The Taylor Family

Merry Christmas 2011

2011-12-26T19:20:00.000-06:00

Hello all,

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas. We have been ultra blessed this year. Lynda has had a great year both from a food allergy wise and health wise. Here skin looks great. So how have we gotten there since Nov? Since Nov. Lynda and Dad have been diagnosed with a fungal infection. So what does that mean? Well since dad is allergic to the traditional medicine and we did not want to risk it with Lynda we are going the natural route. Eliminating most foods from our diet- almost everything processed. Dad was bad enough that he had to go on a modified Raw Diet. Yep 80% raw veggies only 2 eggs a day max and 2 slices of bread. No cheese, port of any kind or sweets (other than a few fresh fruits that are limited on amount). Red meat- 2 3oz servings a week. I went on Candita X and Lynda on Sporex along with a probiotic. Well the result has been amazing. I am not sure I can remember when Lynda's skin looked so good and she has been very healthy this year (knock on wood). She has been able to fight off colds and flu with her own immune system.

If you have food allergies you may want to look into being tested for fungal infection. In my case my body was literally shutting down. If you are in the eastern Iowa, message me and I will get you to a Dr. that can help you out. Message us and we will hook you up.

The Taylor's

WOW has it really been since April?????

2011-11-29T19:18:00.001-06:00

Well it has been an interesting summer. Lynda was diagnosed with a fungal infection. So did dad- so we went on special medicine and a special diet. Dad has lost 34 lbs in 6 weeks and got rid of the infection- Lynda's skin is doing GREAT! To boot her immune system is kicking in too and she has not had as many asthma attacks, no hospital visits (totally knocking on wood right now) and has not miss any days at school.

Her acupuncture is going well too. She has been able to live a much more normal life.

We have a lot to be thankful for this year. Season greetings.

The Taylors

Where have we been?

2011-04-14T21:51:00.000-05:00

Well it has been a while. Lynda has been struggling with her allergies and has seemed to be sick a lot lately. Currently we have an ear infection and she has been a hurting unit. She is also been doing laser acupuncture and eye therapy to help with her asthma and vision issues. We are not sure where the vision issues stem from, but we need to get the corrected to make sure she does not fall behind in her education.

Some interesting items in the news dealing with food and food allergies. One school has determined that unless you have food allergies you are no longer allowed to bring lunch from home. It could be interesting for those families that can not really afford lunches, yet do not qualify for free or reduced lunches..

We should be here a bit more often, the world has just gotten a bit crazy.

Have a great weekend.

The Taylor's

May 8th- 14th is Food Allergy Awareness Week!

2011-03-08T14:01:00.000-06:00

It is that time of year again. Coming up in May is Food Allergy Awareness week. Remember to support your local community members with food allergies.

The Taylor's

Thanks KCRG for helping awarenes with Children in the area with Food Allergies

2011-02-24T07:04:00.000-06:00

This is a story on KCRG this morning about Garrett- he has food allergies similar to Lynda. We looked at this option a couple years ago, but with her allergies to dogs did not make it feasible for us. If there is any way you can help this family- visit his fan page on Facebook and donate.

You can see the video HERE.

I really like the reporter spent time talking about how easy it is to cross contaminate by just touching a door knob etc.

Keep your kids safe!

The Taylor's

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

2010-12-23T22:59:00.000-06:00

From our family to yours, have a safe holiday season. Keep your epi-pens close and read labels. If in doubt don't eat it no matter how tempting.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Years from the Taylor's

504 Plan in your school for your allergic child

2010-12-11T22:39:00.000-06:00

Recently Laurie came across a great article with tips on getting a 504 plan put together for your child at school. I am reposting in hopes it will help others.

How to Create a 504 Plan for a Child With Food Allergies

By cantisa, eHow Member

Difficulty: Challenging

Have all necessary medical information available to put in his or her file at school. This shows all relevant school officials that your child has a medical condition (life-threatening food allergy) that is classified as a disability and will require protections guaranteed under the ADA.
Contact all relevant school officials, in the spring before school starts if possible, to schedule a 504 meeting. School officials can include, but are not limited to: the principle, the school/district nurse, the primary classroom teacher, teacher's aide (if applicable), child's allergist, student services representative, food service director/manager, and, if age appropriate, the student with the food allergy.
In the meeting, explain what a food allergy is, its severity (contact or ingestion can result in death, brain damage, or coma), and why it is different from a food intolerance. Review anaphylaxis and the risk of cross-contamination.
Let them know which particular food allergies your child has and provide the medical documentation, including doctor's instructions regarding your child's food allergies and how to use an Epi-pen.
Provide and request any other documents that will be included in your child's 504 or IHP, including, but not limited to:
A. your emergency contact information,
B. emergency procedures should a reaction occur,
C. lunch procedures and storage of your child's lunchbox (if applicable),
D. letters to other parents informing them of snacks that are acceptable in the classroom and those that are not (revealing your child's identity and medical condition by school staff to anyone other than emergency personnel and those expressed in the 504 Plan is a violation of HIPAA laws),
E. allergen-free classroom (extends to necessities of classroom pets),
F. allergen-free lesson plan guarantee in all classes,
G. hand-washing procedures for students and staff who have contact with the child with the food allergy,
H. state and school/district policy regarding emergency medication at school (Epi-pen, Benadryl, etc.) and always check expiration dates,
I. allergen-free assurance for bus rides (if applicable) and field trips,
J. and anything else you deem important and necessary.
Make a notebook with all the information decided on and approved by yourself and give to the principle, nurse, teacher, and any school staff that will have your child as a student in any area or classroom during the school day and during any extracurricular activities. Be sure to collect these at the end of the school year as well as his or her medications.
Send out thank-you cards to all those involved in monitoring your child over the school year, unless, of course, there were ongoing problems or allergic reactions due to negligence. If the latter is the case, consider consulting with an attorney.

Tips & Warnings

You are your child's advocate. Do not be afraid or think that you are being overly protective when asking for and preparing a 504 Plan and expecting school officials to follow through with its instructions. This is your child's life and quality of life. Nothing should be more important.
For more information on the 504 Plan, ADA, and other food allergy topics, please visit the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) at their website: http://www.foodallergy.org/.

We found this article at the following website:

Read more: How to Create a 504 Plan for a Child With Food Allergies | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5284046_create-plan-child-food-allergies.html#ixzz17rvOBcjw

Hope this helps, have a great weekend.

The Taylor's

We are making progress at the national level!

2010-11-30T14:29:00.001-06:00

Check out the video from Yesterday and Senator Chris Dodd on the Food Allergy Bill.

See the video here

We are making progress.

Have a great day.

The Taylor's

8 years ago this week!

2010-11-10T09:54:00.003-06:00

8 years ago this week our lives changed forever. Laurie and I welcomes our first baby girl into the world. Now with an infant in the house I figured my life would need to adjust... but boy did that become the understatement of my life. It did not take long, by Jan. we knew Lynda had food allergies. Her eczema was flaring well beyond baby rash and she was miserable. It has been an interesting journey- a bit part of why this blog is here in hopes to help others to learn from the path we have taken. Lynda has grown into a beautiful girl and has a normal life (as normal as she can have). She has been able to expand her diet to several new foods since our return from National Jewish and enjoys school, music, her sister and friends. She is no longer locked in the house out of fear the outside world will hurt her and she can live a normal life. She has made our family stronger and hopefully we are able to help those with similar issues with advise, knowledge and support. We cherish each day as we know it only takes one bite, we are diligent in keeping her safe and have good partners helping us with those at daycare, school, church, our family and friends.

Happy Birthday Lynda.. We love you! We are Proud of you!

Mom & Dad

Halloween Safety

2010-10-27T19:21:00.000-05:00

Hello all food allergy supporters- I can not believe it is almost Halloween and I have not posted my annual safety post.

Make sure your child wears gloves when trick or treating so they can enjoy the event and not have issues with touching cross contaminated candy.
Trade out the candy for something non food related- we generally do books to help our daughter read better.
Donate the candy to a local children's shelter, brighten someones day.
Trick or Treat for a cure- FAAN has a great program that allows you to raise money for research- take advantage of it as it is a great way to educate your friends and neighbors.
Dress to be seen & watch for cars
Be safe!

Happy Halloween!

It's always a good idea to let your child participate as long as they can be safe. Happy Halloween from the Taylor's.

Enjoy the night! Boooo!

Schools and Food Allergies

2010-10-08T10:53:00.002-05:00

It is great to see parents and schools working together to make food allergies part of the discussion with classmates. As we are fond of saying Knowledge if Power and this helps to minimize bullying and helps classmates awareness to make sure they keep kids safe. We have a fantastic school district in this regard at Center Point Urbana School District. (Homecoming tonight by the way).

The Lollipop Game- Lynda loves these suckers!

Here is the Article posted by the Food Allergy Initiative. CLICK HERE

Just remember parents working with your school is a PARTNERSHIP and you will have to compromise and work on creative solutions. I works, we have lived it.

Have a safe weekend!

The Taylor's

This Article highlights the importance of communication with your School when dealing with food allergies

2010-10-01T10:38:00.000-05:00

Yet another recent article about food allergies and schools. This time two children are being held out of school due to the reversal of a policy on no nuts at school. That being said- Lynda goes to CPU and they do not have a no nut policy, but do take proactive steps to ensure her safety. It is also important where school policy or action falls short parents need to be proactive with a workaround for the safety of their children.

You can read the article HERE.

Have a great weekend.

The Taylor's

It is sad that this is becoming so prevelant we have seen 2 different articles in a week

2010-09-30T12:37:00.000-05:00

Two different articles in one week and both in the national media dealing with bullying and food allergies. If your child has food allergies- talk with them about bullying and make sure it is not happening to them. The latest article is found at livescience.com - I have a copy of the article HERE for you to read.

