WIC and milk allergy don't go together

We had our WIC appointment yesterday and after a total of 2 hours, we finally made it out. The appointment itself didn't take long, it's just the normal government agency slowness at work. No one is ever in a hurry. I am also glad that hubby was able to come. Had I been alone with the 3 kids, I would have brought our side-by-side stroller to contain the twins, and that my friends, wouldn't have been able to fit in the tiny waiting room filled with chairs. The paper work was also not as bad as it could have been. Since the kids have been approved for Medicaid, WIC didn't have to verify income.

Once we were called in and the girls saw the scale, they started screaming. These two are scarred for life from their RSV shot days. And the screaming just got worse after their fingers were pricked to check blood levels for anemia. After all that was done, we were ushered to the next room by the so called nutritionist. She explained that the boy is big for his age and asked what he ate. I told her he actually doesn't eat that much. He only eats cheese, PBJ, fruits, chicken and dairy products. Then she said that WIC will cover milk, eggs, cheese, cereal, beans. At this point, I told her the girls have milk allergy, to which she replied, "well, as an alternative we have lactose free milk and powdered milk." I had to stop my gut reaction of slapping my forehead, rolling my eyes, and pulling my hair out. But instead, I said, "they can't have those because they still contain milk proteins" and they need to be on soy. She said they don't cover soy unfortunately, so I just let it be.

We were given WIC checks to cover two months for the three kids. The checks of course cover milk for each of the girls. Since they can't consume milk and milk products, we'll have plenty of milk for hubby, me and Curious George. We won't need to worry about who will eat the cheese since Curious George can consume his weight in cheese. The WIC checks also include 1 lb bag of dried beans. I have never used dried beans and don't really know what to do with that. I will either not buy them, or buy them and probably donate them to our church or hold on to them until I can figure out how to cook them.

I got to use one of the checks today, which covered a total of $20 worth: 2 gallons of milk, 1 lb of cheese, 36 oz of dry cereal, 2 cans of frozen juice (this one is new for us too). I just used one of the kids' check since each check include milk. My husband and I and the little man can't possibly consume that much milk in a week.

Anyway, we are completely thankful for this aid. Twenty dollars worth of staples that we don't have to worry about is a lot of help. I just wish they cover soy milk. If WIC lowers the amount of milk gallons approved for the twins to cover soy milk (soy milk is more expensive), we'll be happy. But they don't make concessions for special cases, sadly.

The information packet we received says WIC covers peanut butter, but none of the kids' WIC checks include peanut butter. Perhaps this because my kids are too healthy? Hmmm. Also, I doubt the so-called nutritionist is a nutritionist at all. Why else would she offer other milk-containing substitutes after I said my kids have milk allergy? Ladies and gents, there is a big difference between milk allergy and milk intolerance. The latter gives people diahhrea and doesn't cause people to carry epinephrine pens. Consuming anything with milk and milk derivatives causes my twins hives around their mouths within minutes of consuming them and causes them to sneeze, watery eyes and raspiness.

I have to thank a fella mama of twins at diagnosis:urine for sharing her WIC experience with me. Based on my online research of WIC, I didn't think we'd qualify, but this kind woman shared what she knew and so I went for it.

it's all about being brave

Curious George was submitted to an allergy test and did extremely well. His Daddy and I are tired of seeing him itch like crazy night after night and making himself bleed because of his eczema. Since his sisters were diagnosed with food allergy, we thought he may have the same. But as it turns out, he doesn't have any food allergy, but he does have allergy to mold. The doctor was surprised that he didn't have any other positive reaction to the environmental allergens, since his nasal smear showed towns of allergy cells. But instead of subjecting Curious George to a more traumatic skin testing, the doctor opted to see him when his allergy is at it's peak in the spring. He was prescribed Nasonex, Singulair for asthma, and a steroid cream for his eczema.

I tried my best to prepare Curious George for this unpleasant experience and it seemed to work. Though he didn't like it, he didn't cry at all.

But I'm sure this red Power Ranger helped a whole lot to distract him.

On a sad note, Daddy found out today that his last day of employment is this Friday. The company is shutting down. It's an unpleasant reality, but one that we can't afford to let defeat us. We have 3 kids to look after. So with a plan to empty the house of clutter and unnecessary furniture, we will get it ready in 30 days to put in the market, and then move in with the in-laws. They are gracious enough, as always, to help us out. These coming weeks and months will be tough on us, but we have to keep moving because life goes on. As long as we're all together, we can survive.

Hiya, horsey!

This is Thing 2 really enjoying the horsey while I'm on the phone with Daddy. Notice Thing 1 saying "TV!" in the background. She's looking at the camera display as I was taping Thing 2.

