Kefir

We have been attempting to eat a little healthier.  To eat foods that have wholesome nutritional value.  (Although we haven't given up Chick-fil-A or pizza!)  And the following is a little something we have been "experimenting" with.  It is called kefir and it has been around forever. It is a really good "beverage" to keep your insides healthy.  Full of probiotics.

I have a friend whose husband is a nutritional guru of sorts.  He has a real job but he is very particular about his diet and the nutritional value of a lot of the foods they eat.  One of the things he drinks every day is kefir and he has done a bunch of research on why it is so good for him (us) to drink.

We have known these friends for a couple of years and it has taken him that long to convince me.  Well, he never really has tried to convince me of its benefits he would just share what he knows when asked.  I am always curious about new things.

Anyway, another friend of ours, who started to recently drink kefir shared their kefir grains with us and we have started to make and drink it.  The process isn't all that difficult but it is a little strange.  Kefir, is in essence, fermented milk.  You pour milk over the grains and then store them in a cool, dry place for 24 hours and then you have it.

I make it and pour it in a blender with organic mixed berries, vanilla protein powder, a tablespoon or so of coconut oil and either ground flax seed or chia seeds.  The kids and I drink it for a snack.  The little guys love it.  They ask for it.  The bigger girls, I guess because they know how it is made, can't stand it.  Although the funny thing is, it tastes really good once I make a smoothie out of it. (I make the big girls drink it anyway.)

Our friends drink it straight and quite a bit all at once.  I have tried it straight but it has a pretty sour taste.  Those who drink it straight say you just develop a taste for it.  I am not sure about that yet!

I don't know how long we will keep doing it.  When I don't make kefir the grains need to be stored in the fridge.  Right now, I feel, whatever we can do to make us eat healthier and to treat our bodies better, I am all for it.

Looks tasty, doesn't it  . . . .?

Kawasaki Disease

I guess it has been about three years ago hat Nature Girl took an emergency trip to the hospital. Now we joke it is the fear of motorcycles.

She had been sick for a couple of days before daddy had left for his annual trip to WI. Just a low grade fever but very lethargic which is so, so not NG. If memory serves, I took her to the doctor the day before daddy left. Just in an abundance of caution. At that point, nobody really suspected anything unusual. Maybe a cold or flu. No other major symptoms.

I had noticed her eyes were really red. But, oddly enough, I attributed it to the hundreds of hours of TV she had been watching. It was like a solid week of doing nothing but sitting and snoozing in front of the TV. The day after daddy left, I still felt like something wasn't right and we were going into the weekend. It was late on a Friday and my usual doctor was off for the day so we went to another doctor in his practice. He felt that it was some kind of infection. I suppose he probably gave us an antibiotic (or she had already been taking one) either way, he assured us she would be starting to get better by the next day.

Saturday rolled around and there was no change. I called the on call nurse and was sent to a doc in the box. They tested for strep and mono I think. They still couldn't see that there was anything visibly wrong other than the constant low grade fever, red eyes and lethargy. Maybe we got some medicine then. I honestly don't remember. By Monday, I was a wreck. NG had been sick for over a week and nothing seemed to be helping.

I called the doctor's office again and was able to see NG's doctor right away. I had all the kids with me. Pretty sure I hadn't showered in a couple of days. Was in sweatpants and a sweatshirt. Daddy had been gone for 4 days and was expected home the next day. When the doctor finished examining her, he stepped out of the office. I could just tell something was wrong. He came back in and told me I needed to go the pediatric floor at the hospital right away. I was dumbfounded to say the least. I remember Little Mama wanting to sit on my lap at that exact moment and I remember telling her "no" and the doctor giving me a sideways look. I was in shock! I was in survival mode. I was trying to keep my composure.

He went on to explain what was wrong with her, Kawasaki Disease. He explained what it was, that they didn't really know the origin of it. But that she would need to go to the hospital for further evaluation and treatment. Thankfully the hospital was right around the corner. I called Sissy and she met me up there and took the little kids home. Grandma came up as soon as she was through with work and sat with me while NG got her first of many needle pokes.

