Sunday, November 2, 2008

The Lukester

On Friday we found out that Luke has celiac disease. For those of you who aren't familiar with it, Celiac disease is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. People who have celiac disease cannot tolerate gluten, a protein in wheat, rye, and barley.

I brought him into the doctor because he just didn't look as healthy as Carson. She has little fat rolls, and he is really skinny - you can see his ribs and sternum - but yet he has a distended belly. He only weighed in at 22 pounds and he's 25 months old. I wasn't too concerned with his actual weight since Jimmy and I were thin children, but it was the way he looked.

Anyway, that explains why he's been extremely irritable for over a year now. It was so draining on me that every morning before I got out of bed I would beg God to give me the grace and patience to get through the day with him. The five other children combined are easier than he is. Poor guy - the whole time I thought he was just a big ol' grump, he was actually not feeling well.

The doctor said we should have a new boy in three weeks, when all the gluten is out of his diet. Big changes around here, where we eat a lot of homemade bread, rolls, and tortillas. Apparently if I make homemade oatmeal/millet bread, I can't even grind the oat groats and millet into flour in the grinder I have because it will have gluten residue. It's kind of like the peanut allergy - the tiniest bit whacks their system out.

It's genetic, so all of us will get tested this week. Here's a picture of Luke that I took the day after diagnosis, hopefully to chronicle how he gains weight after I change his diet!

9 comments:

Carole Turner said...

poor baby! But so glad ya'll found out what it was and now can treat it. I remember the 6 months before E was diagnosed with Diabetes, she was so bad, cranky, mean, I felt so awful after she was diagnosed cuz I like you, thought she was just being bad but actually she was very sick.

BTW, E is being tested for a Peanut alergy next week. We suspected it but then when we went to the Endo. for her diabetes apt. He said the symptoms sounded like it sure could be that.

Your a great mother. Your kids are blessed.

christner said...

That is sad news, but, you are the perfect mother to handle the challenge. I will pray the his weight shoots up there and his disposition becomes sunny. He sure is a Blessed boy to have a family that rises to the challenges of life.

Wade Hinton said...

Donna, Glad you made this discovery!! I'll pray for him and for you.

I know you'll figure it out. In the meantime, give that boy a big ole ribeye and some donuts!!

Donna said...

The ribeye I can do, but I'll have to find a recipe to make gluten-free donuts - it will most likely be made with coconut flour. When you and your fam come visit us, I'll make you some - I'm sure they'll taste just like Krispy Kreme donuts. :)

Thanks for your prayers. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed with everything that's going on...

-d

JC said...

We got some good news today. Owen's test came back negative. Still waiting on Carson and Scout's test results.

Carole Turner said...

Glad about Owen. Pray they are all negative. Luke is blessed to have a health conscious family.

Wade Hinton said...

any more updates on the kiddos?

JC said...

Scout and Carson both came back negative, so it looks like Lucas Jackson is the only one with Celiac's Disease.

That said, our transformation to a gluten-free family is about complete. Resistance was futile.

The wife made some excellent dark chocolate muffins tonight, made with some kind of mystery flour. I didn't ask questions.

Anonymous said...

JC -- that's what makes you a good husband -- you don't ask questions!!
Cuz Kim