Oh IBS how I hate thee…

So I mentioned briefly on my blog that I finally admitted to  myself I had IBS but that it wasn’t a big deal. Just a few things I couldn’t eat anymore.

Alas, the longer I test out different foods, the longer the list gets of things that upset my system.

So, as I do, I decided this clearly required more research.

http://www.helpforibs.com/diet/trigger2.asp – this is a list of things I CANNOT eat. But in summary for you – anything too high in fat, red meat (including wild game which I have a freezer full of), pork, dark meat poultry & skin, egg yolks, dairy products (although I figured out I can have a little bit mixed in things – my tolerance is just low), chocolate, carbonation, artificial sweeteners (as a diabetic – WHAT A PAIN), and MSG (that crap is in everything). There are other things on that trigger list but since I don’t do coffee or caffeine or alcohol – those things were really easy to give up! haha.

Now fiber – this is the big juggle. There are two types of fiber. Insoluble and Soluble. We all need insoluble fiber. It’s what your body breaks down and uses as fiber, it keeps the pH balance in your GI system. But in an IBS person this stuff triggers attacks (which are just awful).

So what to do? This is a pretty good list of insoluble fibers - http://www.helpforibs.com/diet/fiber2.asp. This is a list of soluble ones  - http://www.helpforibs.com/diet/fiber1.asp. (If you look, notice how much incredibly short the soluble fiber list is. Not fair I think!)

So the deal is that if I have soluble fiber first then I can follow it with a little insoluble fiber and hopefully not suffer any consequences and still give my body the things it needs. For example, starting my meal with a salad – not good. But I can eat some rice and then have a small salad.

Oh add things high in sulfur (garlic, onions, some veggies, etc), anything highly acidic (too much citrus, vinegar, cooked tomatoes), and anything too high in fructose. – those are also things to be very careful with.

And all of this I have to balance with the fact that I have diabetes of course. If you look at the soluble fiber list you’ll see that many of those things are high in carbs – things that raise my blood sugar the most.

Add to that some things that are triggers for my acid reflux. Like citrus. I had about an inch of homemade lemonade awhile back – had acidic heartburn for 9 hours. And then IBS consequences for 48 hours. It was not awesome.

And then there is the endometriosis – which only effects me and rears it’s ugly head once a month but it is nonetheless wildly annoying. 

So I don’t want to be this person. This person with all the health issues. But apparently I don’t get a say.

I just want to get to the point where the IBS “diet” (I put that in quotes because it’s for the rest of my life of course) is second nature to me and I don’t have to think about it tons. Like my diabetes – just part of life.

The other day my sister asked me if I kept the receipt for this body. We had a whole hilarious conversation that followed. I love her!

Then my friend Kathy says to me on FB yesterday - your body isn't nearly as tough as your spirit!! (I was posting about my sunburn. Two hours total outside on a 70 something Wyoming May day and I look like a lobster! Ridiculous.)

And that I’d say is exactly what is at the root of my mental issues with this. I’m tough! I can take a lot – mentally, emotionally, spiritually. I have been through lots of things and come out the other side stronger each time. But my body? It’s not tough. Not at all. And it irritates me to no end!

Hannah – 2 months old!

The last couple of months is such a blur. I guess sleep deprivation does that to you… or it could be the fun!

Hannah is such a happy smiley person. It’s so fun when she first wakes up in the morning and gives me huge grins in greeting.

Let’s see…

• Hannah still hates to poop. However, it doesn’t normally involve crying anymore. She just concentrates and gets it done. She will make her displeasure known if you don’t get that poopy diaper off her quickly though!
• Something I forgot to mention last time (although I did talk about the lazy suck) – Hannah eats slow. Not a little bit slow. A LOT slow. She averages 5-7 minutes per ounce – which is an improvement over a month ago. So a 4 oz bottle (which she regularly does now – sometimes up to 6) takes about 45 minutes with the burping, etc. Each bottle is a time commitment so sometimes when she lets me know she’s hungry I’m running around going to the bathroom, make the bottle, get a drink. I feel kind of bad for the poor hungry baby but I know once I sit down I know I won’t be getting up. SHE doesn’t care if I need to pee. haha.
• We found a pacifier Hannah likes – which was ENTIRELY necessary. She sometimes would ask to eat and then get mad when food came out of the bottle. She just wanted to suck but she didn’t like any of the pacifiers we had. We were constantly making bottles and she would eat 1/4 of an ounce and fall asleep. So I went on the internet and found the ones Leah used to like. They’re the most similar to the bottles we have and when I offered her that one she was happily sucking away within a split second. Whew!
• She’s also recently figured out she could try to fight sleep. But I’ve got her number! She can’t stay awake if I sing to her. Sometimes she doesn’t make it through a whole song. Sometimes maybe 5. So we rock and sing and she falls asleep quickly. I love those moments. So so sweet!
• Hannah is full of grins. She smiles at lots of people if they try long enough but I get all her big grins. She did give one to Drew today. He got SO excited. It was adorable.
• She’s starting to sleep really well. One 4-5 hour stretch every night and last night she did an almost 7 hour stretch!

And now she needs me to go rock & sing to her. She won’t go to sleep for Daddy. If I think of more things to add I will come back in a little while.

Oh! And for those of you waiting for pictures on her picture blog. I’ll put more up tonight or tomorrow. I left my camera at  my mom’s last week with the card full of pictures. I have some from my cell phone from this week but I went and got my camera back yesterday. Whew! I’m no good at being without my camera!

ETA – She’s about 10 lbs now but I don’t know exactly. I only know that from the weigh myself holding her method.

A Constellation

The other day I was doing a worksheet with Leah. (practicing 10, 20, 30, etc). It was a dot-to-dot thing. There were stars all over it and then the dot-to-dot made a star. 

After she’s done I say, “Cool! What did you make?”

“A constellation.”

She’s supposed to say star but technically there are several stars on that page so I didn’t correct her.

Haha.

Happy Mother’s Day

My Mother’s Hands

By Lorie Barton

I’m thankful for my mother’s hands, which help me every day.

With her hands she shows me how to work and how to play.

It seems that when I need some help, her hands are always there

To tie my shoes, or make me lunch, or comb my messy hair.

Her hands know how to fix my bike and how to make my bed,

And how to find a scripture verse to ease my worried head.

 

I want my hands, like Mother’s, to serve others every day.

I want my hands to know, like hers, how to work and play.

I know that when she needs some help, my hands can help her too.

Because she’s taught me well, they know exactly what to do.

I’ll thank my mother for her hands and hug her really tight.

And promise her to use my hands to always do what’s right.

LDS.org - Friend Article - My Mother’s Hands

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I was reading this magazine with Leah yesterday, just going from page to page reading things to her and we got to this poem and it choked me up (of course) and when we got to the last line Leah pulled my hands to her chest and hugged them. So adorable.

 

Happy Mother’s Day! Most especially to my own Momma. Love you!