Bullying is not ok for any reason- but this is life threatending to our kids- Knowledge is power- keep this information in front of your schools, daycare providers and family so everyone takes it seriously. Losing one child to ignorance is too many.

The Taylor's

Bullying and Food Allergies

2010-09-28T15:42:00.002-05:00

Thanks to all our friends that send us these articles. I can tell you kids with food allergies that show reactions on their skin etc are already self conscious about their situation. Lynda sure is and we and the school work very hard to make sure she is safe and feels good about who she is. It breaks my heart to see articles like this and they happen all the time. I get questions about how we deal with this all the time.

The Article is on CNN.com or you can read it HERE.

Kids can be mean and it cuts deeper when kids are different, I don't care if they have food allergies, down syndrome, speech impediment we need to make sure our kids are safe from bullying.

Knowledge is Power and understanding, kindness and Love are needed.

The Taylor's

Kids Living with Food Allergies

2010-09-22T08:59:00.001-05:00

This video pretty much says it all- Thanks to my friends at Team CDO and the Food Allergy Initiative.

Eczema Flare

2010-09-07T05:07:00.000-05:00

Well since school has started a little over one month ago we have been battling an eczema flare. This weekend we bathed Lynda three times a day and she was wet wrapped the whole time. Benadryl every 4 hours and we put her back on Zyrtec. This disease is very frustrating.

An Interesting Article from CNN regarding the rise of Food Allergies

2010-08-13T18:30:00.000-05:00

I recently saw an article on CNN.com discussing food allergies and their rise.

"One theory is that the Western diet has made people more susceptible to developing allergies and other illnesses."

It is good to see that Food Allergies are getting some national exposure, but this also shows they are no closer to figuring out why this is happening and working on a way to prevent or cure it.

You can read the full article HERE.

Nothing is more frightening than a parent seeing their child in a reaction. Each time you do you risk their life, you can't predict the outcome. Help support those who have this affliction with your time, talents, resources, money or just tolerance.

Keep your kids safe as we start the new school year!

Have a great weekend,

The Taylor's

Picture from CNN

Are you ready for the new school year?

2010-08-10T21:17:00.000-05:00

The start of a new school year is just around the corner. Have you completed your pre-school year education of your educators?

Have you?

Met your child's new teacher?
Educated them on your child's allergies?
Have you reviewed the FAAN's site for new materials to use in the classroom and to educate classmates?
Met with the nursing staff, reviewed emergency plans and what to do if your child has a reaction at school?
Met with the nutritional staff regarding your child's allergies and conducted cross contamination training?
Identified any safety concerns as it relates to your child and proposed a solution?
Worked with the bussing department and certified your driver on use of an Epi-Pen?
Updated medical information including emergency contact, insurance and preferred medical facilities etc.
Update your 504 plan if you have one
Meet with your principal to discuss any concerns and make sure they are on board with the plans in place.

If you have not done these things, the sooner the better. The closer you get to the start of school the more hectic things are going to be and more likely you will not have your educators full attention.

A sad note to report....Keep you inhaler close at all times

2010-06-23T19:35:00.006-05:00

We are sad to report the nephew of my wife's boss who suffers from asthma had a very bad attack last week. It came on so quickly they were not able to get his inhaler administered prior to him losing consciousness. When the young man left the house in an ambulance he had no pulse and was without oxygen for 30-40 minutes. He suffered cardiac arrest and lung collapse. After being airlifted to the hospital he was in a coma and on life support until today when he passed. Please keep this family in your prayers. Asthma is an affliction we should never take for granted. It is especially hard when we lose a child.

Rest in peace and be with god Patrick.

The Taylor's

Dissapointing News regarding Airline Travel & Peanuts

2010-06-23T09:29:00.005-05:00

This is the headline I did not want to see since hearing about the proposed ban on peanuts on airlines:

DOT backs off on proposed peanut ban on planes

Yep the hope of my daughter Lynda being able to fly somewhere fun like Disneyland or Florida vanished in an instant. What the Government officials and the Georgia Peanut Producers do not realize is that children and adults with severe food allergies to peanuts have limited time to get to medical attention. EpiPens have a life extension of approximately 10 minutes each- I have done a significant amount of travel in my career and I can tell you that any given moment in time (even in an emergency situation) 9 times out of ten there is no way an airplane can get down on the ground and medical personnel attending a child in 20 minutes unless they are already sitting on the runway (which is not where they serve the peanuts). There are plenty of snack foods that could be available for service on planes or areas voluntarily designated as peanut free zones. In my eyes the airlines are limited their income- the amount of individuals with severe food allergies is growing at an alarming rate- eventually will they have a significant drop in business if this continues.

Disappointing at best- We have traveled by car due to this issue- I recall 3 year ago going to National Jewish in Denver for Lynda's treatment and we spent 2 days in the car each way due to the fact we could not guarantee her safety on the plane. Any neither could the airlines when we spoke with the.

I have the full article posted HERE for you review. Keep writing your airlines, congressman etc. and eventually we will get some change and common sense here.

Knowledge is Power!

Have a great day.

The Taylor's

The Financial Toll on Families with Food Allergies

2010-05-26T11:51:00.002-05:00

There is an article published on the NY Times website on May 14th of this year talking about the struggles of families that have true food allergies. If you want to read the full article go HERE.

I can tell you from the Taylor standpoint the amount of money we spend in co-pays, deductibles and specialty foods far outweighs most peoples budgets. Yes some people dealing with cancer and other lifelong illnesses are in the same boat we are. Although I would estimate we spend more per month on Lynda's specialty food required for her than the other three folks in the household (Scary it was still true when Matt lived here too).

“The loss of income and the additional costs associated with food allergies can have a significant financial impact,” Dr. Perry said the article states.

The other issue is that families with serious food allergies tend never to get ahead. It only takes one bite or someone who did not wash their hands after exposure to peanuts or milk and we have a several hundred or thousand dollar medical bill. It is hard for many people to comprehend. And if either of us is out of work-that puts a larger strain on the family finances.

"Take a quick look at any health food store and you will immediately notice the high prices. Factor in the dozens of special products people with food allergies need, and you have a huge grocery bill. " the article continues- many of these food items need to be produced in facilities that also do not produce items with tree nuts, peanuts or milk.

Most of the public does not realize how much their food is cross contaminated. The same equipment that makes your M&M's also makes the Mars Bar with peanuts.

Moral of the story- if you have a child with food allergies- watch every dollar even in the good times, if you don't... pray for those who do.

Have a great week.

The Taylor's

Huge Increase in MRSA with hospitalized Children!

2010-05-21T16:48:00.004-05:00

Recently in an AP story talked about MRSA and the huge increase in cases involving hospitalized children.
"The number of children hospitalized with dangerous drug-resistant staph infections surged 10-fold in recent years, a study found." the story read. This is especially concerning for us as Lynda easily contracts MRSA as it is with her skin reactions due to food allergies. Once MRSA gets into the blood it is hard to beat and for children that are allergic to most antibiotics this presents in most cases more hospital time.

"Almost 30,000 children were hospitalized with MRSA infections at the hospitals studied during the 10-year period. Most had skin or muscle infections, and 374 youngsters with MRSA died." the article continued.

This should be concerning to any parent as MRSA can turn quickly and can cause death. Keeping your childrens hands clean, cleaning and disinfecting their cuts is important to keep this threat down. For those children who have skin issues due to eczema or open sores it may cause you to resort to adding bleach to baths. By adding a table spoon or two to a bath tub full of water you can greatly minimize the risk of MRSA.

If you would like to see the full article you can access it HERE.

Have a safe weekend.

The Taylor's

Food Allergies: What's the Reality?

2010-05-13T12:45:00.001-05:00

Food Allergies in the News- Story today on GMA

2010-05-13T12:31:00.005-05:00

As I ready for work this morning I see that GMA is reporting on food allergies. See the Video Posted above. Once again the media diepcts this as something most people don't really have. They do provide some helpful and useful info in this clip- but to the casual watcher all they here is " food allergies are real?. This as you can image concerns me about way this is reported and sensationlizing of the story to get viewers. <>

Parents and Food Allergic adults already have a tough enough time with people thinking they are over reacting or it is not as bad as they make it out to be. Then to have an story like this it makes it worse. Due to what is available for testing- the limited resources in the medical community and the lack of funding and research on a national level this is not going to get better any time soon. If someone is intolerant vs. allergic I would rather them assume they are allergic then for their family to find out the hard way.

Food for thought- I wish that everyone keep safe when it comes to food allergies and the danger they pose to your loved ones. GMA's expert did remind everyone to check the expiration dates on their Epi Pens- what a great reminder- do me a favor and check yours TODAY!

God Bless

the Taylor's

Stormy Weather.....

2010-04-25T16:54:00.003-05:00

Well we had a few days now of cold rainy spring season- that has prompted a nice asthma attack and we ended up in the hospital ER this afternoon. Then off to the Pharmacy for another round of steroids to get her through this bout of asthma distress.

Opening Night at the Kernels

2010-04-25T16:52:00.003-05:00

Another HUGE Thank you to the Cedar Rapids Kernels for another wonderful Allergy Free Night at the Ball Park. It was a cold spring game and the good guys ended up not winning, but fun has had by all- there will be another Allergy Free Night in June- more to come.

Lynda has out grown her allergies to dogs!

2010-03-27T06:36:00.002-05:00

I has been seven long years since we first found out that Lynda was allergic to dogs. Our neighbors got two new puppies several weeks ago and Lynda has been playing with them everyday. Not one sign of an allergic reaction. The puppies even have licked her, nothing.

Consulted with her doctor if we could get a puppy, and she said yes with two conditions. 1. that it be an outside dog. (totally I don't want a dog in my house). 2. that it must be a lab because that is the same breed as the puppies.

We will have to see what the future holds for the Taylor family and getting a dog.