One of the hardest parts I am sure was for daddy. Here he was 1500 miles away from home to be told over the phone that his daughter had been rushed to the hospital with some strange disease. He tried to get an earlier flight but it couldn't be changed. He sat and waited for the next available flight back home. He came directly to the hospital in unshaven and in hunting clothes and I am sure barely any sleep.

I stayed with NG the entire time she was in the hospital. After the specialist came in and confirmed the diagnosis, treatment had to be decided on. NG has a disease that does not have a specific test that confirms the diagnosis. So, I had to trust what all the medical people were telling me. She had to have an IVIG which I think is somewhat like a blood transfusion. When they gave that to her, which was at night, they had to wake her ever couple of hours to take blood and monitor her vitals. She was stuck so many times I can't even tell you. I just remember towards the morning, she didn't seem to even care.

I stayed with her in her bed the entire time. When she was finally able, we got up and would walk around, dragging the IV along with. It was a day or two before Thanksgiving and we walked down to the craft room and colored hand turkeys. It was a blessing to have the treasure chest to go to. There were games and coloring things and stickers and little toys that she could play with. We didn't have a change of clothes or toothbrushes or anything. (Not that I even cared.)

Kawasaki Disease is a vascular disease that if not caught can cause aneurysms. They have great success in the treatment. Followed up by an asprin regiment, EKgs and ultrasounds. We were done with the aspirin about 3 months after and she only has one more EKG and ultrasound to go.

Oddly enough I don't remember being uncontrollably worried. I just knew everything was going to be OK. I had a peace, thanks to God. He was with me the entire time. I know that because otherwise I would have been a total wreck.

It has been three years and I only think of it occasionally. Like when people talk about the flu and those with health issues. I wonder and usually call the doctor to ask "Does that mean NG?" There have been times when she is sick or her eyes are red and I wonder if it came back (although I have been assured that doesn't happen.) Sometimes I wonder if any of the other kids have it, will get it. Although it is something you are born with.

With the Thanksgiving holiday approaching I cannot help but give thanks for the health of NG and all of my precious children. . .

"Making" Baby Food

I know this isn't a new concept but it is to me. After four kids you would have thought I would have tried just about everything by now but that is just not so. I had heard of making baby food before but I thought "why." It comes in cute little jars already done. Why take the time. Plus, I thought it would be something that would be really hard. I was wrong. Yes, you heard me I was wrong. About a month ago when I contacted the lactation consultant about my latest nursing dilemma she suggested giving EG sweet potato. Not the kind in the baby food jar but actually baking it, pureeing it and feeding it to her. Ugh, that was just what I needed. Something else to do in my already overwhelming life! I had been given that advice once before. Little Mama had a weight issue when she was about 5/6 mos. Someone gave me the advice to feed her avocado. Needless to say I didn't take that advice but now wished I would have. Anyway, the lactation consultant suggested the sweet potato as an alternative for formula so to speak. Well, I have come along way since Little Mama's weight issue so I thought "what the heck." I baked some sweet potatoes about a week or so ago, mashed them up and gave them to her. She loved them. I froze the left overs in little chunks and pull one out and let it thaw everyday for dinner. For breakfast I buy extra bananas so they get ripe and every morning I mash one of those. Yesterday we tried avocado for the first time. I just cut it in half and mashed the "meat." She had that for lunch. I have since bought a butternut squash and pears. I baked the squash, pureed it and froze it in ice cube trays. That will be our next food to try. The pears I need to steam and freeze but I think they need to ripen more. It really has been kind of cool to do this. It makes me feel so domestic! We went out for dinner the other night and I wasn't sure what I would do about the baby food. I ended up just bringing a banana and a little chunk of sweet potato and when the time came just mashed it up and gave it to her. It worked out beautifully. I plan to add baby cereal in a couple days as well. Just to have a back up. I guess there are three main reasons I have chosen to make the baby food this time around: 1) I like the idea of the least processed the better, 2) it helps me deal with the fact that I am not the greatest nursing mom and 3) it is WAY cheaper. Who knows how long it will last. But for now I feel it is the best choice for EG and me . . .