Wheat Gluten, Solid Food, and a 5K

Well I figured it was time to update again, pretty interesting stuff going on for Team Ferrell!

Maizy has started eating solid food, she is doing pretty well with it, alot of time babies who have been intubated have a texture aversion, but Maizy is doing great with it.  She is also sitting up and doing awesome at that as well, she isn't a giant fan of sitting, as she would rather try to stand!  She is also dominating her jump-a-roo.  She goes nuts in that thing, jumping and flailing her arms in the air.  I can't help but sing the House of Pain hit "Jump Around" when I see her doing it. 

Piper had some big news recently, we had noticed that she really was a very small kid, full of energy and very smart...but very small as well!  Her doctor charted out her growth since she was born and noticed that since she stopped breastfeeding she had fallen off the growth chart.  After consulting with Piper's doctor, who may I add is awsome by the way, we started to think that perhaps Piper was not getting enough animal protein which is the most "complete" protein you can eat.  Piper eats alot of fruit, vegetables and beans so we thought that could be it.  While we thought we had pinpointed it, we still decided to do some blood tests to make sure that there was no thyroid, kidney problem, or anything of that nature. 

Well we got the results back and everything is fine with her kidneys, thryoid, etc.  However the tests did overwhelmingly find something, something that explained the stunted growth, lack of weight gain, and her giant albeit cute belly....Piper has Celiac Disease.  Celiac is an allergy to wheat gluten that causes in children all the issues she had been having with growth, her belly and "her digestion."

I must admit though I had some pre-concieved notions of Celiac....or the whole wheat gluten fad is probably the better way of putting it.  I thought it was a load of bullshit.  Everyone today has some "intolerance" to something, wheat gluten, peanuts, lactose, exercise, guns, common courtesy, clowns...the list goes on.  Most of it is a load of steaming horse turds.  If your tum-tum hurts after you eat something, it doesn't mean you are intolerant to it...everyone needs a cause/disabilty/allergy/etc now days. 

Well guess what Celiac is real and good old Piper has it, I still wasn't 100% convinced until I saw the test results that were incredibly high in indicating Celiac...and even more convincing are the changes already being noticed in short period of time Piper has been gluten free.  She has gained two pounds and grown an inch in a month.   Traci actually saw a study that indicated that some children after going gluten free will grow 5 inches in a year! 

So yes Piper has Celiac and Maizy has a heart condition...so if you believe in past life stuff, and Karma...I apparently punched Moses in the mouth, or sold my family for whiskey, or something in a past life.  Of course I am kidding, it could be much worse and Piper is as smart, energetic and wonderful as always, Maizy is rocking and rolling, and we can handle this just like we have everything else.  There is no need to feel sorry for ourselves, post sad bastard messages of Facebook, or anything like that because when it comes down to it...nothing is a disability unless you make it one.  You just buck up and do what needs to be done!  Plus now she can be that hip kid that doesn't eat gluten.  It's a health fad right now to you know!!

One last thing before I wrap this up, at the end of February we are doing the Red Dress Run in Minneapolis KS.  February is Congenital Heart Defect Month, and we think you should be running the race too!!  Here is a link, we will be the people wearing the shirts that say "Team Maizy!"  Here is the link if you are interested.
http://www.ottawacountyhealthcenter.com/Red-Dress-Run.html

I hope all of you are well, and remember LIFE IS GOOD!!!