Springtime brings Asthma

2010-03-10T21:42:00.003-06:00

The spring rains are coming- damp weather and temperatures that go up and down. With this weather asthma attacks can come at any time. This is a great time to check your inhaler and make sure you have your stock of medicines for your nebulizers.

With spring also comes increased pollen, molds and dust as those spring winds start to kick up. Do you part to keep an eye on your symptoms.

Enjoy the warmer weather and keep yourselves safe!

The Taylor's

Interesting Article- check it out

2010-02-24T21:10:00.002-06:00

Time magazine has an interesting article about poisons and allergens in household dust. The article can be seen HERE.

This article brings to the forefront how important it is when you have an allergic child to have a whole house filter and to sweep or vacuum on a regular basis. This time of year especially with the cold weather in the upper midwest we have to be a little more diligent.

Hope you all are keeping safe- check out the FAAN site as they have had a lot of changes in personnel. It should be interesting to see the direction of the organization.

Keep safe-
The Taylor's

Food Allergies and Vaccinations- Be careful

2010-02-13T07:52:00.002-06:00

Hello All,

There seems to be a conversation that has been coming up more frequently in the food allergy world for kids (and adults) that due to a recent trip to the hospital for Lynda came back up to the surface. Many of the vaccinations such as the H1N1 vaccine are made from Eggs, thus making it unavailable for Lynda and many other children with food allergies. Over the years when working with her doctors and pharmacists we have gotten push back regarding the ingredients within certain drugs due to the companies not wanting to disclose what is in their product for "trade secret" reasons. I can understand protecting your brand and product, but when so many of these children have to pass on potential solutions to medical issues because we can not take the chance it makes it difficult to treat against medical issues to keep our children safe. In Lynda's case she already has so few options and we get concerned about long term issues like those 2-3 drugs her body will become resistant to and then we are at a potentially life threatening situation.

Here is a link to a website that has 3 articles regarding this issue:

CLICK HERE

Be safe and have a great valentines day. (Men do not forget tomorrow is Valentines Day!

The Taylor's

January Rain!

2010-01-23T22:18:00.002-06:00

Well what a winter we have had in Iowa so far! First a ton of snow, then ice and now over 1/2 inches of rain in the last 12 hours- so what does this have to do with anything- When the air is cold and damp it triggers asthma attacks- Several times in the last week Lynda has come to either Laurie or I and indicated she needs a breathing treatment. Well the little bugger has been right each time. Her peak flows have been low- so watch your asthma kids closely and listen to them during this time of the year. It seems that the moisture in the air and the cold is a bad combination for our little one.

Lynda and her sister Callie had a birthday parthy for one of Callie's classmates. How excited was Lynda when there was some Lynda safe food at the party. And it was a pool party to boot so a little extra hydration time for her skin as well. They both had a blast from the report I got.

Have a great weekend.

The Taylor's

We got to Come Home

2010-01-18T21:52:00.002-06:00

Well after a few days in the hospital Lynda got to come home and and to have a PIC line put in to facilitate a portable IV pump. She has been doing pretty good by not using the off hand and watching her tubing to make sure does not pull the pic line out. Dr appt tomorrow to see if we can be done with the anti-botics. Thurs should have the pic line taken out. She has been doing pretty good and she has had to miss two weeks of school.

Looking forward to getting life back to normal.

Have a great week.
The Taylor's

All good things must come to an end......

2010-01-09T14:33:00.002-06:00

Well today after a 2 1/2 year hiatus we are back in the hospital. Lynda got an infection that she could not beat so we are back in the hospital for another 10 day stint. She is doing very well, last night was really rough with all the attempts to get her IV in and then once it was in it did not stay- so we had to do it again. She has been a real trooper.

On a real positive note- we are the only folks on the entire peds floor. I see that as a huge blessing that there are not any other kids here. I like empty hospitals!

Callie is not happy since with the H1N1 regulations in the hospitals these days she is not allowed to come up and visit. She told me this morning that her sissy needs here and she needs to go up. What a sweetheart. A special thanks to all our family, church family and friends and they have been a great support. We appreciate all your prayers and assistance. Hoping we can get this knocked out and it is a bump in the road....

Have a great weekend.
God Bless
The Taylor's

Welcome to 2010!

2010-01-01T17:40:00.003-06:00

Hello all,

I hope you had a very safe New Years Eve. We spent the night with family to make sure we did not have a situation with Lynda. Parties are always an issue with lots of unsafe food, people that do not understand cross contamination etc. We have been blessed this year with Lynda not having any hospital visits in 2009 and we are hoping that we continue this trend into the new year. We were able to skirt the flu for the most part- both the girls had it this fall, but not as badly as we were concerned they would. Now that the temperature has dropped to the below zero on a more regular basis and the wind has kicked up her asthma, we have had a few more breathing treatments.

We are so excited that our local minor league base ball team is expanding their Allergy Free nights to 2 this season- so we will be attending both in support of the Cedar Rapids Kernels! Thanks for all your help Jessica and support the safety of kids with food allergies! We will pass along the dates as soon as they are firmed up.

We are also continuing to lobby for funding so our schools can keep nurses in each school. With the budget cuts across the nation many school districts are going to part time medical professionals and many are are services to they do not have the same person at the school all the time. It is so important that there is consistency when dealing with children with food allergies, if they don't know what the norm is for the child they don't understand when there is a problem. And this is just one medical issue that children could face- we have to consider others such as diabetes etc. Write your legislators to change the laws or provide funding so these positions do not get cut. We are also still pushing for better and more accurate labeling of food, training for school bus drivers etc.

I hope you all have a great 2010 and a very safe 2010. God Bless

The Taylor's

Merry Christmas

2009-12-23T19:40:00.003-06:00

Hello all,

It is only a few days before Christmas. Us here in the mid west are bracing for an ice storm to bring in the Christmas Holiday. On my way home tonight due to Lynda's asthma kicking up we bought a present for the family of a generator. A few years back we had an ice storm and we were without power for 3 days. A very scary 3 days with Lynda and cold weather. Reminder for all of you that are hosting holiday parties to keep a close eye on your kids with food allergies, especially when you have new people that are unfamiliar with the rules around to celebrate with you.

Safe alternatives to traditional fare is also a good idea so that your child can participate in the holiday. But beware to make sure all things are kept separate so cross contamination does not occur or worse an accidental ingestion.

Check your candy canes- Spangler brand is manufactured in a gluten and tree nut free facility. Lynda enjoys them each Christmas season.

Have a safe Christmas- travel safely, love HUGE and remember the reason for the season!

All our love,

The Taylor's

Matt is coming home from the ARMY

2009-12-18T06:12:00.002-06:00

Yes the girls (and us too!) are very excited to welcome Matt home for Christmas. This will be his first (and likely only) leave before he goes over seas as a combat medic! He has been trained on Food Allergies as part of his medical training and it will be interesting to hear what he knows. All our food allergic friends, please be careful during this holiday season! Make sure you know what you are eating! You are your own best advocate!

Happy Holidays!

The Taylor's

Spaghetti for those who can not have egg or wheat noodles

2009-12-03T12:06:00.005-06:00

One of the things we try very hard to do is to make mainstream meals for Lynda. One we have done for a while now is Spaghetti. We have a local oriental food store that has great prices on rice noodles of all types- when we go to the local chain store in their health area, a pound of rice noodles can be as much as $4 where we can get them at the oriental store ranging from .85 to $2.35 depending on the type. Lynda likes the thicker Alfredo style noodles.

So here it is:

3 Lbs Turkey ground and browned (or our favorite meat)
1 medium can Tomato paste
1 large can Tomato juice
2 lbs Alfredo style rice noodles-

Boil the noodles as normal- strain and rinse off with cold water- add the turkey and tomato products to the bowl and heat for 10 minutes and enjoy. This is also a great dish for those calorie counters out there.

Hope this helps- we will post more recipies as I remember to right them down.

MN Food Allergy Group Trying to effect change at resturants

2009-12-01T18:27:00.003-06:00

I got this from the Minnesota Food Allergy Assocation Newsletter. This would be great to do in any area.

Make Eating Out With Food Allergies Safer!

The City of St. Paul is considering an ordinance to increase food allergy awareness among food service employees. The ordinance will:

1) require a food allergy awareness poster in the employee area of restaurants and;

2) offer a discount on license fees if trained restaurant staff are on site and an allergen plan is adopted.

Due to opposition from the food service industry, the ordinance evolved into these two provisions. Earlier versions also included requirements to keep updated ingredient lists; having ingredient lists to be available to anyone at all times; and public signage.

Although not as comprehensive as earlier versions, AFAA and national food allergy advocates feel that the ordinance is an excellent step and ask for your support.

They also provided their supporters with a listing of contacts, armed them with information and invited them to the city council meeting. This is a stripped down version of what was originally presented due to push back from the food service industry.

Here is the text they provided on the what to say:

What You Can Say:
Share information -
12 million Americans have food allergies
6-8% of children have food allergies
1-2% of adults have food allergies
200,000 Minnesotans have food allergies
30,000 Minnesota K-12 students have food allergies
allergic symptoms include digestive upset, hives, swelling, breathing difficulties, blood pressure drop, and sometimes death
24% of restaurant operators thought eating tiny amounts of allergens was okay*
35% restaurant operators mistakenly thought fryer heat destroys allergens*
25% restaurant operators thought it was safe to remove an allergen from a finished meal*
awareness is essential
reactions you/your child has experienced
your experiences in restaurants
*statistics from an Elliot and Roslyn Jaffe Food Allergy Institute at Mount Sinai School of Medicine 2006 survey of 100 restaurant operators

If you need a contact there to find out how to start this campaign in your area, send me an e-mail through the blog. Knowledge is power- we all just need to help educate the rest of the world!

