Ok people. It is time for another rant. (while I wait for the Borax to sit on the carpet)
Last night as Darrin and I were watching Fox 59 news at 10 there was a story about High-Fructose Corn Syrup. They stated that in a test study that a lot of the industrial HFCS contains Mercury.
Here is the article.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/26/AR2009012601831.html
All I have to say is REALLY PEOPLE!!!! Have you not been listening to the debate about vaccines? Why in the world would you put mercury in a food product. It is not good for the average person and it toxic for kids with compromised immune systems.
Then the HFCS people have the audacity to have commercials that promote the product and make those who avoid it sound stupid. They go something like this.
Person 1: Do you want some soda?
Person 2: No thank you. That contains HFCS. You know what they say about that.
P1: No, what do they say about it?
P2: Well, you know....
P1: That it is made from corn, and that in moderation it is ok?
p2: Silence.
Voice over: Be informed about the foods you eat. Go to (some web site)
End commercial.
Now person 2 can say: Yes, much of it contains mercury. Do you know what mercury does to your body?
One really sad thing about this is that many children with Autism have a very limited diet and much of this diet contains foods that are very high in HFCS.
So please read your labels and avoid this product.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
The Journey Continues
You know every time I think that I have accepted that my kids are not "normal" I am thrown for another loop.
I don't know if, as a mom and dad, that you can ever accept that your kids will not be like other kids. There are some parents who have children with physical defects and others who have children with brain injuries that will never be cured. There is nothing that these parents can do. Their acceptance of reality is much harsher and yet it is quick and permanent.
For Darrin and I the acceptance comes and goes. There are days that we just know that the treatment we are doing with the children will work and other days it seems as if we will be with these kids for the rest of our lives because they will not be able to live on their own.
Having Connor has brought a new sadness to us. We are watching him develop into a normal little boy. He will not have the Autism as the others do, because we are taking steps to prevent it. I am happy that we know what to do for him, but sad because we did not know these things to do with the boys and Addi. I swing between emotions.
I know that God intended for us to have these children and to walk this road with them, but my mommy heart is angry that we did not have this information when the boys and Addi were babies. I am mostly angry at our pediatrician. She should have known that the boys were not healthy. She should have put it together. This is why we do well baby checks. They are the professionals and she let me down.
Darrin and I take turns with doubt about out kids futures. Yesterday we both had doubts. This is a rare occasion, but we were both grieving the loss of a dream we thought we were ok not having. That is until we had Connor. We are reminded about how much we have missed. We are reminded about the fact that we don't know our sons or Addi the way we want to because we still don't have the whole key to unlocking their brains so that they are no longer held captive.
We have come a long way on this journey, but it is heart wrenching to see what was taken from us. Over the next few years we will be reminded on a daily basis, as we watch Connor grow, how much was actually stolen from us.
In my heart I know that this is the path that was meant for us to walk. It was not to be any different. It has been written from the beginning that this is what our family would be and this is what the Lord has for some of our children. Knowing this does not make the grief any less. As parents we all have dreams for our children. Dreams of success in faith, work and family. At this point I am afraid to dream for my kids. I don't want to have them crushed again.
I don't know if, as a mom and dad, that you can ever accept that your kids will not be like other kids. There are some parents who have children with physical defects and others who have children with brain injuries that will never be cured. There is nothing that these parents can do. Their acceptance of reality is much harsher and yet it is quick and permanent.
For Darrin and I the acceptance comes and goes. There are days that we just know that the treatment we are doing with the children will work and other days it seems as if we will be with these kids for the rest of our lives because they will not be able to live on their own.
Having Connor has brought a new sadness to us. We are watching him develop into a normal little boy. He will not have the Autism as the others do, because we are taking steps to prevent it. I am happy that we know what to do for him, but sad because we did not know these things to do with the boys and Addi. I swing between emotions.
I know that God intended for us to have these children and to walk this road with them, but my mommy heart is angry that we did not have this information when the boys and Addi were babies. I am mostly angry at our pediatrician. She should have known that the boys were not healthy. She should have put it together. This is why we do well baby checks. They are the professionals and she let me down.