This is what happens to Thing 1's face within 2 minutes when she gets to licking her brother's empty yogurt cup. There are little welts within the red spots, but it's not obvious on the picture. Curious George is usually pretty good about putting his milk stuff away from his sisters. He knows that it makes them sick.

On the subject of stomach bugs: It was Daddy's and Thing 1's turn at vomiting last night. We are being careful not to give it to Curious George, if it's even possible. He and I are going to see Dora The Explorer live on Saturday so he can't be sick!

the nebulizers are out, it must be winter!

I took the twins to the Pediatric Allergist today for their 3 month follow up after they had their allergy test done. It just so happened that the girls are sick too. Thing 1 has been coughing nonstop at night, keeping her up and Thing 2 is not far behind her. It's funny to see grown people say, "Aww, twins. How cute!" and then 2 seconds later, they inch away when they hear them cough their lungs out.

The doctor has ordered them back on Albuterol, Palmicort, and to add to the mix, Atrovent. Their nasal swab also showed that they have sinus infection, so they are now on the dreaded Amoxicillin. (I dread what it does to their poop!) Oh yeah, and Nasonex. What baby likes things squirted up their noses?

Immediately, my mind started working out the math of time. How much time am I going to have in the day to rest if I were to be using the nebulizer on them every four hours? So I asked for another nebulizer machine. We have one from their bout of mild RSV last year, but I refused a second one. Why would we possibly need two of those? Shyah. So here were are today with 2.

Now we get to lug all the medicines off to Nana's and Papaw's.

Did I mention we were at the doctor's for 3 1/2 hours? No one seems to care about time in this place. Maybe because it's a university hospital? It was 3 hours that infringed on nap and lunch time. Hopefully those two get a good night sleep tonight, especially Thing 1. She hasn't slept through the night in the past 3 nights.

shopping for milk-free food

In spite of feeling crappy last night because of my cold, I headed out to the grocery store to get some food. I know my cold will only get worse so I had better head on out before we get incapacitated and starve over the weekend (hubby is sicker than I am).

It seemed like I all I did was to read labels looking for anything that doesn't have any milk products. And what I learned is that almost everything I have been given the girls have milk in them. I was looking forward to going home with tons of safe food for the girls, instead I came home with even less stuff. Even some of the baby food I give them has milk.

It's not going to be easy. Here is a list we have to now live by. (We are going to buy a small laminated list to put in our wallets from The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network )

allergy skin test

Thing 1

Thing 2

There are letters all the way to their side under the arm and right on the diaper line. Each letter corresponds to 1 prick. Based on the what I told the nurse and doctors, the only thing we were able to spare the girls were wheat and eggs. They've eaten eggs and wheat before and had shown no reactions.

I told Daddy that had I known there would be any testing down yesterday, I would have insisted that Daddy came with us. But because the pediatrician down-played the allergy, saying, "I don't think the pediatric allergist will do any testing because it sounds pretty mild.", I was pretty sure there testing wouldn't be done.

Daddy said he's had the skin prick done before and it's not pleasant and it is itchy. Based on the conversation the pediatrician and I had, he thought that only blood testing would be done because the girls are so young. He said had he known skin prick test would be done, he would have insisted that he come with me also.

so it's a true milk allergy and it's a true asthma

Yesterday I got a call from the pediatric allergist that they had a cancellation for 1pm today and if I wanted to, I could have it. Of course I said yes. We were to arrive 15-30 minutes early, but got my time all wrong and we got there right at 1pm. But funny how it all works, apparently my appointment was really 1:30. I guess they heard about me and my mommy brain. And we didn't leave the place until 5:30. Yup, we were there for 4 1/2 hours. Poor little Things.

The crying began at the very start when the nurse weighed them. Then we were ushered into the room where I was asked a heck of a lot of questions. An hour or so later, more people came (doctors and students) and there were more preliminary examinations. Then the pricking began. While Thing 2 was on the table with one doctor listening to her lungs and looking at her ears, I was sitting down with Thing 1. The nurse had drawn a line of letters on her whole back, then the pricks. Of course Thing 1 cried and cried and cried. To the nurse's credit, she did it super fast. When Thing 1 was done, someone put Thing 2 on my other leg. She cried and cried and cried, and Thing 1 cried. They both cried so hard, their noses started bleeding. After all the crying, I was left alone in the room "hugging" a baby on each leg. I couldn't really touch their backs.

Instantly, there were obvious reactions. When the nurse returned and measured the welts (if any), Thing 1's welt for the milk allergy was 9mm and Thing 2's was 8mm. This is actually very big! The only other reactions that were noted were for peanut (4mm).