The great Christmas Tree Experiment

2009-11-28T17:49:00.004-06:00

Well as you all know Lynda has many food allergies. She does not (according to our visit at National Jewish 2 + years ago) have environmental allergies. So we are going to try the great Christmas Tree Experiment! Lynda and Callie wanted a real tree this year for the holidays. So we went to our favorite local Christmas Tree farm (who also happens to be the place we pick blueberry's in the summer). So in the best tradition of Clark W Griswold we went out into the wilderness and acquired a tree. As only a manly dad can do I conquered the tree by cutting it down in nothing flat, hauled it to the family truckster and mounted it to the roof for the 20 mile journey home. Once we purchased the tree it was determined we now needed stuff for the tree since we have pre-lit artifical trees- so off to help the economy buy purchasing lights, bulbs (the glass ones the girls all broke last year) and a tree stand. So now that Thanksgiving has passed it is now officially the Christmas Season at the Taylor house. (not to mention at every store we were at today they wished me a Merry Christmas).

Have a great week.
The Taylor's :o)

Thanksgiving

2009-11-27T23:47:00.003-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving all! Well it was an uneventful Thanksgiving. We were able to have breakfast with Grandma and Grandpa. The off to Grandpa John's and Grandma Diane's for Thanksgiving with the extended family. Today was not as great however. Lynda was diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia today so a few days without contact of her friends. Unfortunately she was supposed to have her birthday party with her cousins from out of town this evening. Lesson- take what comes at you one day at a time. We have a lot to be thankful for this year. Many blessings for the Taylor's. We are looking forward to a great 2010. I hope your family has had many blessings and more to come.

Enjoy Black Friday- what is left of it anyway.

Have a great week and a safe food day!

The Taylor's

Halloween Safety- Candy Warning

2009-10-28T20:48:00.005-05:00

From our friends at Kids with Food Allergies:

1) Bite-size, individually-wrapped candies may have different ingredients or be processed in different facilities than their regular-size counterparts, so don't assume they are safe just because you have previously used the regular-size candies.

2) The ingredient label on a bag of candy may differ from the ingredient labels on the individual candies inside.

3) Advisory labels such as May Contain, Processed in a Facility, and Processed on Shared Equipment are voluntary. If a candy label lacks these statements, it doesn't mean the candy is safe from potential cross-contamination with an allergen. The only way to know if your Halloween candy is safe from allergens is to contact the manufacturer. (Read "Is Your Food Really Safe?" for more information.)

4) If a product does have an allergen advisory label, the product should be avoided. Studies have shown that many of these products actually *do* contain allergens.

5) Chocolates are commonly cross-contaminated with milk, soy, peanuts or tree nuts.

6) Allowing children to carry candies that contain their allergens can be dangerous. The wrappers can become loose and fall off the candy in their trick-or-treat bag, or children may attempt to eat the candy without you knowing. (Read Lynda Mitchell's story about how her son bit through the wrapper of a Snickers® and had an allergic reaction!)

7) Halloween dangers don't disappear that night. Be aware that other children may sneak candy to school the following week and attempt to share it. Remind your food-allergic child not to accept candy from anyone but you.

Have a safe and ghoulish Halloween!

The Taylors

Learning is Fun

2009-10-24T08:25:00.003-05:00

Lynda recently did a caterpillar unit at school where they got their own caterpillar and were able to watch it transform into a butterfly. The picture is of Lynda releasing her new butterfly into the world. What a proud momma. This one was named Pinkie. What a great project at school. Kids are so fun when the come home and tell you about what they learned. It is great to see that excitement and thirst for knowledge. Support it as it will do your children well.

Don't forget about Trick or Treat for Food Allergies- your support helps research to find a cure for this affliction.

This week Sean saw an allergist- seems by cutting out a majority of the sugar in his diet, eating more of what Lynda does and eliminating soda from your diet, well those pesky food allergies you did not know you had start popping up. More to come on the results- Tested for a bunch of things.

Hope you all have a very safe week. Watch your asthma those in areas (like us) you have damp cold weather. Attacks can sneak up on you.

Have a safe week!
The Taylor's

It's cold and rainy- that means Asthma kicks up

2009-10-01T19:09:00.004-05:00

Today is cold and rainy- for those that have asthma it is a mixture that causes asthma attacks. Be on the alert for the symptoms-
* Severe wheezing when breathing both in and out
* Coughing with asthma that won't stop
* Very rapid breathing
* Chest pain or pressure
* Tightened neck and chest muscles, called retractions
* Difficulty talking
* Feelings of anxiety or panic
* Pale, sweaty face
* Blue lips or fingernails
* Or worsening symptoms despite use of your medications

Have your inhalers close and make sure you do your peak flow readings as often if you suspect an issue. It is always better to be safe than sorry.

Want more info- visit this webpage on WebMD:
http://www.webmd.com/asthma/guide/asthma-attack

Have a great (and wet) week.

The Taylor's

Trick or Treat for Food Allergies- 7th annual campaign

2009-09-26T18:50:00.000-05:00

It is that time of year again- the 7th annual Trick or Treat for Food Allergy research and education. The Taylor's will be particapating again this year. How can you help. Get out your check book and send a check to Sean or Laurie Taylor marked with Trick or Treat FAAN in the memo- we will add it to the money Lynda will collect on Halloween night and send it to our favorite Food Allergy charity to help kids like Lynda. Can you help? If you need our address,

105 Maiden Street
Center Point, IA 52213

Thanks in advance for helping the cause!
Boo!

Breathing Treatments!!!!

2009-09-25T20:24:00.002-05:00

Well it is that time of year when Lynda's asthma decides to kick into high gear. The cool, wet and falling leaves set her asthma off. Her eczema has flared too. Just have to keep her healthy, so we can avoid the hospital.

Puffy Eyes

2009-09-20T17:07:00.002-05:00

Last night Lynda slept in her brothers bed- he is off at AIT Training in the Army and I think she was missing him. With new sheets on the bed she had a reaction to the mattress. She woke up with puffy eyes and swollen face. So off we went to church with sunglasses. Benadryl and ice packs took care of it.

Have a great Sunday.

The Taylors

Too hot

2009-09-14T19:16:00.002-05:00

Lynda got to hot at school today so her eczema has flared up. In the tub she went, then it was 2 tsp of benadryl, lotion, and wet pjs. I rocked her for about 10 minutes and she fell asleep.

Emergency Room

2009-09-06T16:28:00.003-05:00

Last night I had to take Sean to the emergency room. He was having an allergic reaction to acorn squash. Redness and some swelling in the face, broke out in a sweat and then had diarrhea within 1 hour of eating acorn squash, he said that it felt like his throat was closing. It was very scary. He was able to come home. We went to church this morning and he has been sleeping ever since we got home.

Last week Sean and I were out of town and grandma and grandpa were taking care of the girls. Lynda's and Callie's lunches were put into the wrong lunch boxes. Lynda opened her lunch box and saw that the food was not safe for her. She called the lunch room supervisor over for help. The nurse drove Lynda home and grandma was able to fix Lynda a new lunch. We are so proud of Lynda and the school for paying attention. This could have been a tragic disaster. God was watching over Lynda while we were away.

Unfiltered Raw Honey

2009-08-22T20:50:00.003-05:00

I read that if you apply Unfiltered Raw Honey to your skin if you have a cut it will act like an antibiotic. So last night we tried this on Lynda's skin where she has these staph pustules. Then we covered them with wet socks and then dry socks. This morning to my surprise the pustules were just a red spots on her skin. A pustule basically looks like a pimple. The yellowish head on the pustules were gone. We are going to do this again tonight. Now that I know this works when we just see one pustule we will pull the honey out of the cabinet put some on her skin and then put on a bandaid.

Take care and God bless

Skin Infection

2009-08-21T20:33:00.003-05:00

Lynda does have a staph skin infection. We are keeping her skin covered and she is on antibiotics.

The First Day of School- 2009!

2009-08-18T07:53:00.004-05:00

The first day of school is an anxious one for any parent. The rush of emotions, glee, sadness, excitement, worry and pride. But for a child with food allergies (and their parents), all these emotions are multiplied. A new teacher, kids and maybe even a new school that has to get used to your child, understand their "rules" and learn to live with the differences. We are very blessed to be in the Center Point-Urbana School District (CPU) and they have a wonderful staff, and excellent nurse and kitchen staff as well as understanding parents and classmates. That being said it does not mean that all is always rosy. Lynda's skin flared 2 days before school started. With this mild summer we have had we have been blessed that she has not had much to report on the eczema side of things, but the humidity hit like a freight train a few days ago when the reality of Aug finally hit. So through careful planning and enacting "the plan" Lynda looks great on her first day of school. (see picture above) It took 2 days of wet wraps, face included, and her daycare provider doing the same while her parents were at work. You never know what each day will bring, except the smile of your beautiful child. So those with allergies, eczema or asthma please know your hard work is worth it everyday. It can be frustrating, hard emotionally for your child if they are teased or made fun of, but know that you and the strength of the Lord will pull you both through.

Check List for the Start of School:
________________________________
* Meet with the Administration- share your story, what it takes to keep your child safe and what you would like to see
* Be flexible- the plan you had may not work for the school as a whole- work with the staff at your school to come up with an alternative or compromise.
* Know your school nurse- make sure she has a list of your child's allergies, triggers and issues
* Make sure the school knows how to get a hold of you. Cell Phones, Pagers e-mail etc.
* If your child is highly allergic to certain things and they could come in contact with them in the course of their education, have a plan for gloves or masks to protect your child.
* Find out if there are other children in your school with the same issues, maybe you could start a small support group or have someone to discuss issues or ideas with.
* Suggest to your school that rewards should not be about food and to use food items as little as possible in their curriculum. i.e. using M&M's to learn counting.
* Start a PAL program in your classroom- your child's classmates need to understand how to help keep your child safe as well.
* Use on-line resources- share them with your district- they don't know what they don't know. This is your time to be an educator.
* Take Epi-Pen trainers to the school- Give them to the teachers, lunch staff and nursing staff so they know what to do should that time come.
* Create a safe zone for your child in the lunch room- Don't segregate children with food allergies, just create a safe zone on your child's table.
* Meet with the District Nutrition Director and staff, chances are they have not been trained in cross contamination. Help them help you- teach them how to keep your child safe.