Darrin and I take turns with doubt about out kids futures. Yesterday we both had doubts. This is a rare occasion, but we were both grieving the loss of a dream we thought we were ok not having. That is until we had Connor. We are reminded about how much we have missed. We are reminded about the fact that we don't know our sons or Addi the way we want to because we still don't have the whole key to unlocking their brains so that they are no longer held captive.
We have come a long way on this journey, but it is heart wrenching to see what was taken from us. Over the next few years we will be reminded on a daily basis, as we watch Connor grow, how much was actually stolen from us.
In my heart I know that this is the path that was meant for us to walk. It was not to be any different. It has been written from the beginning that this is what our family would be and this is what the Lord has for some of our children. Knowing this does not make the grief any less. As parents we all have dreams for our children. Dreams of success in faith, work and family. At this point I am afraid to dream for my kids. I don't want to have them crushed again.
Snow Days
I loved snow days as a kid. It was so much fun waking up (or not getting up) and finding that there was no school that day. We would bundle up and go outside and help my dad shovel the walk and driveway. When we were done we would come inside and my mom would have hot chocolate and toast waiting for us. As we got older we still looked forward to the hot chocolate and toast and we would sometimes do some baking.
Today we have a snow day. Do homeschoolers have these? I woke up this morning (now I can't go back to sleep) and found that school is closed and Darrin will probably work from home. As much as I love my down time when everyone is gone, I do enjoy these surprise family days.
Today I hope to start the fun memories of snow days. I want to send the kids outside to help daddy shovel the walk and have hot chocolate (made with honey) waiting for when they come inside and maybe we will make some cookies later.
What are your favorite memories of snow days?
Hot chocolate:
1/2 gallon of milk - heat on the stove
add 1/3 to 1/2 cup of cocoa (depending on how chocolaty you want it)
add honey to desired sweetness. We usually use between 1/2 to 1 cup.
1T vanilla
a pinch of salt
Today we have a snow day. Do homeschoolers have these? I woke up this morning (now I can't go back to sleep) and found that school is closed and Darrin will probably work from home. As much as I love my down time when everyone is gone, I do enjoy these surprise family days.
Today I hope to start the fun memories of snow days. I want to send the kids outside to help daddy shovel the walk and have hot chocolate (made with honey) waiting for when they come inside and maybe we will make some cookies later.
What are your favorite memories of snow days?
Hot chocolate:
1/2 gallon of milk - heat on the stove
add 1/3 to 1/2 cup of cocoa (depending on how chocolaty you want it)
add honey to desired sweetness. We usually use between 1/2 to 1 cup.
1T vanilla
a pinch of salt
Friday, January 9, 2009
Getting Back
Well today I got the downstairs of the house almost back to its rightful condition. I still need to go through papers, which as many of you know is one of my many thorns. I am slowly getting back into the routine of things. This next week I need to add in my half hour of exercise.
Darrin and I are going to set some goals for this year. Some of my personal goals are:
Do better with the finances
Lose my baby weight and then some.
Start Flylady again (found my notebook while cleaning out the bookshelves upstairs)
Straighten the house and unload the dishwasher everyday.
Limit my "bring dinner home" to once a week if not less.
Exercise at least 3 times a week.
blog at least 3 times a week.
We will see next year at this time how much has been accomplished.
As for house projects this year:
build a window seat for the library and the family room.
Build built ins for my closet.
Redo the landscaping, front and back (with Monica's help)
Get Edy's room repainted (there is boys writing all over her walls)
Get some pictures hung in all of the rooms.
I am looking forward to these projects, but they will only be accomplished if the above list is consistent. Otherwise I will not have the time, clean spaces to work or money to complete the project. This last year has been full of growth. I look forward to this next year to see what the Lord has for us as a family.
Darrin and I are going to set some goals for this year. Some of my personal goals are:
Do better with the finances
Lose my baby weight and then some.
Start Flylady again (found my notebook while cleaning out the bookshelves upstairs)
Straighten the house and unload the dishwasher everyday.
Limit my "bring dinner home" to once a week if not less.
Exercise at least 3 times a week.
blog at least 3 times a week.
We will see next year at this time how much has been accomplished.