The doctor said that around 4mm is really not considered 'true' at this age. But the milk welt being so big, it is a true milk allergy. The peanut allergy is noted and would be watched, but it's not enough to be worried about right now. So the girls were prescribed an epi pen, Singulair and antibiotic (apparently they have a sinus infection). Then she went on to the subject of asthma. She said with the risks factors of eczema, food allergy and family history of asthma, this is an asthma that must be treated, especially that the girls often wheeze. For the asthma, they were given Singulair which they are to take everyday for a loooooong time. If it doesn't control the wheezing, we'll have to consider a steriod by nebulizer.

After being shown how to use the epi pen, we were sent for blood work. The blood work is to put quanitity to the allergy and for the purpose of comparison a year from now when they get tested again.

The blood work. Well. The phelobotomist worked on Thing 1 first. I normally don't look at the needle when I get blood work done, but this time I did. I thought I should see the whole thing in case something goes wrong. The woman had to fish for a vein. She stuck Thing 1 and fished this way and that way. It was horrible. Finally the blood flowed, but then it stopped. Absolutely horrible. The poor girl is exhausted, sleepy and she has been through too much by this time. But finally it was over. Than it was Thing 2's turn. The woman exclaimed, "wow, they have the same vein", but yet she also had to fish for it. It was especially horrible. Thing 2 trashed and kicked and I had to really really hold her down. She was hysterical at this point but yet no blood. The woman took out the needle and said she wanted to try the other arm. Thing 2 kicked and trashed some more. The woman said, she doesn't like this arm, she'll do the first one instead. Finally, she got the vein. By this time Thing 2 was absolutely hysterical. By this time, I am so frustrated and felt so bad for the girls I was on the verge of crying.

I really needed another pair of arms today. Not because it was tiring for me, but because it was a horrible experience for the girls. They needed a familiar face to comfort them but there was no one. I did my best, but someone had to be put in the stroller to cry by herself so that I could hold the other one.

The day has been horrible and the girls faced it like little troopers. I'm glad it's over with, though the diagnosis has left me a little depressed. There's nothing like being made to carry an epi pen to shock you to your motherly core. I know it's not the end of the world. I just need time to process and to adjust.

We are to avoid any milk products for a year and then the girls will get another blood test to see where they are then. Having no clue about food allergies, it was another shocker to think that all we had to avoid was the word "milk" on the ingredients. I need to read up on a lot of information.

We were given this as a trusted source: The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network

milk allergy

I finally took the twins to the pediatrician to discuss their milk allergy. I went on and on and on about eliminating milk completely for a couple of weeks and then starting a food diary for a few days, and noting the reactions to milk products. I then stopped the milk products for 2 more weeks and then introduced cheese and they had the allergic reaction again. They developed a rash around their mouths and wherever the milk happens to drip, and they got runny noses. During a particularly bad reaction, both the girls developed welts.

He said that as far as allergy goes, it's pretty mild. He mentioned that tests at this age is pretty inaccurate but it is worth looking into to see what we're dealing with. So he gave me a name of a pediatric allergist. In the meantime, we can keep with soy milk. Should it turn out that we have to avoid milk for a long time, then we will discuss other ways of getting calcium into their bodies.

I'm not particularly happy with the casual manner of the conversation (I'm worried, and the doctor is not), but at least we've been referred to an allergist. We'll see what happens then. Milk allergy may be common before the age of 3, but it doesn't mean I don't have to worry. There is absolutely no history of food allergy in both mine and my husband's family. At least when the girls get tested, I will know whether to freak out when Thing 1 steals Big Brother's milk.

everyone in their place

Matty has been sleeping in his castle bed for a week without any problem. In fact, he hasn't really been waking up in the middle of the night, like his usual. It's very nice to have a master bedroom without kids. Yay!

But a couple of nights ago, Matty had a rough night. I think he is coming down with something and woke up at about 11pm and wouldn't stop crying. I asked if he wanted to sleep on the floor in our room and he agreed. I reminded him that this is only because he's sick. Who knows if that sunk in. Last night he's still coughing so we allowed him to sleep in our room again. Tonight, I will have to insist he go back to his room. Fingers cross, he won't protest. It's just like illness to ruin everything!

The girls are doing very well in their room. They take change so well. However, what they are not taking will is cow's milk. I started giving them cow's milk a couple of weeks ago, once a day. The first time, Katie's skin around her mouth turned red and developed little welts. She and Jojo both had a cold then so I thought it may just be their colds. The second day, the same thing happened to both of them. I skipped a few days and gave them cow's milk again, and hives appeared once again. It can't be a coincidence now, can it?

On Monday, I gave them yogurt and that too caused hives. The hives are immediate. So now, I've decided to stop the cow's milk. They are still breastfeeding 3x a day and eat solids really well. Either next week or the next, I will take them to the pediatrician. Thankfully, the girls are proving to be good eaters so if this is a milk allergy, they should do well eating other things.