The Beginning...

Our story began just a month after Jacob was born. He broke out in a red, itchy rash that covered his body. After several attempts at the on base clinic, we finally came to the conclusion that Jacob was experiencing severe eczema. Our journey continued with several medications, moisterizers, steroids and antibiotics. The eczema would gradually get better only to become worse again. It broke our hearts to see him so itchy and miserable.

After seeing two dermatologists along with several other doctors, we started to see little improvement with different methods. We tried bleach baths, vinegar baths, moisterizers after each diaper change, double duty baths in one day along with many other methods. It wasn't until one scary event that took place when we started to put pieces together.

On Thursday, May 13, 2010, I was introducing Jake to a new baby food. We had attempted to move slowly with the baby foods though many he wasn't eating. I gave him a bite of vegetables risotto with cheese. After one bite, he immediately swelled up, his face redder and bigger than I'd ever seen it, hives all over his body followed with uncontrollable coughing. Being home alone with the kids and living less than a 1/2 mile from the urgent care, I threw everyone in the car and raced on over. As we parked the car and I began running Jake into the urgent care on base, he was having difficulty breathing. I had never before been so afraid and fearful.

Tears pouring out of my eyes, the nurses in the ER could see my fear and Jake's condition. They immediately ran him back as I signed him in. After a few minutes, they were able to get it back under control and he slowly started to loose the swelling that prevented him from looking like my child. After three hours, we returned home with lots of unanswered questions and an Epipen they failed to teach me how to use. Luckily, my mom (an experienced nurse) and sister (a nurse-in-training) arrived to town that next day. They trained me on the Epipen and provided some reassurance during my time home alone.

Soon I was able to get Jacob into an Allergist in Boise. Dr. Keiley tested Jacob with a skin test for the most common of allergies. He tested positive to dairy, eggs and all nuts. The blood test results confirmed those finding and found him to be severly allergic to those things. More testing will follow in the weeks to come.

Meanwhile, we've begun changing our lifestyles as one of the newest food allergy families. This blog will help anyone interested in what we find works in the way of food and lifestyle for our youngest son. I'll post recipes that I've used that don't require those ingredients, articles, etc. for all use. Please realize the extremity of Jacob's case and take it into consideration when around him. It's a learning process for us all.