Kathleen has struggled with unexplained, persistent, and disabling diarrhea for over two years. After she lost fourteen pounds (during a time of life when she should be growing, not shrinking), her pediatrician and gastroenterologist ordered barium swallows, stool samples, blood tests, food elimination trials, and ultimately an endoscopy and a colonoscopy. Nothing provided the answers we needed to stop the weight loss and prevent the cramps and bathroom episodes.
Finally, we consulted with a naturopath who ordered some blood tests that had never been administered previously. The results of those tests indicated that Kathleen's body provides a strong inflammatory response to the ingestion of eggs. It also provides a lesser, but significant, inflammatory response to gluten and dairy.
The prescription, beginning late last July: Cut out all eggs, dairy, and gluten (wheat and many other grains) completely until December. Talk about challenging!
The result: As of yesterday, Kathleen had gained two much-needed pounds and is actually growing out of her shoes! Woo-hoo! (For the last two years she's not grown at all, because she's not been able to retain the food that should be nourishing her.) This is a really big deal, and we are overjoyed.
The great hope is that her gut will soon be healed sufficiently, maybe as soon as December, to handle the gradual reintroduction of some or all of the currently-forbidden foods.
Meanwhile, we are serving lots of meat, seafood, fruit, veggies, and nuts. Can anyone say Atkins Diet? We've also been experimenting with baked goods the are gluten-free, egg-free, and dairy-free—no easy feat. Nevertheless, we've had a few successes and Kathleen does have a few favorites.
We are just so pleased the awful bathroom visits have ceased and Kathleen is starting to grow once again! Good job, Beanie!
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| Here is Kathleen with her favorite dairy-free ice cream alternative. |
