Magpie the chicken did a runner this afternoon.
We wandered down to the garden to let the chickens out, Magpie was acting a bit odd, but opened up the coop and no sooner had I turned my back that I noticed the head chicken Moon calling for one of her brood. The kids and I scouted around looking for Magpie but she was not to be seen.
Hmmmm, I had noticed some missing eggs yesterday after hearing one of the chickens squarking like crazy which is the noise she makes when laying an egg. So assumed she had set up a wee nest elsewhere.
After about 10mins I spotted her hiding in the hedge underneath some trellis and after shooing her out, I found 4 beautiful eggs in there. I have decided not to keep them though since there have been a few days where they've not been out so for there to be four there makes them kinda old. But at least I know where to check now.
And that 10mins in the summer sun is just what our skin needed - Nathan has been found to be Vitamin D deficient due to the nephrotic syndrome, so I'm working on getting short daily doses of good sun onto him.
January 24, 2009
January 20, 2009
Thought I'd do an update on where Nathan's health is at.
We are still on our gluten free, grain free, sugar free diet. I have re-started with the potatoes as it was too tricky going without and I feel that his body copes with them fine.
However, today I was notified by the nurse at the doctor's surgery that he has an egg allergy (far out!) when I took him for some blood tests a few weeks back trying to find out the trigger for his nephrotic syndrome (why am I as the parent needing to be the one doing all the leg work and research??). Not sure if this is the trigger and he's never shown any "typical" allergy symptoms to anything (the coeliacs is a bit different and was sorted out 3 yrs ago) until a few days ago with a dry cough, itchy throat and the odd sneeze. But it's quite likely these two things are somehow related only there is no firm research out there currently that ties them together just yet.
Right...so as of after breakfast this mornign he is now off eggs. I am also eliminating all dairy in the meantime to see if when I introduce it back if there are any changes. May as well do all these food restrictions/challenges now while we're pretty much restricted anyway eh?! So the kid's only eating fruit, vegetables, meat, pulses and seeds/nuts (millet is apparently a seed so he can still eat that) for the next few weeks. Once again, he's totally cool about that - of course, it's a different matter when we leave the house and he sees all the foods available...
We are still on our gluten free, grain free, sugar free diet. I have re-started with the potatoes as it was too tricky going without and I feel that his body copes with them fine.
However, today I was notified by the nurse at the doctor's surgery that he has an egg allergy (far out!) when I took him for some blood tests a few weeks back trying to find out the trigger for his nephrotic syndrome (why am I as the parent needing to be the one doing all the leg work and research??). Not sure if this is the trigger and he's never shown any "typical" allergy symptoms to anything (the coeliacs is a bit different and was sorted out 3 yrs ago) until a few days ago with a dry cough, itchy throat and the odd sneeze. But it's quite likely these two things are somehow related only there is no firm research out there currently that ties them together just yet.
Right...so as of after breakfast this mornign he is now off eggs. I am also eliminating all dairy in the meantime to see if when I introduce it back if there are any changes. May as well do all these food restrictions/challenges now while we're pretty much restricted anyway eh?! So the kid's only eating fruit, vegetables, meat, pulses and seeds/nuts (millet is apparently a seed so he can still eat that) for the next few weeks. Once again, he's totally cool about that - of course, it's a different matter when we leave the house and he sees all the foods available...
Summer Camping
For the past two years we've planned a few camping trips away with friends. Over the weekend we for a trip about 1/2 hr away and spent one day at the Organic River Festival. Last year we camped there, but this year we decided to stay nearby and just do a day trip.
Danielle was keen to chop up veges for our first night's dinner.
At the festival the next day...
The next day had torrential downpours, so we decided to head north to the next city 1/2 hr away. We'd been meaning to get up there some time over summer and check out the science museum.
By the time we got back to our tent for dinner the day had finally cleared up, but there was apparently more to come that night. So after dinner we pretty much packed up our entire tent into the car and just kept the sleeping gear in the tent just in case we needed to do an evacuation during the night. But fortunately, the wind died off about 4am and we woke to a beautiful sunny day. We headed off home early and had a relaxing day at home recovering.
