Check-In March 2008

aklap · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 8139 Location: WI, USA

Wow, it's March already!

Hopefully some of this snow we've gotten this year will start to disappear. I snapped this quick photo on my way to a customer site last week or the week before. I wanted to stop the van and get a picture of the snow with the van so you can see size of this, but there was a car behind me. This was a short snow bank. It was probably 10-12 feet tall. Bigger ones are probably 15-18 feet! Shocked

Yeah, that sign says "Dangerous Intersection" Shocked

We've been busy around here. We're in the initial stages of starting up a support group in our town. We personally know about 6 or 7 in the area, so we know there's a need, but, do they have the desire to attend? That's what we want to find out. What's the point of having a support group if no one shows? Wink

We've designed a slide to run on the local cable access channel [ Party on Wayne..Party on Garth ]. I also want to contact our local paper and see what kind of PSA they could run [for free??] in order to see if there's interest.

I hope to submit the ad for TV this week. I have yet to talk to the newspaper.

Peg had a quiet B-day on the 1st [I was given strict orders for NO SURPRISE party!].

~

Hey - we made it a year with Check-In's. If you wanna see what you were doing last year, check this out.

For those of you just tuning in, Check-In is a chance to introduce yourself, let everyone know how you're doing, what you're up to, to touch base...something, anything, just let us know you're still around Smile

The Check-In Time Tunnel
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Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

The Edifying Conscience · Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Posts: 2342

ostrich · Joined: 30 Mar 2006 Posts: 3960 Location: Nebraska

cruelshoes · Joined: 23 Sep 2005 Posts: 2325 Location: Washington State

Wow, Al. Thatsa lotta snow! You can keep that weather over there, thanks. Shocked

I think spring is creeping in her in the Evergreen state. My crocuses are all up, and the tulips and daffodils are not far behind. We are going to plant blueberry bushes this year. I am busily scouring the gardening catalogs looking for perfect varietals for our yard. Add blueberries to the raspberries, strawberries and grapes we already have, and we will be eating like kings! I put in 4 new garden beds last year, and am really looking forward to getting going on them. We don’t know exactly what we will be growing this year, but are definitely doing pumpkins, carrots and heirloom tomatoes. The kids are getting excited with all the seed catalogs that are coming in the mail. And we have lots of good chicken poop in the beds to make things green!

Some really exciting things are going on for Sean right now. Last weekend, he won first place in his Cub Scout troop’s pinewood derby. He won every single heat in the main races, and all but 2 in the finals. Now he gets to move on to the district competition. You should have seen him. He was walking on a cloud all day. I hope he does well in the District competition, but told him that there will be lots more kids with lots more cars, and it’s really neat to have made it that far.

Sean also got accepted to the summer camp that the Gluten Intolerance Group runs in the summer. This will be his first time at sleep away camp. The only way I feel safe doing it is that there will be lots of other kids there on the GF diet. Now I just have to come up with the $300 to pay for it. Shocked

We go back to the Neurologist tomorrow about Sean’s casein free diet. All of us are ready to throw in the towel on it. We have seen no changes in his coordination or writing abilities. I am counting the hours for it to be over. Unless the Neuro has some compelling evidence why we should continue, I am done with this. Ice cream sundaes for everyone!!!

I am really enjoying the new support group that has started in our town. Not only did I get to meet Long2Play in person Very Happy

, but I get to meet lots of other people on the GF diet. Most of the people in our group are newer to the diet than Long and I are, so I feel like we can be of help to them. It’s nice to meet some people in person. That way I don’t have to pester you guys so much. Laughing

I have been learning a lot about GF/CF cooking. I have lots of recipes to post, but haven’t gotten around to it yet.

Happy March, everybody!
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-Colleen
Dx 8/05 via bloodwork/biopsy
9-YO son Dx 11/05 via bloodwork/biopsy
Daughters have negative bloodwork - so far!

A woman is like a tea bag-you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water. - Eleanor Roosevelt

HadassahSukkot · Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:52 pm Post subject:

Still hanging in over here in Germany Very Happy

We've kind of sort of (not really? LOL) started the baby countdown. Officially we have 11 weeks. What our little one decides is another matter altogether.

I'm getting over this crud finally, and back in school after a week of playing "hookie" ( Rolling Eyes

yeah, as if being sick and tossing cookies for three days straight was fun ) so I'm tryng to catch up on that end. I just hope what I missed wasn't anything all to important as far as our testing goes in the next couple of months. I want to pass this and not have any counts against me when it comes to renewing my visa in July... we actually had folks at the Official offices (Job-Center) come and look in on our course today..

Been poking around on different GF recipe blogs and trying some new (to me) recipes with some success.

DH has the crud, so he's going all "man cold" on me. (there's a vid on youtube Wink

)

Other than that, just watching the news and trying to keep under the radar as much as possible and watching my belly grow each day.
Laughing

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pajohnso · Joined: 08 Jun 2007 Posts: 20

Hello!

