Updates

It has been a very, very long week at our house and I haven't really spent very much time online. So I am sorry about the lack of posting, somethings I was asked not to post about yet (but will), others I just haven't gotten around to yet.

My lump was a lymph node. I don't know why I have a swollen, hard lymph node that has been that way for over a year but that is what it is.

The Dentist office from hell (Here and Here and Here) has responded to my complaint from the BBB with a letter "I will write off the $250 since that is what you requested. Have a Happy Thanksgiving and a Merry Christmas."

No apology or anything although I didn't really expect one since I know they don't think they have done anything wrong.

I suppose there may also be some legal reason. Like if they had said "I am sorry that we treated your family so badly" then I would have some form of proof if I decided to sue. Whatever. At least it is over.

I went to a new doctor on Thursday, I was feeling ok but I am tired of these headaches and tired of being sick and my current/previous doc didn't want to take the time to figure out what was wrong. So I am going to this new doctor and I tell her that I really think I need to go back on the gluten-free diet - although I didn't really do "gluten-free" more like "low-gluten". Also because of Junior's milk difficulties, might as well make it gluten-free, dairy-free.

I did the low-gluten thing for about 6 months, from last Thanksgiving until June. I felt much better at first but then closer towards June, I wasn't feeling as well and then went on the large family vaca where gluten-free was nearly impossible. While we were gone I didn't have a headache (I also drank like a fish which I normally don't do). So I decided that since I didn't have a headache while I was gone and ate whatever I wanted, it couldn't be the gluten.

But the headaches are back and I have been sick almost constantly since June. If I have to bee of gluten to be healthy then I guess that is what I need to do. I am hoping that I won't become one of those people that get very sick if they accidently ingest a tiny bit of gluten, but maybe it will help me stay gluten free.

Anyway, the Doc agreed with me, and then added some more things to avoid if I want to get rid of the headaches/migraines.

• Cheeses (but I am doing dairy free so that is included)
• red wine, beer (well, beer has gluten so that makes sense; red wine has tannins)
• red dyes
• red wine vinegar (since it is made from red wine that makes sense)
• some fermented food (like soy sauce, but most soy sauce is made with wheat anyway)
• MSG
• caffeine (this one is a problem)
• artificial sweeteners (as a family, we avoid the artificial sweeteners. It has caused me problems before but that is another post)
• chocolate (ack- food of life! I don't know if I can do this)
• "Natural Flavors" - ok this one was always concerning to me anyway. What are the natural flavors they are so afraid of telling us what it is?
• Plus the wheat, rye and barley that contain gluten

Almost as bad, I have to keep a food diary. So if I cheat, I either have to write it down or lie.

And all this right before Thanksgiving. blech.

On the other hand, just to reinforce all this, I had one of my worst migraines in years (like over 10) on Saturday. I spent all day in bed until Hubby got home and could take me to the urgent care center.

It might have been viral or bacterial because poor Junior had one too. His head hurt so bad that he cried and then took a 2 hour nap with an ice pack. He couldn't watch tv because the light and sound bothered him. Luckily the ibuprophen and ice pack worked for him.

As for me, I had to do things the hard way. I took an Imitrex at 6 am but the headache only mildly eased off at 10 am (but hurt to bad to get up and take more medicine). At 2 I took some cafergot when I got Junior an ice pack (and me another) and made us both some tea (for the caffeine I am not supposed to have). At 4:30 Hubby got home and took us to the dr - Junior felt mostly better but I was still praying for death.

The Doctor suggested a shot of Imitrex and compazine - I thought she meant 1 shot but I didn't really care too much. It was 2. I have mentioned before that I don't like needles - that is only when I don't have a headache. When I do have a headache, I am all for being a pin cushion if it gets rid of the pain. Which this time I nearly was.

15 minutes later, my head still hadn't improved so she mentioned that I could get Toradol intravenously. I thought about the eww/ouch factor of the IV push and decided to get rid of the headache.

So the nurse looks at my veins and goes for one in my hand. It doesn't work. She tries again in the hand. It doesn't work. Tries near the elbow and it doesn't work. And this doesn't count all the times she thought she was going to try one and then decided that it wouldn't work there. I nearly had a bath in rubbing alcohol.

So she calls someone else in, he says "I am going to get this on the first try." He was wrong. He got it on the second try. In the process though he bumped against sosmething (tendon or nerve) and it was like an electical jolt went from my elbow to my thumb. It was very weird.

The toradol, while not making me loopy, did get rid of the headache. Finally. All of a sudden my stomach reminded me that I hadn't eaten all day.

And after watching that, Junior will never again get another migraine.

Actually the kids found it all very informative:
"Why to you thump the shot like that?"
"What is that red stuff?"
"Why did you put blood in the shot?" - since I can't watch, I didn't know that happened but apparently they draw back on the plunger to be sure it is in the right spot.

And now, gluten-free seems to be the lesser of two evils.

And if you read this whole thing, you deserve an award.