.

There is no latex in the Diaper Genie stage II [now just Diaper Genie - they apparently have abolished the stages system and it's all stage II, all the time] but there is a different scent. Not just stronger - different. I have had eczema reactions to scented stuff in the past - think laundry detergent, soaps - so this is still a possibility.

Oh, and the newer, better [more expensive, perhaps??] Diaper Genie II system has unscented inserts. Of course.

The service rep was very nice and is sending out a stamped envelope because they'll want me to return the insert for their product quality people. I think she decided to send me some coupons, too, but we'll see what shows up. Considering that I am not 100% sure that this really is the cause, I'm not about to complain. Regardless, since not changing diapers is not really an option no matter how much I protest, I may be looking into the newer, better and unscented system soon.

I had all sorts of intentions about getting completely indignant on their ass [after, in private, at least], but it's just not in me today. I usually get at least a little huffy [to myself and Mr.Q] regarding the usage of latex, excessively strong scents and other allergens. I even get indignant on Mr.Q's behalf for his allergies - Mr.Q's just on way too much of an even keel. Someone has to get pissed about it! Maybe it's rubbing off on me. At least level headedness isn't making me itchy. I think...

So, any product reviews for me? Anyone out there used/using the Diaper Genie II?

variety

I now have a couple of baby food prep books [yes, thus far, we are steaming and blendering - uh, blending - our baby food. But we're on single items still...]. Between my basic book, my latest one - picked up from reading the delicious sounding dinners here [much thanks for the tip!] - and what I've meandered through online, I end up with the same consternating questions.

While advocating starting solids at 6 months, introducing one new food every week and introducing all foods individually before mixing them, they all suggest that by 7 or 8 months, one's child should now be enjoying a variety of cereals, vegetables and fruits, such that he/she is now ready to move on to more complex tasting experiences.

What the...???

So, within 4-8 weeks, at the rate of 1 per week, that makes, um, let's see here... oh yeah: 4-8 foods. That's a "variety"?? The Magpie has had 2 cereal types, 2 squash types, zucchini and sweet potato and has flat-out rejected blueberries and is seriously considering rejecting mango. So, how am I supposed to get around to mixing things when it appears that I will be constantly introducing things to be able to, at some point, mix them? Must I reassess my intros to meet the ingredients of the mixes? Or is there a magic date at which I can just say 'ah, screw it' and sit her down in front of a slab of prime rib slathered in sauces, with a side of fries and a cold one? [I joke, people!]

She has only been eating food for 6 weeks, damn it. It will take a little longer than that to get her up to a full meal deal. [again! I joke! gah. I've been off the stuff for so long, I probably couldn't even stomach it anymore.] In the mean time, we plan to slog through the foods, try another fruit or two and avoid anything that vaguely resembles dairy, corn, wheat, citrus, apple/pear/plum/nectarine/peach/tomato, etc or seafood. And ponder her reactions - and rejections - all as potential allergies, just for the fun of it. she wiped at her eye, is it itchy? she sniffed, is she stuffy?? is that a rash or did she scratch herself? or did she scratch herself because she has a rash?

Okay. Fruits suck [no, thank you, Mr.Q!]. Maybe we'll just introduce a few new veggies and skip straight on over to chicken.

an apple a day

While driving Mr.Q into work this morning before heading over the doctors' offices to verify our collective cases of spring allergies, Mr.Q asked if I'd had my coffee yet this morning. Quite nicely, but still....

I hadn't. But nor was I tailgating. I had yet to make any particularly snide remarks either. When questioned, he indicated that I was emanating.

Oh. Okay.

I changed the CD to some mellower music.

Sadly, the doctor was not on the allergy bandwagon, but feels that the Magpie and I are fighting yet another virus. Damn it. We have had our fair share, we don't visit any sick babies and none of the babies that we do visit have become sick from us. So pbtthhhh.

Regardless of what it is, though, her lungs [and mine, for that matter] sound fine and that's what I was really worried about. Now, should we not be better by the weekend, we get to go back for a follow up. So, if you'll excuse me, I'm now going to go have an apple.

I shall now be a mom with tissues in my pocket

Bad enough that all my jackets [and most of my jeans] have plastic sandwich bags in the pockets for doggy walking related emergencies, but I suspect that I shall now have to begin carrying the travel sized packages of tissues with me where ever I go.

We think the Magpie has hay fever.

She has had sporadic stuffiness for the last couple of days - one afternoon she's fine, that night she's stuffy. Next morning, all better, but that afternoon, sneezing. And, this evening, even I got a snout full of some plant in bloom as we were out walking and she hasn't breathed clearly since.

Great.

We know what we have to do to help avoid food allergies, but I suspect we just have to roll with this one. Aside from avoiding the offending park [where gardening is their thing], vacuuming and locating our little air purifier, we just out of luck.

Oh, except for buying more tissues.

**********
One of the suspected offending trees is the cherry tree - the blossoms are just starting to emerge here. Ironically, a haiku I submitted to the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival was given an honourable mention. Yay! me. Boo, hiss sneezy cherry blossoms...

hey, buddy, can you spare a lung?

In case there was any doubt left, I have have sufficient proof that my coughing is, indeed, allergy related.

My sister-in-law flew into town for the day for a visit and we hit up the aquarium. [photographic evidence here] As it was such a nice day out, we wandered around outside amongst the lovely tall trees, the flowering buds and the spring springyness that is the West Coast for a bit before heading in.