I hope these back to school tips help. If you ever have any questions- post to the blog, send us your e-mail we will do what we can to help.

Have a great new School Year!

The Taylor's

Eczema flare and possible skin infection

2009-08-17T09:53:00.003-05:00

Lynda's skin has flared up. It also looks like there might be a skin infection starting. Of course this would have to happen the weekend before school starts. We are wet wrapping and bathing three times a day to get her skin under control before school starts. We don't want her to miss the first day of school, but to keep her physically and emotionally healthy that might just be the route we take.

Lynda is becoming very aware that her skin is different from everyone else. She prefers to wear long sleeve shirts and pants. Her arms and legs are easy to cover up but when her entire face is affected that makes life much more difficult for her to deal with. She will ask to have her hair down to cover her face. She wants to wear her big sunhat and glasses.

Lynda needs a friend that goes to her school that has eczema too. Someone she can relate too. That way she does not feel like she is the only one that is different.

Callie's Birthday Party!

2009-08-09T11:06:00.003-05:00

Boy the summer has flown by and we have been so busy we did not mention Callie's birthday party. We had a blast and Callie wanted a cupcake cake, so dad found one. We invited over all the cousins and kids from the neiborhood. The picture shows how center of attention Callie was. Did I mention she is a Hanna Montana superfan? She had a blast and fun was had by all. We had a record July as no place in the state of Iowa reached 90 degrees on any day, so with nice weather we were able to have the party outside on the 20th of July without melting away!

Have a great summer, we will be talking Back to School tips shortly- 2 weeks until school starts... whew, where did the summer go?

The Taylor's

The Blank Park Zoo

2009-08-04T12:56:00.003-05:00

A couple weeks ago the family took a day trip to Des Moines and the Blank Park Zoo. Sean & Laurie had both grown up in Iowa and never been there. It was a pretty impressive zoo by all accounts. Lynda and Callie had a blast watching the sea lions, the feeding penguins and see the Lions and Tigers and Bears. We walked around for hours checking out the various animals- birds and general wildlife. We had a snack at the snack bar and enjoyed the cool July weather.

We heard from Matt

2009-07-28T16:23:00.002-05:00

Hello All,

We heard from Matt- sounds like Basic Training (Army training Sir....) is going well for him. He did well on his first day on the shooting range putting all his bullets into the inner circle. Bad new though, he will not be returning in Sept to see us all due to the Army fast tracking his training. Will keep you posted as we hear, if you need his mailing address let us know.

The Taylor's

Happy 4th of July America

2009-07-05T11:34:00.003-05:00

Well the annual Taylor tradition of going to Independence Iowa for their huge 4th parade continued yesterday. This year was not as sunny and dry as past years. Yep we all looked like soaked rats by the end of the hour and 1/2 long parade. The girls had a blast, grandma and grandpa came with us to hang out, get wet and drive back. We did not get to take pics due to the amount of rainfall- so next year we will double up. The girls have had a good forth, we have been trying to incorporate tradition with food allergy safety. So far so good- knock on wood as always. I hope you all had a great 4th weekend and enjoyed the birthday of our country. We have heard from Matt a couple times at Basic as he went through the reception process- sounds like things were going well so far- can't wait to hear back from him again soon! God Bless America!

Have a great week!

Summer Season of Parades Begins

2009-06-27T19:12:00.001-05:00

Well is you are not aware the Taylor girls most favorite summer activity is parades and fireworks. So this time of year is GREAT! We overslept for the Freedom Fest parade so we went to Fairfax for their parade! What a great place, Daddy ran into his friend Lance there as well. Next week we are going to the world famous Independence Iowa parade. We were thinking of heading into town for the free drive in theater at the CRBT for Hotel for Dogs, but we had been out running around all day and we are pooped. So pooped both Callie and Lynda crashed when they got home. Hope all is well with everyone. Lynda's skin is starting to break out from the heat so we are back in the mode of getting back on top of it. Callie and Lynda had a great week at vacation bible school learning their "moves" to the go fish songs as Callie puts it. Hope you all have a great week. Be safe with your food.

Happy 4th!

Summer is just a little sweeter this year....

2009-06-17T12:30:00.002-05:00

Well yet another milestone. One of our worst memories of summer has been when the ice cream truck starts rolling down the street. Every year all the kids (and there are a lot) from our neighborhood would run and wait for the ice cream truck. Lynda always looked so sad. Sure we made her own Popsicle, but they weren't the same. Well the folks that come through our area got some that are Lynda safe and she was able to purchase her first Popsicle from the truck. She was grinning from ear to ear. It is such the little things in life.

Happy summer everyone!

Angel Food Ministries

2009-05-27T17:22:00.002-05:00

Great news for all those allergy suffers out there. Angel Food Ministries has a program where you can get $60.00 worth of food for $30.00 bucks. No qualification needed, just submit your order and you are in. It is a great deal. Now for the new and exciting news.... They have an Allergen Free Box. Here is what their website says:

ALLERGEN-FREE BOX

Processed to eliminate the eight top serious allergens: Peanuts, Soybeans, Milk, Eggs, Fish, Crustacea, Tree Nuts and Gluten (wheat, rye and barley). Great for children and adults!

A link to this months menu can be found HERE!

Support this great cause and get great food to eat. Hope this helps out someone! Have a great afternoon. 2 days until Gage's benefit!

Graduation Weekend

2009-05-25T11:53:00.003-05:00

Lynda's oldest brother Matt graduated from High School yesterday. We had a great party and had a bonfire past midnight. Lynda's skin has been a bit iffy the last couple of days, but she has been outside playing a lot and the pollen count for trees is through the roof. With the holiday weekend we have had lots of fun with the neighbor kids and all our visitors. Matt did great at graduation and we are a few weeks away from heading to the army. Ships off to South Carolina for basic. Looks like Laurie and Sean will be heading east for graduation again in a few weeks. All for now we have more to come very soon. Has been really busy getting through the end of the school year and Matt's graduation. Remember next weekend is Gage's fundraiser- head over to Ottumwa if you can. If you have anything for the auction Sean & Laurie will take it over there.

God Bless!

Gage's Benefit is finally Scheduled! Horay!

2009-04-29T20:53:00.003-05:00

Hello All,

The benefit for Gage is set! Please see the flier posted here. We will be taking donations for the silent auction and donations on behalf of Gage here in Eastern Iowa and get them down for the benefit. If you or you business can help us get Gage there, please prayerfully consider whatever you can do. Gage's mom does not have the benefit of insurance like we did, so this bill will be HUGE! Help how you can.

Let me know if you have questions.

Allergic Reaction Day Three

2009-04-27T17:24:00.002-05:00

Lynda is doing much better the redness is almost gone and the swelling is starting to come down. We did not have to seek medical attention this time. The only thing I can think of that would have brought on this reaction is that she slept with the wrong pillow. The pillow she got a hold of did not have the dust mite protective zipper cover. That pillow has since been removed from our home.

Allergic Reaction day two

2009-04-26T09:48:00.003-05:00

Her face is still swollen and red. No other part of her body is being affected at this time. She is not having any breathing problems. Spoke with the doctor on call this morning and we are going to wait another day and see if she can turn the corner her at home. If she is still bad on Monday we will go to the doctor.
We are wet wrapping and giving Benadryl every 4 hours.

If any of the Mercy Hospital nurses are reading this we may be coming to see you soon.

Allergic Reaction to something....

2009-04-25T13:42:00.004-05:00

We went through our normal bedtime routine of bath, lotion, brush teeth, singular. This morning when Lynda came into the living room I was shocked. Her face was swollen and red. I am talking very bright deep red. So we washed her face off, gave her some Benadryl and then put on her steroid cream and wet wrapped her face for two hours.

Two hours later her face is still swollen and red. She is playing right now with her sister. We will be doing another two hour wet wrap session in a little bit. I hope we we can fight this off here at home.

I will post a picture of her later.

Earlier this week we have been fighting an eczema flare on both of her arms. That has seemed to calm down now.

I found a Lynda safe play clay recipe that I am going to share with you. We made this today and both girls are having fun! We will be making a batch to take to school since she can not play with Play Dough. If she does play with it she has to wear latex free gloves. That isn't as much fun as getting your hands in there.

1/2 cup Rice Flour
1/2 cup Corn Starch
1/2 cup Salt
2 teaspoon Cream of Tarter
1 cup Water
1 teaspoon Cooking Oil
1 teaspoon Food Coloring

Combine all ingredients in a pot and cook over low heat until it forms a ball. When cool enough to touch, pat gently until smooth. When completely cool,store in an airtight container.

2nd Annual Allergy Free Game in CR

2009-04-21T16:49:00.002-05:00

Hello everyone,

Well the night is finally here! We have our big game at Kernel's stadium tonight and we will have the table like last year with great info on food allergies. Lynda will be in attendance so come see us and learn more about this affliction. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER! We will have picutures and an update after the game. You still have time to go to the game and purchase a ticket.

"Take me out to the ball game....... give me no peanuts or cracker jacks.."

see you there!

The Taylor's

Gage's Video-

2009-04-18T14:59:00.002-05:00

Hello all,

Our friend Gage who lives in Ottumwa also has severe food allergies and is desperately trying to get to National Jewish as well. He has heard about what it has done for Lynda and Jesse and would really like to go. Here is a link to Gage's Video:

Click Here!

Enjoy,

Have a safe weekend all. Laurie & I are celebrating our 12th Anniversary this weekend. Can you believe she has put up with me that long.