As for house projects this year:
build a window seat for the library and the family room.
Build built ins for my closet.
Redo the landscaping, front and back (with Monica's help)
Get Edy's room repainted (there is boys writing all over her walls)
Get some pictures hung in all of the rooms.
I am looking forward to these projects, but they will only be accomplished if the above list is consistent. Otherwise I will not have the time, clean spaces to work or money to complete the project. This last year has been full of growth. I look forward to this next year to see what the Lord has for us as a family.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
I am slowly coming back
Sorry it has been awhile since I posted. Life has been moving at breakneck speed.
Connor is now 2 months old. I can not believe how time is flying. October seemed about as long as the whole year.
We had some regression with the boys over Christmas. It was very hard for me to deal with a newborn and the boys treatment. I have a new resolve this year to make sure to get all of their supplements on a regular schedule. So far so good.
We have been able to take Taylor off of the Risperdol (sp?) We have started back on the 5-HTP for him and it is working. His progress reports from school have been improving. At this point and time that is all we can ask for. As much as I want to wave my magic wand and make Taylor, Spencer and Addi better, I can not. It is a slow process, but we have had much success this past year and Dr. Hulseman expect the progress to continue. She is expecting that by the time they are in Jr High that no one will know that they ever had an Autism diagnosis. They will be fully recovered just in time for me to have to deal with puberty. Brother!
We are not putting them back on the SC diet. We did not see any great improvement while we were on it and it was very difficult. We will stick to the GF diet as that is what seems to help the most. Also the supplements help a great deal. Right now they are all on 5-HTP, TMG, Folinic Acid, B12, Nystatin and EDTA. I also give them a probiotic every day. Taylor gets additional Selenium in hopes that by the next appointment we can start him on a heavier chelator.
We do have plans in the future to do the hyperbaric chamber with all 3 kids. This will be one of the last things that we add to their treatment. We will probably rent one for a month and see how that goes.
I still need to get before and after pictures of the kitchen posted here. In addition to the kitchen being redone, we took a wall out upstairs and now have a loft for the kids area. It has been a real help as I have gained about 100 sq feet of useable space. All that is left, for the time being, is the paint. It has been fun to get back into the swing of things and adding projects to my to do list. I love house projects. There is such a sense of satisfaction when they are finished.
This has been a rambly post. So much has happened in the past months. I am going to try to update daily. We shall see how that goes.
Connor is now 2 months old. I can not believe how time is flying. October seemed about as long as the whole year.
We had some regression with the boys over Christmas. It was very hard for me to deal with a newborn and the boys treatment. I have a new resolve this year to make sure to get all of their supplements on a regular schedule. So far so good.
We have been able to take Taylor off of the Risperdol (sp?) We have started back on the 5-HTP for him and it is working. His progress reports from school have been improving. At this point and time that is all we can ask for. As much as I want to wave my magic wand and make Taylor, Spencer and Addi better, I can not. It is a slow process, but we have had much success this past year and Dr. Hulseman expect the progress to continue. She is expecting that by the time they are in Jr High that no one will know that they ever had an Autism diagnosis. They will be fully recovered just in time for me to have to deal with puberty. Brother!
We are not putting them back on the SC diet. We did not see any great improvement while we were on it and it was very difficult. We will stick to the GF diet as that is what seems to help the most. Also the supplements help a great deal. Right now they are all on 5-HTP, TMG, Folinic Acid, B12, Nystatin and EDTA. I also give them a probiotic every day. Taylor gets additional Selenium in hopes that by the next appointment we can start him on a heavier chelator.
We do have plans in the future to do the hyperbaric chamber with all 3 kids. This will be one of the last things that we add to their treatment. We will probably rent one for a month and see how that goes.
I still need to get before and after pictures of the kitchen posted here. In addition to the kitchen being redone, we took a wall out upstairs and now have a loft for the kids area. It has been a real help as I have gained about 100 sq feet of useable space. All that is left, for the time being, is the paint. It has been fun to get back into the swing of things and adding projects to my to do list. I love house projects. There is such a sense of satisfaction when they are finished.
This has been a rambly post. So much has happened in the past months. I am going to try to update daily. We shall see how that goes.
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