I have not stopped coughing since. And it is the rather harsh kind of cough that both Mr.Q and my sister-in-law took to commenting on. Despite two doses of the puffer.

At what point did my body decide to betray me? Is it still pissed at me about the pregnancy? [though it was very happy and content all throughout] Labour and delivery? Okay, that would be a hard thing to let go and move on from, perhaps. Is there a straw the broke the proverbial camel's back after 32 and 1/2 years that I am unaware of? Some little thing that set a fire and sent messages off to my immune system to make my life a series of spastic, convulsive coughing fits during the 2nd quarter [god, I hope it's only the 2nd quarter] of the year that I might be denied the joys of a little warm weather and sunshine...

Either that, or Mr.Q's allergies are catching.

Regardless, I get it, dear Body of Mine. You win. You are the stronger person here and I will not ignore, belittle nor dishonour you in any way, shape and/or form in the future. I swear this on my Flonase.

Now, about those lungs...

I'm starting to think I would have preferred the virus

allergies

bringing home the bacon

I have never worked harder in my life to provide nourishment for another human being.

Okay, that's not saying much. I can cook, I just prefer not to. Mr.Q does the vast majority of the cooking around here - partly due to his allergies, partly due to his fondness for cooking and partly due to preference for tasty food. And now, as the only one currently holding a paying job [maternity leave pays so little, monetarily], he is the Official Official Breadwinner.

I, however, am putting a significant effort into the feeding of babyQ.

Drinking between 6 and 8 liters of water per day [seriously!] and constantly snacking on what would normally be considered evil foodstuffs has now become in my best interest. It's kind of nice to get to inhale an entire deli pizza [veggie...to cut the guilt, you know] in one sitting and know that it's a good thing. But, it's the 3am snacks that become cumbersome: leaning, half-asleep, on the bathroom door frame, forcing myself to guzzle 3 little bottles of room temperature tap water while nibbling on stale graham crackers. A culinary delight, it is not.

I think that this nibbling is not helped by the presence of the Food Network and the fact that it is a daytime staple. I now ponder the ways to dress up graham crackers [or arrowroot cookies, or oatmeal cookies] in a manner that in resilient to prolonged periods at room temperature. So far, no luck. Or no imagination...

But, I digress. I'm feeling a little weary - if you'll excuse me, I must go find something to eat.

previously un-noted advantages

Apparently, two days before one's due date, should one turn to one's spouse after supper and announce the desire for Snackin' Cake, it is entirely possible that one will get a reasonable fascimile thereof.

[the link to Snackin' Cakes above leads to a very different variety of Snackin' Cake than was available in the early '80s...where have I been??]

Okay, so I did have to wash an inordinate number of bowls, spoons and baking dishes afterward, but Mr.Q did make a damn fine little cake. And, he even managed to find a recipe that required no substitutions for all his allergies and intolerances.

Wait a minute. That just means that he will be eating my cake. Great. 'Scuse me, I now have to go try and hide a 9x12 dish.

food freedom

Mr.Q is out of town for a few days on a business trip. Now, yes, I miss him and blah blah blah, but that's not what this is about.

For the 6 days he's away, I can eat whatever I want.

I don't have to worry about any food allergies or food intolerances and can prepare meals with near reckless abandon. Yeast? Bring it on. Dairy? The more the merrier. Corn? It'll be just me and Orville, baby. Raw fruits and vegetables? With every meal. I am still blown away by the numbers of foods that contain yeast extract, whey powder and corn starch, never mind confused by their necessity. Are they only filler? Does their use save the company money? Do any of these items add required flavour, texture or some unqualifiable pizazz? Regardless, their rampant use seriously impinges on the ease of purchasing anything resembling a variety of groceries.

In days gone by, Mr.Q's absence would have been the prime opportunity to order out but, now deprived for so long, I find myself unable to contemplate pizza or [almost] any other fast food. And ordering Chinese or Thai food for one is rather difficult to do from our nearby restaurants since, even taking into account lunch left overs, I have to order too much to meet the take-out minimums. And the styrofoam containers in the fridge upon Mr.Q's return will only bring him down.

But I'll be very happy with scads of dairy, a smattering of corn products and the sheer freedom of not having to read each and every label once before buying, and again before cooking. While I will, of course, miss him, [particularly at 6:30am when the dog wants out] Mr.Q's business trip has become my own little dietary vacation. And, after recent phone calls to his hotel in which his half the conversation was under the influence of a few after-work rum & cokes and involved tales of his gambling, I won't feel too bad about it at all.

surely, this must be the beginning of the end

Today we all wander around in a state of shock: it has dipped below the freezing mark on the wet west coast in February - the month after we, as a city, broke the January rainfall record.

Spring was springing and now crocuses are croaking.

[okay, I'll admit, that was lame. but I'm running on my pregnancy mandated one cup of coffee per day here, and that's really just not cutting it these days].

We have wind chills, frost and mittens. We also have sun glasses and absolutely no precipitation. Truly, it is gorgeous winter weather. But, despite being someone who has weathered northern BC, Alberta and the Northwest Territories, it's damn cold. And in a month when days are getting longer daily, buds are growing and Mr.Q's allergies are in full bloom, this kind of coolness is even harder to deal with.

Leo [puppyQ, the 10 year old Shiba Inu] is the only one who seems to be thrilled with the blustering cold front. Perhaps there are a few skiers out there eyeing the local mountains with wistful weekend wishes, but most everyone at coffee today was bemoaning the dip in temperature.

We were, though, still admiring the view of cloudless skies and were pleasantly smug that, at least, it wasn't raining.