Allergic Reactions

Last Friday:

A part of our baseboard was broken and we have been having broken paint chips as a result. To make the story short, Baby Z got hold of one chunk of broken wall and chewed it. The girls were supposed to watch him, but had run to the kitchen because they didn't do what they were supposed to do before then. Result: they received severe scolding from my, and resulted in them having to clean the whole house while the rest of us napped. I called the pediatrician and the Poison center, since I was concerned about the ingestion of lead, but inshaallah all is fine.

Last Saturday:

S gave Baby Z some soy-free, wheat-free, dairy-free cookies we had bought for him. He ate two. He had an allergic reaction which includes coughing, wheezing, and a flare up of hives. Suffice it to day, I was scared, especially with the wheezing. The on call pediatrician left us a message (he called while we were making salat Asr) and said,

"If the allergic reaction involves breathing difficulty, please call the squad and have them evaluate, but if it's only a rash, bring the child to the nearest urgent care."

Hubby gave Baby Z a bath, I nursed him, he fell asleep, the wheezing subsided, the hives remained, but at least while he was sleeping, he wasn't making it worse by scratching. After he woke up, his hives were gone and his wheezing had stopped, ALHAMDULILLAH! No squad and no urgent care.

Sunday:

S played with a stray kitten around Buckeye Village. We had company at the time, and when I went upstairs, S was making wudhu' for Maghrib in the bathroom. When she turned to face me, her face was horribly covered in hives, especially around the eyes. It was a while before they went down completely. I hope she's not allergic to horses too.

We had a weekend of allergic reactions...subhanallah. I have never dealt with allergic reactions before. We have none in my side of the family. Let's just say it was pretty scary, though maybe N's febrile seizure was scarier.

Tennis With Baby Z

We resumed our tennis Sundays April 20, 2008, last weekend, when Baby Z turned 1, alhamdulillah. I had fretted about how to resume playing tennis with Baby Z, but when we talked about it, S offered,

"I can take care of him."

Well, problem solved. So, last Sunday, we headed for the tennis courts at Whetstone Park. We usually go after Fajr, while it's still cool and slightly dark, but last week, I wasn't sure if Baby Z wanted to have his nap first or not, so headed out a little late, around 10 a.m. Since he didn't take his morning nap yet, while we were playing tennis, hubby and I on on court, and the kids on the other court, Baby Z sat quietly in his stroller, watching us, yawning every now and then.

"He's serious. I've never seen such a serious baby!"

Rh had mentioned that Baby Z is pretty serious-looking. Ever since he was young, I was the only one who can make him laugh, and whatever it is that tickles him will no longer seem funny enough to trigger that infectious baby laughter after a while. So you will have to find new things to make him laugh. He seems to enjoy being outside, taking in everything in silence and great contemplation, I suppose.

As for me, it was my first ever 'real' exercise for a year and several months. Yet, I believe I did pretty good for someone who hasn't played tennis for quite sometime. Of course, both hubby and I are not tennis players, we merely 'learned' how to play tennis by trial and error.

There was a time when hubby told me to 'play with the wall' before playing with him because he didn't want to be continuously picking up balls when we play tennis. So I did. When I could, that one summer, I drove myself to the part of campus that has the walls and practiced for about an hour or so, usually after Fajr, when no one was there.

And now, we are able to play without having to stop to pick up the balls that much. Good enough for me. I just wanted the exercise.

Suffice it to say though, I was sore for two days straight after that Sunday, but alhamdulillah, inshaallah this is the beginning of my workout regimen, which has been postponed for too long now.

That Sunday though, the kids received a 'surprise' which I had told them of the day before. The waited in heightened anticipation for their 'surprise' consisting of 'furry, cute, and small'.

"Yay! We're getting a pet!" they exclaimed.

"Don't get your hopes up too high," I warned them.

At about 12:30 p.m. that Sunday, they got their surprise; a visit to Sgl's house to play with her two kittens, named Hamzah and Aishah. Around 2 p.m. I picked them up and we headed to Sh' house to see Baby B; the other part of their surprise, but apparently, they were more enamored with the kittens than the baby. They begged to go to Sgl's house again.

I had noticed S's forehead and face having small raised bumps, but it was only later that I learned that those were reactions to the kittens. Oh ho! So apparently, S is somewhat allergic to the cats. Interesting...

This Sunday, tomorrow, we're probably going to play tennis again, but at the tennis courts near our neighborhood, and then maybe attend the Pursuit of Excellence on campus.

My First Gluten Free Cake

I dread going grocery shopping now, because, due to Baby Z's allergies, I have to stay away from anything that has wheat, soy, egg whites, peanuts, dairy, citrus, peas, beans, seafood, and chocolate. The citrus, beans, peas, seafood, and chocolate are just precautions on my side, as advised by a friend whose daughter also has multiple allergies. At least until his immune system matures, it is wise for me to stay away from these food, so he can outgrow the allergies sooner biiznillah.

I realized that I'm fine at home, but it's when we go grocery shopping that it hits me. I can't eat ice cream. I can't have chocolate. I can't have cookies. I can't have cakes. Snacks are limited for me. The chips are my only snacks, and fruits of course. I had lost weight after I started on this elimination diet, and in a way, it's a healthy way of living, because I no longer eat junk food. However, I do crave ice cream and chocolate once in a while, especially when three tubs of Breyers Ice Cream are sitting in the freezer!

So yesterday, we went to Wild Oats as usual, after the kids went swimming. H had a soccer game at 9:30 a.m., and then we went home to get them in their swimming attires, and headed for RPAC. On the way back, we stopped by Wild Oats, and as usual, I was on the lookout for any gluten-free products, and lo and behold, I stumbled upon this baking mix that is gluten, dairy, soy, nuts, casein, and potato free. Better yet, it even was produced in a facility that contains NO wheat,soy, milk, nuts and potato products. I am always irked by disclaimers stating,

"This product was produced in a facility that processes wheat, nuts, soy and eggs,"

on products that are gluten free, or soy free. I had once bought an ice cream that contained nothing Baby Z was allergic to except soy, and he broke out in hives and had a flare up of eczema all over his body. Today, S helped me make the Carrot Cake from this Namaste baking mix, and so far, Baby Z is tolerating it. As for moi,I get to finally eat cake! Alhamdulillah!