All Things Buns Related

Lately at our house it seems like I have been consumed with all things buns related. For months now Bree has had a diaper rash that won't quit. I have used everything under the sun to try to get rid of it but nothing seems to work. She was even diagnosed as having a yeast infection but the medicine for that did little, if anything, to heal her poor bum. It gets so bad at times that it is just raw and itchy. It seems like maybe her poop is toxic and eating away at her skin. So we went gluten free for 3 days, dairy free for 3 days, and juice free for 3 days. The only thing that made a difference was the juice, which was making her stool runny. It didn't seem to remove the toxicity though. So my dietician Aunt suggested getting rid of formula all together because of the added probiotics that could be causing her digestive problems. We have been on straight milk for a couple days now but I am seeing no improvements. Now before you get riled up, she hasn't had a raw bum for months, it seems to be under control for awhile and then flares up again. I guess we will keep trying different scenarios till we find some answers.

Darcy has not taken to potty training like I hoped she would. She is content to pee her pants and then tell us about it afterwards. She still hasn't done #2 in the toilet, just her pants. Have I mentioned I loathe potty training? I finally broke down and bought a Lightning McQueen activity bike thingy that is sitting on our kitchen cupboard, right where she can see it, as a bribe to hopefully get this business moving. She doesn't care. She thinks it looks like fun but isn't working towards really getting it. This is really trying my patience!

My sweet Mason, around Christmas time I think, started using the bathroom CONSTANTLY. And by constantly I mean sometimes 10 times in an hour. I thought at first it was a phase but he has been doing this for weeks now. I was talking to a couple people in the know at Bree's birthday party and they said the first sign of Type 1 Diabetes is constantly going to the bathroom. I knew this, though I chose to not even consider the possibility till this last weekend. And then it was all consuming and I barely got through Bree's party, waiting till I could get Mason to a doctor. As we were waiting for the reader to process his blood sugar number by stomach was in my throat. I have seen the struggles, and also the normalcy that has come into my niece's, and her family's, life since she was diagnosed with diabetes 3 days after Mason was born. I was sure I couldn't be that strong, and I knew with Mason's fear of needles and love of sweet stuff he couldn't handle this disease. Thankfully his number was in the normal range. I wanted to cry right then! Luckily he didn't have an infection either so right now we don't know what is causing this. Today he went in to have blood drawn and I made Paul take him. I knew that once they had the needle out Mason would freak and I wouldn't be able to hold him down. Paul said he had him in a bear hug, another person held his legs, and another held his arms as they drew the blood. Just thinking about it makes me cry. My poor baby. I have been so blessed that I haven't had to watch one of my children suffer with a life-altering illness. I have much respect for those kids, and parents, who have to deal with it every day. Hopefully we can get some answers for Mason's problem and we can get it taken care of. Thanks for everyone's good thoughts and prayers for him!

Now my health update isn't necessarily buns related, though they do get itchy sometimes! I went to an endocrinologist before Thanksgiving and she seems to fianlly have me on the right dosage of medication for my hypothyroidism. She also told me that 2/3 of those with hypothyroidism suffer from hives like I do. They aren't related in the sense that if my thyroid is under control the itchies will be too. But they are autoimmune diseases that seem to go hand in hand. So for the rest of my life I can look forward to bouts of hives and intense itching for no reason what-so-ever. I just get to treat it as it shows up. But at least all of this is treatable and at the moment I am itch free and not even a bit light headed so I will be thankful for the temporary respite!