Sean

Easter is coming- scary time for food allergies

2009-04-08T21:12:00.002-05:00

Well it is that time of the year again. Easter is coming and it is the worst time for someone with food allergies. Keeping a food allergic child safe this time of year is tough. In fact the last 2 years running Lynda has ended up in the hospital after Easter due to a reaction. Our goal this year is to keep her out of the hospital so we are being extra careful. Not attending some church celebrations, heading over to families houses for a few minutes vs the entire celebration.

Here are some ways to keep your food allergic child safe during this holiday:

1) Have your child wear gloves- most children do not wash their hands after eating candy (adults either)
2) Have your events not center around food and candy- give away trinkets, play games etc.
3) Minimize exposure- know the environments you are walking into
4) Expect that everywhere you go will be dangerous

I hope these tips help and keep you safe for the Holiday-
Remember to mark your calendars for April 21st for the 2nd Annual Food Allergy Awareness Night at the Ballpark! Kernels Stadium- Cedar Rapids, IA

Have a great holiday week.

The Taylor's

Spring Is Here and Lynda's eczema flares

2009-03-22T07:34:00.005-05:00

We can always tell it is spring, because Lynda's eczema will flare. Historically we have been in the hospital every year around Easter. I know that Easter is only a few weeks away, let's hope this year is the year that we can break our record.

Yesterday and last night, we had to wet wrap both of her arms. She was scratching at them and I knew if we did not get those arms wrapped we would be heading for a full body flare. So out come the ace bandages and the steroid cream. She was still able to play outside as long as she had long sleeves on to cover up her wraps. She does not want the kids to see her arms wrapped. She is getting older and is sensitive to what other kids think of her.

At first she did not want me to wrap her arms. Once we got started she was fine. I told her that if we just do your arms and get them under control we might avoid having to wrap your whole body. We have come a long way with wet wraps. I can remember her screaming, crying, and fighting Sean and I every time we had to wrap her. Over time she has learned that the wraps calm down her skin and then she is at peace and can sleep.

I thank God everyday for the doctors and nurses who have taken care of Lynda and who have taught us how to care for her skin. Without them we would still be living the nightmare.

Another Hospital Visit.....

2009-03-12T21:13:00.004-05:00

Hello All,

Just a note to let you all know Lynda visited the hospital late Sat night. She had a hard time breathing and we were not sure if she was suffering a delayed reaction, asthma issues or what. Her breathing got so labored we rushed her to the hospital. She ended having a bad case of the Croup! She spent the next couple nights in the hospital and had fun hanging out with her favorite nursing staff. They are so great up there in the peds unit, I hope you never have to visit there, but if you do they are the BEST! Lynda is doing great now. Here are a couple pics from the latest hospital visit.

Sean

Two weekends of Parties!

2009-03-12T21:03:00.005-05:00

Hello All, I am really trying to post when I can. I have had a pretty full social calendar lately. A couple of weekends ago my friend from school had a birthday party at Pump It Up and Callie & I had a blast there. You can tell by our pictures. Then last weekend we went to Burlington to Fun City and played at our friend Thomas's birthday party! Wow that place was fun too. Dad won us both big stuffed animals at this claw game and he got a 3rd one for Matt. We got to go swimming at this water park there that is inside and has a huge bucket way up high and it dumps water out. Let me tell you when it comes down it will throw you back! Callie and I both did it (with dad's help). Once we got done swimming we went bowling they have a really cool bowling alley there with black lights and glowing lanes. We all bowled one game before dinner. I almost beat daddy! Next time I will get him. The we played video games for tickets and had dinner. What a blast. Both nights we were really tired from all the excitement.

Lynda Dee

2nd Annual Food Allergy Awareness Night at the Ballpark!

2009-02-25T14:32:00.004-06:00

It's here again folks- Food Allergy Awareness night at the ball park! Please join the Taylor family at the Cedar Rapids Kernels vs. Clinton Lumber Kings on :

Tuesday April 21st
Gates Open at 5:30 PM
Admission is $6.50 until 4-20-09 Price at the gate $9.00

The Taylor family will be manning the FAAN table again this year. Stop by say hi! Get some info and learn more about food allergies. And for goodness sake ENJOY THE GAME!

- No products containing peanuts/tree nuts will be served at the concession stands
- The stadium will be cleaned of any remnants of nut residue before the game
- Alternative snacks will be served in the stands during the game

To purchase tickets call the Kernels Ticket Office at 896-7560 or in person the Ticket Office hours are: 10 am to 5 pm M-F, 10 am to 2 pm Sat. The ticket office opens March 16th.

A special thank you to the entire Kernels organization for continuing to support this great event. Last year we had so many parents come up to us and say this is the only professional baseball game they have ever been able to go to as a family. Please support this worth while event so the Kernels continue to allow us this family activity every year! We are hoping for a sell out this year, help us achieve that goal!

The Taylor's

Working with the School

2009-02-05T21:51:00.007-06:00

We have had a great many people ask us about how we handle lunch at school and what precautions we put in place for Lynda to ensure her safety at school. So we thought we would post some pictures of some of the things the school (CPU is GREAT! ) has put into place to ensure Lynda's safety. They have signs posted in her classroom (Laurie made the poster with all her allergens on there as well as her safe foods) and they have outfitted her table in the lunch room with special graphics so other kids (and adults that work with Lynda) understand the rules at the lunch table. They also block off a chair on each side of her to give her a "safety zone". There is a staff member each day that is responsible for wiping down her area prior to her arrival and they check on her during the lunch time to monitor for reactions. I will tell you this works, just check out a couple posts ago. I hope this will help someone with their school. Remember Knowledge is POWER!

Sean & Laurie

Field Trip with Dad

2009-02-05T21:41:00.006-06:00

Well today was our field trip to UNI (or Northern Iowa) for a play depicting 6 short stories. My daddy decided to take the day off of work and go with me on the bus and sit with me as we watch the plays. One of them was about Giving a Pig a Pancake! It was funny. When we got there we had to climb up all these stairs -daddy told me 5 flights- and we sat way up high. (in the one picture of me you can see the stage way in the background) I was glad my daddy was there because we were up so high. Daddy road the bus with me all the way up, we sat next to each other during the performance and he road back to school with me and took me to my room so I could wait for the other kids to get their milk for lunch. We had a great time. Daddy and I looked for animals and animal tracks in the snow on the bus ride and we looked for airplanes in the sky. We got to sit next to my friend Nicole on the way back. All in all it was a fun field trip- I want my daddy to do that again some time.

When the phone rings.....

2009-02-04T18:26:00.002-06:00

Can be the most scary and unnerving feeling for a parent dealing with food allergies. That was the situation last week for Laurie and I. The morning the school called. Lynda accidentally got the wrong play doh in art class. Guess what play doh has Wheat in it! Me being 45 minutes away from the school and Laurie a good 25-30 that is the worst call to get. We are very fortunate the staff at our school is very hood and on the ball. One of the lunch room workers noticed Lynda was not looking right and breathing funny. She had rubbed the play doh into her eye and it started to react. The nurse at the school acted quickly and she was observed in the office for 2 hours. By the time I got home she did not look like she had a reaction. The point to this post is to encourage parents to work with your school. Drill and practice what happens when a reaction happens, because most reactions happy outside the home. Have someone desinated to be their champion and an expert on your child. We are so blessed to have this situation, but we started planning for it long before Lynda went to school. So tonight as she went off to "church school" I got one heck of a smile. Keep Safe

Sean

Happy New Year!

2009-01-14T19:29:00.002-06:00

Hello All,
Welcome to 2009. Callie, Matt and I had a great Christmas and a fun New Years. Our cousins from California and Western Iowa came to visit and we had a couple fun filled days of hanging out and playing until we dropped. We went ice skating and shopping. 2009 has been cold so far and there has been a bunch of snow! Callie and I have been playing in the snow a lot and pretty much getting in the way when it comes to shoveling and clearing the snow. We had no school today because we got 6+ inches of snow last night. I hope we don't get any flooding this summer. Keep warm everyone and remember as my daddy tells me "don't eat yellow snow!"

Lynda Dee

Merry Christmas!!!!!!!

2008-12-26T18:01:00.007-06:00

We had a great Christmas as a family. Lynda and Callie were ready to go bright and early. Matt was a little more ready to sleep in (17 and all). Grandma and Grandpa stayed over night and we had Lynda safe goulash and we had a turkey dinner for Christmas day. I have attached some pictures for your enjoyment.

Have a very Merry Christmas and a Safe and Happy New Years from the Taylor's. Call that family member you have not spoken with for a while and wish them Happy Holidays at least! All out allergy friends, please please be safe during this season of parties and goodies flying everywhere. Lynda, Callie & Laurie made Lynda safe sugar cookies while Laurie was off from work. Leave us a comment or e-mail us if you want the recipe. The cousins are coming from California next weekend and we can't wait! Our western Iowa cousins are coming too! Enjoy the season and God Bless.

The Taylor's

An Iowa Winter Wonderland

2008-12-16T21:24:00.004-06:00

Hello all,

I hope your holiday season is starting out great! The girls are way excited about Christmas and are part of the church pageant this year. They play towns people that come to see baby Jesus being born in the manger. Their singing has been great and they really are not sure how to take the boys who want to upstage them. They are stars don't you know :o)

We had the Taylor Family Christmas this weekend. Sadly due to scheduling Tanya and the Simmer clan were not able to come down for the celebration. Maybe next year we can meet somewhere in the middle. The girls got digital cameras from Grandpa and Grandma this year and are budding photographers and Matt got a radio for his shower and some cash. We had fun and there was food enough for everyone.

Today we are dealing with our first major snowfall of the year. We had our first snow fall a week or so ago and the girls made snow angels. I am posting pics of their play, snow angels and them with Grandma Diane. Have a very Merry Christmas- we will keep posting throughout the holiday season. We are excited to welcome family back from California the weekend after New Years and of course GO HAWKS the Outback Bowl Rocks!

Have a great day.
Sean

A Great Thanksgiving Day!