Danielle was keen to chop up veges for our first night's dinner.
At the festival the next day...
The next day had torrential downpours, so we decided to head north to the next city 1/2 hr away. We'd been meaning to get up there some time over summer and check out the science museum.
By the time we got back to our tent for dinner the day had finally cleared up, but there was apparently more to come that night. So after dinner we pretty much packed up our entire tent into the car and just kept the sleeping gear in the tent just in case we needed to do an evacuation during the night. But fortunately, the wind died off about 4am and we woke to a beautiful sunny day. We headed off home early and had a relaxing day at home recovering.
January 12, 2009
Desperate times call for desperate measures...
As the saying goes.
Yes, we've gone radical with our diet to improve things as much as possible for Nathan's sake. Who knows what the "best" way to go is, but from my extensive reading and researching over the past few weeks for dietary requirements for his kidney condition and taking into account nutrients required that will be balanced and work together in an effective way, this appears to be the best fit for us. We weren't personally given any dietary changes at the hospital but my own research into this condition shows that overseas, many people are, and I came across several people who had been told by their specialists to go this way too, and that was enough confirmation for me. It is well balanced nutritionally, so the few things we need to cut are barely missed.
It's certainly given me the push to ditch the remaining processed foods that were in our diets (namely cereals, breads, noodles and a few other things that we regularly ate). Well that takes care of all my previous angsting over how to be self sufficient in grains.
It means removing ALL other grains on top of our gluten free grains as well as potatoes because of the starchiness of them. There are several diets out there that are very similar to our one and we are basing the new regime on the GAPS diet as well as the SCD diet. These are specific diets for healing the gut and since the majority of the immune system is tied up in the gut, it makes clear sense to me to work on healing his gut especially now that his system is immunosuppressed due to the high dose-long term steroids he'll be on. I'm sure the rest of us will benefit too. If nothing else, it just gives us a good base to take off from after all this drama is over.
This is not a permanent diet, just one to follow for the healing to occur and while on these drugs. I feel blessed that the kids have taken to it without drama and willing to go along with it.
So, all those spuds in the garden? Well, I've dug them up and Nathan's on a mission to sell them at his roadside market that he's wanting to set up only before I had no surplus to give him.
Yes, we've gone radical with our diet to improve things as much as possible for Nathan's sake. Who knows what the "best" way to go is, but from my extensive reading and researching over the past few weeks for dietary requirements for his kidney condition and taking into account nutrients required that will be balanced and work together in an effective way, this appears to be the best fit for us. We weren't personally given any dietary changes at the hospital but my own research into this condition shows that overseas, many people are, and I came across several people who had been told by their specialists to go this way too, and that was enough confirmation for me. It is well balanced nutritionally, so the few things we need to cut are barely missed.
It's certainly given me the push to ditch the remaining processed foods that were in our diets (namely cereals, breads, noodles and a few other things that we regularly ate). Well that takes care of all my previous angsting over how to be self sufficient in grains.
It means removing ALL other grains on top of our gluten free grains as well as potatoes because of the starchiness of them. There are several diets out there that are very similar to our one and we are basing the new regime on the GAPS diet as well as the SCD diet. These are specific diets for healing the gut and since the majority of the immune system is tied up in the gut, it makes clear sense to me to work on healing his gut especially now that his system is immunosuppressed due to the high dose-long term steroids he'll be on. I'm sure the rest of us will benefit too. If nothing else, it just gives us a good base to take off from after all this drama is over.
This is not a permanent diet, just one to follow for the healing to occur and while on these drugs. I feel blessed that the kids have taken to it without drama and willing to go along with it.
So, all those spuds in the garden? Well, I've dug them up and Nathan's on a mission to sell them at his roadside market that he's wanting to set up only before I had no surplus to give him.
January 07, 2009
The Three Sisters
Well, they've gone wild down there. They look very cool and all three plants producing well, but I do wonder if some of the corn are going to get smothered out by the beans. I found half a dozen nice long beans which we can use for dinner tonight (or maybe I'll turn them into a green-bean dip so the kids are more likely to eat it with carrot sticks as a pre-dinner snack).
