Gabby + Cows = Not Friends

I admit it, I worry about my kids. Sure everyone worries about their kids to some level. I, however, worry an exorbitant amount. I come by it honestly though. I come from strong lineage of worriers. Of course most of it completely uncalled for but occasionally there is good reason.

As I have mentioned before, Gabby has had problems eating really early on. She was one of those unusual kids who nursed perfectly right away and gained almost all her weight back before she even left the hospital (all 7lbs 14oz). The months to follow just went down from there.

She spit up like nobody’s business – couches, linen, clothes all ruined thanks to Gabby’s projectile aim. Then there was the weight debacle of 2010/2011. She fell off the charts, she’d step back on the charts just to fall off again and so it continued. Later resulting in the refusal of foods with any consistency and lucky enough for us bringing back the vomiting. It has been a non-stop struggle.

Then we were lucky enough to experience the hives and rashes. Blood testing proved she was allergic to a few things which brought us to yet another specialist. It is now confirmed that she is allergic to absolutely everything having to do with the cow – every protein in cow’s milk, beef included. She has a bad egg allergy but apparently can have baked goods just not cooked goods. Huh? Originally her blood test said she is allergic to wheat and gluten but her allergy is stronger to rice so we are going to avoid rice. She has a slight peanut allergy and some bad, life threatening antibiotic allergies as well.

Clearly I’m not thrilled about this outcome but I’m relieved that we are finally getting some answers for her unusual behavior…some answers, I still can’t quite understand the appeal of licking the cabinet at the library but fortunately it did not result in hives or any rash-like symptoms. I’m not sure what the heck I’m going to feed the lady since apparently there’s quite a lot of cow by-products in stuff. Oh and she finally started growing on soy formula and the doc would like her to avoid soy. Um…huh?

So apparently my worrying was justified and the outcome could have been worse. I never had to deal with this with Drew but he gave me so many other headaches (like plunging off the bookcase at daycare and gushing blood from his mouth or diving head first into a fireplace mantle and gushing blood from his forehead). I’m not sure I could handle a third child, at least not without severe medication in either Valium or Tequila form on a daily basis.

The whole experience Gabby finds exhausting. I, on the other hand, intend to be up nights researching and cooking. All I can say is that I come from a long line of women who have been up nights worried about their children, what made me think it would stop there?