2008-11-28T15:33:00.002-06:00

We started our day off early. Daddy got up at 6am and made breakfast. We had sausages, hash browns and I had my pancakes. The rest of the family had eggs and muffins that grandma and grandpa brought. After we had a great breakfast, daddy and mommy got ready so we could goto grandpa John's house for Thanksgiving dinner. We went and our uncle Jason was there, our cousin Jake and Gracie. And of course grandma Diane. We ate, grandpa make special turkey so I could eat it and special corn, my daddy brought my mashed potatoes too. We had fun, watched football and played. Callie and I did not want to go home, we had so much fun playing the piano and hanging out with our cousins. I have included our Thanksgiving picture with Matt. Hope you all had a joyous Thanksgiving.

Lynda Dee

Thanksgiving- Time to give back- will you help me!

2008-11-24T22:19:00.005-06:00

Hello all,

At the Taylor household we have a lot to be thankful for this year. Barring a total disaster Lynda will not have been in the hospital for an extended stay in over a year (knock on wood) and is generally doing better. We still have our daily challenges but we count our blessings. A friend of mine at the VA hospital in Iowa City sent me this info. I think it would be fitting this time of year to support our troops, because without them we do not have the freedom we enjoy. So I have a challenge for all my friends and supporters out there. Please send a holiday card and a kind word to a recovering solider so they know they are appreciated for their sacrifice. Here is where you send it:

A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20307-5001

Just add one card to your holiday cards this year. Think about how you can impact a solider with very little effort. We are sending 3 for starters.

Thank you for your consideration and God Bless America!

The Taylors

Lynda Turns 6!!

2008-11-16T12:14:00.003-06:00

Yesterday we had a 6th birthday party for on Lynda Dee! Wow it has been a long 6 years and flown by all at the same time. Lynda got the modern day Baby Alive that now "Pees and Poops", joy at the Taylor house. We got a great surprise with our friend Jack coming over. Lynda's cousins, grandparents and god parents all were in attendance. The pictures are of Callie with her cousin Anna and Lynda opening her Baby Alive. This morning we were blessed with our first dirty diaper, boy was that a celebration by the young women in the house. Lynda also lost her second top front tooth, so for Christmas she not only wants her two front teeth, but her 3 front teeth. Laurie goes in for knee surgery tomorrow we are hoping she will be in and out tomorrow. Hope all is going well for you today! God Bless

The Taylor's

Halloween Pictures

2008-11-16T12:05:00.003-06:00

Hi all,

I know this is a bit late, but I am now posting pics of the girls in their Halloween outfits. Now here is the ironic thing, Laurie got these costumes at goodwill at a great deal for two reason, first they are Disney and good quality costumes and second it is always really really cold. So what was reality this year... you guessed it 71 degrees and sunny so the girls were down to shorts and t-shirts underneath to survive going up and down the street. Enjoy the pictures. This year we determined we could expand Lynda's candy offering to Skittles, Swedish Fish, Dots and Smartees. So fun was had by all. Callie expanded her candy offering to everything else Lynda could not eat. :o)

Sean

Preparing for Halloween

2008-10-30T20:59:00.002-05:00

Well yesterday Callie got to goto the pumpkin patch with her pre-school class. Tomorrow Lynda gets to go. So hopefully more pictures tomorrow. We are really excited about trick or treating as well. Here is a pic of Callie's visit to the pumpkin patch.

Have a safe Halloween!

Lynda Dee-

Knock on Wood

2008-10-21T07:05:00.002-05:00

Lynda's skin has been doing great for about 2 weeks now. Her asthma did kick up but that seems to be calming down now too. Her daycare provider noticed that she could have Trix cereal. I double checked the box and she was right. I never even looked at a box of Trix cereal. I just assumed that it was made from wheat and stayed away from it. So this morning Lynda had her first bowl of Trix cereal. Her first comment to me was "mom this smells like my Glee Gum". Next week both Lynda and Callie will be going on a field trip to a pumpkin patch with the school.

Take care and God bless.

Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-20T22:20:00.006-05:00

Well we made our annual trek to the Pumpkin Patch so that Matt, Callie and I could pick up our pumpkins! Callie and I both posed on the little IH tractor they had there. Dad thought the pictures were really cute. We took our time picking out pumpkins and talked with the animals. There were horses and donkeys, chickens, and cows that were eating pumpkins that were smashed in the yard. The weekend prior we went to Pumpkin Fest in Anamosa, IA and Matt climbed up a rock wall. He was way up there. We had fun both weekends. So much fun daddy forgot to post my messages. It is getting really pretty here in Iowa now, we have the leaves changing. We will try to get a nice picture of the color of the fall in Iowa. School is still fun and we have gone to a couple Stormin Pointer games. They have not won yet when we watched, but we had fun anyway. It was home coming and there was girls riding in corvettes. All I have for now. Have a great week.

Lynda Dee

Great Weekend...

2008-09-28T20:24:00.002-05:00

Well I have to tell you I did something I have never done before on Sat. night. I went to a barn dance with Callie, mommy & daddy (Matt was working). Some folks from our church hosted a barn dance, they had horses, a real live band, people wore cowboy (and cowgirl) hats and there was tons of people there. We feed the horses apples from their tree and they ate them up in one bite and the juice came out of their mouths. Callie and I kept laughing. Our buddy Ben was there from next door and so Callie and I took turns dancing with him. We all three did the Cotton Eyed Joe song together. I also danced with daddy and so did Callie. It got a bit late so we had to go after that. The today we went to our cousin Anna's house for her 2nd birthday. What a blast, we went and watched her open presents and then we went with Anna's grandpa Kenton to the park. If you every get the chance, they have a very nice park in Coggon Iowa! I would highly recommend it and I believe that Callie would too. It is cooling down and so are my allergies, I don't seem to be reacting as bad, but my face is still red. We put up holloween decorations today since I kind of look like a Jack-O-Lantern with my 2 missing teeth anyway. We keep meeting families everyday that have challenges with food allergies too! My words to them is keep up the good fight and as my daddy always says "Knowledge is POWER!"

Have a great week everyone and God Bless!

Another Tooth is history.....

2008-09-22T20:47:00.002-05:00

Lynda lost another tooth this morning. This time from up top and on the opposite side of her mouth. Mom says she looks like a Jack-O-Lantern! Seems appropriate for the season I guess. We will have to see if the tooth fairy comes to visit tonight.

Have a great Monday all!

The Taylor's

Trip to the Apple Orchard in Vinton

2008-09-20T19:40:00.002-05:00

Callie went to the apple orchard in Vinton on Thursday for a class trip. Lynda remembered having so much fun that we decided to get up this morning and go pick some fresh apples. We had a blast and got some apple cider to bring home. I think most of it is gone already. Lynda and Callie also picked their own favorite apples and bought some dehydrated apples to munch on the way home. I think dad and mom ate most of them. Sounds like they will have some pears ready to pick in Nov so we will be heading back. We also are almost ready to pick the apples off our own tree in the back yard, can't wait for some apple crisp!

Have a great day!

The Taylor's

Video from Food Allergy Awareness Night

2008-09-20T08:18:00.003-05:00

Hi all,

I have had a couple requests to share the video I made for the food allergy awareness night. Well here it is, I hope you enjoy! Lynda is doing great. Thanks for all the e-mails and keeping up with the Taylor's.

Sean

Lynda Lost a Tooth

2008-09-13T22:27:00.003-05:00

Well things have been going pretty well with the climate change. We have been trying really hard to keep ahead of the skin thing. School is going well for both the girls and Matt is keeping busy with school and work. This weekend mommy was on a retreat for the girls at church and Lynda lost a tooth! The tooth fairy gave her a dollar at grandma and grandpa's house last night. Hope all is well with everyone, remember your safe food rules as you tail gate and have football parties during the season. Also get ready for Trick or Treat for a cure! We will be asking for your support very soon.

Have a great weekend!

Lynda Dee & Family

Labor day weekend

2008-09-02T23:00:00.002-05:00

Well we had a rough weekend. Lynda is going through her semi annual break out session. We are not sure what makes her break out in April and late Aug/Sept. but she is really itchy right now. They love being outside right now due to the weather being nice but we need to watch her close so we don't end up in the hospital. Callie is enjoying pre-school and Lynda seems to like Kindergarten so far. Matt has been keeping busy with work at Mc Donald's and being a senior. Keep safe and keep cool as we transition into fall (and football!!).

The Taylor's

Lynda's First Day of Kindergarten

2008-08-22T18:59:00.002-05:00

Well Mom and I survived Lynda's first day of Kindergarten. This morning was a challenge remembering every little think like say..... LUNCH for her. Yikes. Our new routine makes the mornings a little more hectic with the additional chores what not. Lynda had a great day, she even got to play with her friend Nicole at recess. Next week Callie starts pre-school and Matt has made it though his first week of his senior year. WOW time is flying by. Laurie went and had lunch with Lynda today to check out the new peanut free table there and Lynda did not want her to leave. More to come as we start this new adventure.

Sean

Grand SLAM at the ballpark!

2008-07-30T05:34:00.005-05:00

It was amazing to see the other families affected by food allergies here in Eastern Iowa come out to the ball game last night. I want to say thank you to the Kernel's for pulling this event together! Jessica and I were in close contact all night and niether of us heard of anyone having an reaction while at the game. I also want to say thank you to FAAN for providing pencils, bracelets and documentation to had out to everyone who attended!

Three things that I learned last night were
1. That we really need a FAAN support group chapter here in Iowa.
2. That there is a product called Sun Butter at Wal-Mart for only $3.00. It is a peanut butter substitute. It is made out of sunflower seeds. I will be stopping at Wal-Mart sometime today to read the ingredients to see if this Sun Butter is safe for Lynda to eat.
3.There is one school who is not working with the family as a team to keep their daughter safe.