January 05, 2009
Gardening catch-up
Oh, poor garden has been really neglected!
Today I transferred some seedlings (tomato (maybe a bit late), courgette, celery, brassica's, a bean, spinach and silverbeet) into one of the beds that needed some filling up.
I've got the chickens rotating on the garden beds now, so there are a few new beds for them to go on to and one that will be vacated soon.
I now have one potato patch entirely clear and dug over one and a half other beds to put more seeds in once the chickens are done. We're loving the potatoes and have been pretty much digging for potatoes as we need them.
The only other vegetable I'm regularly harvesting is my red onions, but have a couple more cabbages & cauliflowers ready and broccoli's not too far off. The tomatoes are coming along well and some of the plants the fruit are starting to lighten up and going pink. Still no sign of my corn cobs developing, but have noticed the stems fattening up in places, so I'm sure they're there ready to do their thing soon. The beans and pumpkins have almost taken over the corn patches, and it's quite cool to see them winding and growing up the corn stalks. Definitely a neat way to grow vertically and maximise the use of space.
Consulting my little local planting diary suggests more carrots, beetroot, brassicas, and lettuce (and a few other things that I don't have seeds for anyway).
So I think I'll go hard on some more carrots coz they have certainly gone down a treat with the kids and consequently we have no full grown ones left LOL!
Today I transferred some seedlings (tomato (maybe a bit late), courgette, celery, brassica's, a bean, spinach and silverbeet) into one of the beds that needed some filling up.
I've got the chickens rotating on the garden beds now, so there are a few new beds for them to go on to and one that will be vacated soon.
I now have one potato patch entirely clear and dug over one and a half other beds to put more seeds in once the chickens are done. We're loving the potatoes and have been pretty much digging for potatoes as we need them.
The only other vegetable I'm regularly harvesting is my red onions, but have a couple more cabbages & cauliflowers ready and broccoli's not too far off. The tomatoes are coming along well and some of the plants the fruit are starting to lighten up and going pink. Still no sign of my corn cobs developing, but have noticed the stems fattening up in places, so I'm sure they're there ready to do their thing soon. The beans and pumpkins have almost taken over the corn patches, and it's quite cool to see them winding and growing up the corn stalks. Definitely a neat way to grow vertically and maximise the use of space.
Consulting my little local planting diary suggests more carrots, beetroot, brassicas, and lettuce (and a few other things that I don't have seeds for anyway).
So I think I'll go hard on some more carrots coz they have certainly gone down a treat with the kids and consequently we have no full grown ones left LOL!
The only few times that I've stayed up beyond 11.30pm in recent times is due to being so involved in a crochet project that I just *need* to get it done.
I had a ball of wool I bought over spring with intentions of making into a pair of fingerless gloves for next winter. Well, tonight seemed to be the night that I felt like doing it. Three and half hours later and I have these.
They are a combination of two different patterns I had plus a good dose of my own modifications to get them to fit right.
I had a ball of wool I bought over spring with intentions of making into a pair of fingerless gloves for next winter. Well, tonight seemed to be the night that I felt like doing it. Three and half hours later and I have these.
They are a combination of two different patterns I had plus a good dose of my own modifications to get them to fit right.
January 04, 2009
Simple Fun
The last few days we've pretty much just hung out at home. Yesterday was rainy and Nathan was claiming to be bored at home, but as soon as the words left his lips his mind was creating the next activity. Toys rarely featured in the creations and they filled their time quite nicely and quite differently to usual.
They had heaps of fun squirting each other and then moving liquid around with the plastic syringe the hospital gave Nathan to play with.
Nathan's "rocket ship" that I had to do a countdown about 10 times over!
And then would crash off onto the cushions...
Nathan then wanted to play pass-the-parcel with Danielle. So he wrapped up a bunch of their crayons and stones and the prize in the middle was a wrapped up apricot! That game took up about an hour coz one game was not enough lol!
They have rediscovered a CD of kids songs and I'm sure it was played at least about 6 times!
