Merry Christmas

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!!!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

The First Day of School- 2009!

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

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!

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

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.