Lynda had a great time. She wore gloves during the game to protect her from her other allergens. I have already checked out her skin this morning and there does not appear to be any signs of a delayed reaction. Thank you God!

Many people hope that the Kernel's will do this event again next year. We sure hope they do too. I suggested to Jessica to make the Food Allergy Awareness Day the first game of the season. That way the stadium will be still be clean from last game played and from all of the winter snow and spring rains.

Drop Jesssica Fergesen a letter or an e-mail letting her know that you want to see another Food Allergy Awareness Day at the ballpark.

Here is Jessica's contact information:
Community Relations Director
Cedar Rapids Kernels
950 Rockford Rd. SW
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
jfergesen@kernels.com

Thank you to all the families that stopped by to share their stories about their children, friends and co-workers and the challenges. So many said this was the first opportunity for their families to go to a ballgame together. So often we hear that many parents say they feel like they are on an island when dealing with this affliction. Well last night gave us an opportunity to be on the same island for a while!

Have a great (and safe) day. Knowledge is power, so help is keep people informed about food allergies.

The Taylor's

PS Yes the Kernel's did WIN last night :)

Two Great Articles

2008-07-28T20:28:00.003-05:00

Hello all ! I hope you are making plans to head out to the Kernels game in Cedar Rapids tomorrow night. Minor League and Major League teams a like are join in this great event to educate and allow children that do not normally get to enjoy our national past time see a professional baseball game! There was a great article today in our local paper (Thanks Cindy) and one recently in Newsweek regarding food allergies. See both articles here:

Cedar Rapids Kernels Article

Newsweek Article

Come enjoy tomorrow nights game! Hopefully we can sell the place out! Let's enjoy a nut free experience at the ball park! See you all there!

The Taylor's

....and the Rockets Red Glare!

2008-07-08T11:48:00.001-05:00

I hope you all had a great 4th! We were able to get up early on Friday morning and head to Independence Iowa for their parade (with a name like that how can it not be totally awesome!). We had a blast, the parade was over an hour long and they had fire trucks, squirt gun fights, water balloons and cool stuff to have. Callie got a lot of candy, I got a Pioneer hat, UNI t-shirt and a 4H t-shirt. Callie & I got necklaces too! Then we went to the riverside park and had lunch. Matt had a pulled pork sandwich with hot bbq sauce and Callie and I went to the kids fun zone. We did not stay too long cause Matt had to get back to work. All in all really fun time. Then that night we went to grandma & grandpa meyer's house. They live really close to where the fire works are shot off and we got to fall asleep in our bed there, got woke up for the fire works (which were awesome) and then crash back again. We also spent time in the afternoon swimming in their pool where they live. Callie and I both jumped off the side into daddy and mommy's arms. We also both went under the water. I can't wait to go back. Mom was sick most of the weekend with the flood flu so we got to spend a bunch of time with Dad! Hope all is well. God bless and pray for all the kids with food allergies.

Lynda Dee

PS don't forget allergy night at the ball park for the CR Kernels July 29th!

Skin Infection

2008-06-26T07:53:00.002-05:00

We been busy taking Lynda to the doctor since Thursday of last week. She has a skin infection. The first antibiotic she was put on is resistant to the infection, so we are on another antibiotic. Sean is taking her back to the doctor today because this new antibiotic does not seem to be helping either.

Lynda is at grandma's house today. Callie went along so they could play with each other. They took their new squirt guns. Look out grandma you are going to get wet.

Things are starting to Dry Out

2008-06-22T18:01:00.003-05:00

Hello all, sorry for the long absence- here is the update from Iowa. We have had intermitent access the the internet due to a host of reasons. Our house faired very well compared to what you all have seen on the national news. A bit of water in the basement, but nothing hard to handle (did not even cover 1/4th of our basement). Lynda has had some struggles as you might guys will all the toxins and whatnot in the air. Her skin is very red and she has been fighting off an infection for the better part of a week. Laurie & I have gone into over protection mode with her since her peds unit is still closed due to the flooding. Dad lost both his boats and we are very saddened by this, it was a great escape for him and we enjoyed watching fireworks from down on the river. We drove down trying to find a friends house in the area near where the boats were docked and it was horrific. We could not even bring ourselves to take pictures it was so bad. If you can and have the means, please do donate to the red cross. If you would like to give to our local red cross chapter for flood relief, please click here!

As a family we count our blessings. All our family members are safe, all our homes made it and god blessed us all for being Iowans!

Have a great day.

Sean

Do we need to build an Arc?

2008-06-12T20:50:00.003-05:00

It has been a historic event as they have been saying on the national news. In 1993 we had 19.5 feet, in 1923 the all time high of 20.5 and we are currently at 29.8 and we have not crested yet. They are shooting out estimates of 33-37 feet! Many businesses in downtown CR are wet up over the top door frame, the picture of the City Hall for CR is normally on an Island and the water is 20-30 feet below, not it is trying to go through the front door. Crest for us is supposed to happen tomorrow sometime maybe Sat. On top of that we get storm after storm. Levy breaches, people are being mandatory evacuated and in some cases have to get their entire lives in 1/2 and hour. There are approx 6000 households no including businesses that are totaled by the flood and that is just in CR.
There are a couple towns that are 100% evacuated- Palo, IA & Vinton IA just to name a couple. God bless all the folks that have been devastated. Dad's boat is hanging on to it's dock by a thread, but we just go word on the news that the first house boat at his marina has broken loose and is heading down the river. They have also lost a bridge loaded with rail cars earlier today and the only road north and south that is still open is I-380 and it has been open and closed several times today. We have a mandatory curfew 9PM to 5AM and they have instituted marshal law. The National Guard and local authorities are patrolling. So far we have been able to keep the water in our basement at bay by digging trenches around our house. Pray for no more rain.

Have a great day.
Sean

Rain rain go away!

2008-06-08T23:32:00.003-05:00

Well here we go again, more rain. I can't go outside and run and play. My skin is doing pretty good, but it is a bit bumpy. I did not have to do wet wraps tonight :) Yesterday we got to go over to grandpa John's to swim and celebrate our cousin Landon's 2nd Birthday. It was great everyone else had ice cream and cake and I had a snow cone my mommy made me. We got just a ton of rain today something like 8 inches in an hour. The whole back yard was flooded and dad said this was worse that 93 whatever that means. We drove downtown Center Point and saw some trees down and also a street closed because a creek had taken over it. The tornado sirens went off (Callie and I don't like those at all) and we had to go down in the basement for awhile. Matt was working at McDonald's and had to go into the bathroom until they had the all clear. I guess there was a small tornado about 10 miles north of us. Everyone was ok here!

Hope you all had a blessed weekend-
That's it for now!
Lynda Dee!

I spoke to soon

2008-06-02T11:05:00.002-05:00

Lynda woke up Sunday morning with her face red and swollen again :(
Back to wet wrapping.

Gage is in the newspaper!

2008-05-30T07:51:00.005-05:00

Lynda is doing much better. She was able to go to school with out wet wraps on Thursday.

Now our friend Gage is in the Ottumwa Courier newspaper select this link to see the story:
Click Here

Courtney said in our weekly e-mails that people are now contacting her to help with a fundraiser to get Gage to National Jewish. This is very exciting news!

God is wonderful!

The Taylor Family

Merry Christmas 2011

WOW has it really been since April?????

Where have we been?

May 8th- 14th is Food Allergy Awareness Week!

Thanks KCRG for helping awarenes with Children in the area with Food Allergies

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

504 Plan in your school for your allergic child

How to Create a 504 Plan for a Child With Food Allergies

Instructions

Tips & Warnings

We are making progress at the national level!

8 years ago this week!

Halloween Safety

Schools and Food Allergies

This Article highlights the importance of communication with your School when dealing with food allergies

It is sad that this is becoming so prevelant we have seen 2 different articles in a week

Bullying and Food Allergies

Kids Living with Food Allergies

Eczema Flare

An Interesting Article from CNN regarding the rise of Food Allergies

Are you ready for the new school year?

A sad note to report....Keep you inhaler close at all times

Dissapointing News regarding Airline Travel & Peanuts

DOT backs off on proposed peanut ban on planes

The Financial Toll on Families with Food Allergies

Huge Increase in MRSA with hospitalized Children!

Food Allergies: What's the Reality?

Food Allergies in the News- Story today on GMA

Stormy Weather.....

Opening Night at the Kernels

Lynda has out grown her allergies to dogs!

Springtime brings Asthma

Interesting Article- check it out

Food Allergies and Vaccinations- Be careful

January Rain!

We got to Come Home

All good things must come to an end......

Welcome to 2010!

Merry Christmas

Matt is coming home from the ARMY

Spaghetti for those who can not have egg or wheat noodles

MN Food Allergy Group Trying to effect change at resturants

The great Christmas Tree Experiment

Thanksgiving

Halloween Safety- Candy Warning

Learning is Fun

It's cold and rainy- that means Asthma kicks up

Trick or Treat for Food Allergies- 7th annual campaign

Breathing Treatments!!!!

Puffy Eyes

Too hot

Emergency Room

Unfiltered Raw Honey

Skin Infection

The First Day of School- 2009!

Eczema flare and possible skin infection

Callie's Birthday Party!

The Blank Park Zoo

We heard from Matt

Happy 4th of July America

Summer Season of Parades Begins

Summer is just a little sweeter this year....

Angel Food Ministries

Graduation Weekend

Gage's Benefit is finally Scheduled! Horay!

Allergic Reaction Day Three

Allergic Reaction day two

Allergic Reaction to something....

2nd Annual Allergy Free Game in CR

Gage's Video-

Easter is coming- scary time for food allergies

Spring Is Here and Lynda's eczema flares

Another Hospital Visit.....

Two weekends of Parties!

2nd Annual Food Allergy Awareness Night at the Ballpark!

Working with the School

Field Trip with Dad

When the phone rings.....

Happy New Year!