Then today, Nathan and I were sitting in the sun chatting (he'd stopped to check out the sunflower that was now losing it's petals) and I showed him some dried pea-pods on the dead plants which are at the base of the sunflowers. So we started cracking them open. He then pulled up the rest of the dead plants and we extracted the peas. They won't be kept because the peas on several of the plants were very bitter and awful tasting, so we just opened them for fun. Danielle then came to investigate what we were up to.
They had heaps of fun squirting each other and then moving liquid around with the plastic syringe the hospital gave Nathan to play with.
Nathan's "rocket ship" that I had to do a countdown about 10 times over!
And then would crash off onto the cushions...
Nathan then wanted to play pass-the-parcel with Danielle. So he wrapped up a bunch of their crayons and stones and the prize in the middle was a wrapped up apricot! That game took up about an hour coz one game was not enough lol!
They have rediscovered a CD of kids songs and I'm sure it was played at least about 6 times!
Then today, Nathan and I were sitting in the sun chatting (he'd stopped to check out the sunflower that was now losing it's petals) and I showed him some dried pea-pods on the dead plants which are at the base of the sunflowers. So we started cracking them open. He then pulled up the rest of the dead plants and we extracted the peas. They won't be kept because the peas on several of the plants were very bitter and awful tasting, so we just opened them for fun. Danielle then came to investigate what we were up to.
January 03, 2009
Yes, I've been AWOL
We've had a bit of a medical emergency around here, so I've been pretty busy spending my time hunkered down with my loved ones and researching like crazy and just haven't found it in me to blog about the contented, happy, simple stuff since it was far from it and didn't want to blog about the depressing stuff just at that point. But I'm back.
On Monday I took Nathan to the doctor with a swollen face and entire body looking a LOT larger than he had been. I suspected kidney issues and that was confirmed by the doctor by having off the chart levels of protein in his urine. So we were immediately admitted to hospital for treatment - fortunately only one night stay. He has Nephrotic Syndrome with no known cause. No damage, just his kidneys weren't functioning quite right.
So I'm now researching diet changes, extra nutritional needs and ensuring enough vitamins/minerals are being eaten, effects of the drugs he's now on (corticosteroids), ways of minimising those effects and healing his body, monitoring him for any random illness now that his immune system is suppressed, feeling elated when he pees (especially when he does one that fills a 350ml container and risks overflowing onto the floor). LOL.
So yeah. That's us for now. Life goes on. We all seem to have this need to stick close to home, go for walks and plays at the beach, hang out in the garden, laugh and play and dance to music and jump around the room like a kangaroo or horse, dig for potatoes, pluck caterpillars off the tomato plants and all those usual things. He's in high spirits and has an unfailing trust in his body to heal and return to normal.
Things are looking good though and his protein levels in his urine have returned to negative today, so that's all sounding good so far and possibly hence my return to the blogosphere.
On Monday I took Nathan to the doctor with a swollen face and entire body looking a LOT larger than he had been. I suspected kidney issues and that was confirmed by the doctor by having off the chart levels of protein in his urine. So we were immediately admitted to hospital for treatment - fortunately only one night stay. He has Nephrotic Syndrome with no known cause. No damage, just his kidneys weren't functioning quite right.
So I'm now researching diet changes, extra nutritional needs and ensuring enough vitamins/minerals are being eaten, effects of the drugs he's now on (corticosteroids), ways of minimising those effects and healing his body, monitoring him for any random illness now that his immune system is suppressed, feeling elated when he pees (especially when he does one that fills a 350ml container and risks overflowing onto the floor). LOL.
So yeah. That's us for now. Life goes on. We all seem to have this need to stick close to home, go for walks and plays at the beach, hang out in the garden, laugh and play and dance to music and jump around the room like a kangaroo or horse, dig for potatoes, pluck caterpillars off the tomato plants and all those usual things. He's in high spirits and has an unfailing trust in his body to heal and return to normal.
Things are looking good though and his protein levels in his urine have returned to negative today, so that's all sounding good so far and possibly hence my return to the blogosphere.
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