Sitting here looking outside at the skating rink in my driveway and dreaming of summer. The garden seed catalogs have been pouring into my mailbox and makin me dream of those wonderful ripe veggies coming out of the garden.

I am doing okay, despite eliminating gluten and dairy, my tummy issues have not gotten better. I have a sneaking suspicion there is something else like eggs that I am reacting too. Going to spring for the other tests from Enterolab to see if that is the case. If it isn't, then there is something I am eating everyday that is making me get all out of whack.

I can say I haven't gotten any of chronic urticaria or bruising that I was getting when I was eating dairy, so that is a wonderful thing!

Work is busy and I have three sick kids (2 actual kids and hubby) sick with the flu so I been on sick duty for the past 3 days. Other than that, not much going on!

Paula

nancw · Joined: 04 Oct 2006 Posts: 751 Location: Denver, CO

Still struggling to recover from pneumonia. I am in a semi-relapse this week with exhaustion and stomach issues. It's been a month since dx and dr. tells me to take it even more easy. Hard to do when working FT and taking care of DS while DH is on tour for 3 weeks. Every time I test a food I get sick so no more testing for me - just eating pretty much like a caveman.
Looking forward to spring and better weather!
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Nance

gluten, dairy, soy, rice, corn, yeast and 99% grain-free

rpf1007 · Joined: 13 Feb 2008 Posts: 88 Location: Chicago

Hi all,

So I'm fairly new...and new to the check-in so I thought I'd introduce myself! I have been gf since mid jan and while I have made a few rookie mistakes, I am coping pretty well, and most importantly feeling a whole lot better. Friends at work have told me that I look fresher, less tired and more relaxed. Yeah! While making all my own meals has definitely been an adjustment (used to get free lunch at work) it is starting to become more of a routine and less of a chore.

I haven't been daring with eating out yet...but I figure...baby steps. I live alone and have completely decontaminated my kitchen and that definitely helped not only my symptoms but piece of mind. I am nervous though- going to stay with a friend for 5 days in New Orleans this weekend in a gluten contaminated house! Hopefully it goes ok. I know it is on my mind because I had a dream about eating gluten by accident last night!

It's amazing how quickly things turn around when you eliminate the poison. I had forgotten what it was like to exist, without constantly "feeling" my stomach. I had thought that my stomach issues were stress related- the start coincided with the decision to start a stressful career and had been ongoing since then. I thought my job was making me sick! Now I feel better about that too!

Anyway, just wanted to say thanks for all the posts on this board. It has certainly made a big transition a lot easier. Thanks for all the advice.
Rachel

Jen247 · Joined: 05 Mar 2008 Posts: 3 Location: Northern Illinois

I just joined the forum yesterday and am having fun poking around.
I was diagnosed a week ago Monday, after being ill for 3 months and losing almost 30lbs.(not that that is a bad thing, now I'm down to my Driver's License weight, but need to stop losing more)
I have to say this is an intimidating journey - I have a hubby and 2 kids who of course can eat anything, so I'm at that point where I do not want to even make dinner.
I am also unable to process any dairy items, which is what I thought the problem was in the first place, so I am very limited on what I can eat.
We live in Northern Illinois and I am ready for spring, I can identify with the snow pics!
Couple ???'s for anyone:
Oat Bran from Bob's Red Mill- I've been eating it but now realize that it may have gluten?
Soymilk? Hidden gluten? I noticed that I was not feeling well after that.
Was anyone ever originally lactose intolerant and now has been able to return to dairy?
Utensils, etc. Do you use your own pans, etc?
Thanks for having such a great site to talk!
Blessings,
Jen
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A life not fully lived is no life at all.

cruelshoes · Joined: 23 Sep 2005 Posts: 2325 Location: Washington State

aklap · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 8139 Location: WI, USA

aklap · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 8139 Location: WI, USA

LOL!! Almost identical posts Smile

I now know what it's like when you gals arrive at the same party wearing the same dress...

Jinx, buy me a Coke!

Heheheee
_________________
Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

cruelshoes · Joined: 23 Sep 2005 Posts: 2325 Location: Washington State

cruelshoes · Joined: 23 Sep 2005 Posts: 2325 Location: Washington State

ostrich · Joined: 30 Mar 2006 Posts: 3960 Location: Nebraska

I somewhat disagree. Colleen is right; there's a ton of meals you can make that're naturally GF. However, there's some stuff (like pasta) that you can't avoid. In our house when we make pasta we make 2 batches: one for DH and one for myself. This solves 2 problems:

1. I don't restrict him to my food, and I don't have to resort to leftovers if he wants NGF food.
2. You can customize your meal. One wants ravioli, and one wants spaghetti? No problem! Smile

But DH and I try to keep meals like that to a minimum. They're alot of work.
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Ostrich :>--O==={

I lie below, you float above
In the pretty white ships that I am dreaming of