Under fire

Do you ever feel like everything is going wrong but yet you know it isn’t that bad? Lately that is how I’ve been feeling. We are still living on the south end of the ranch in the guest house. It seems that satan is pressing us on all sides. There are several frusterating circumstances that have arisen but I won't comment on them here. Please pray for peace for us.

We just got internet today! Through the week I’ve been traveling a ton to take the computers to get fixed and to get groceries. All together I’ve probably logged over 500 miles so far in 3 days. No, that isn’t a record but more of a norm. I’m still debating on driving 220 miles tomorrow to get Daraby’s formula. I will have to get it soon because she will run out in 4 or 5 days. Traveling like we do comes with living in a remote area and having a baby that has special formulas and medicines. Yep- that is right she can’t get her medicine in town either. Most times I try to combine all the things I need to do and get it all done in one day. I call it my “marathon day.” Usually we leave the house around 8 AM and get home around 8 PM. By now Daraby is used to traveling and sleeping in the car seat. That doesn’t mean that she doesn’t get crabby after four hours of being in it but she does manage to get over it.

Through the week I’ve been trying to clean more items, organize our living space and take care of Daraby. She has started to eat 6 or more jars of baby food per day. That means I feed her 3 jars in the morning, 3 at noon and then 3 or more at night. I didn’t realize it took so much time to feed someone else. The bottle is much easier and cleaner but she loves the food from the jar. I can’t seem to feed her fast enough. Her little mouth hangs open like a bird and swings toward the spoon. She will really let me have it if she thinks I’m going to slow. It is a great time to bond and laugh. Aprons come in real handy since Dara sneezes every meal. That is why many of my shirts have tiny orange stains. It is a new fashion! So far she eats primarily orange and yellow foods. It is no wonder she doesn’t turn orange!

Besides traveling and feeding Daraby- I’ve been on the phone with more doctor’s offices, clinics, specialists etc… It has been a huge headache since there is a wide range of opinions and advice but no one will take Dara as a patient. All the Drs say she needs to be at least 2 years old before they will see her. Her age makes her a huge liability and treatments haven’t been tested on infants. For a while I was going to get her tested for toxins but after talking to several nurses, assistants and a chemist I realize it isn’t necessary to spend the money to prove that she was exposed to toxins. I already know that she was and that she inhaled them etc… I need to know what to do about her exposure.

Earlier this week I did get some much needed answers. To make a long story short a liaison to several different doctor offices in Denver told a retired chemist/pharmacist about our situation. That chemist/pharmacist called me back and talked to me about Daraby for over thirty minutes. No he had nothing to gain but he felt sorry for us and he has a ton of knowledge about the subject. Over 40 years ago when he was a pharmacist in TX their home was flooded and even though they cleaned up the water- mold still grew and he got very sick. In fact, they couldn’t have kids because of being exposed to toxic mold. That was over 30 years ago. When he realized it was mold that made him ill, he went back to school to get his doctorate in chemistry – he studied mold and the effects it has on people. He explained so many things about mold and how to take care of Daraby. He said it is extremely important to give her three things: clean air-HEPA filters, clean water and no chemical/fragrance exposure.

He said the first thing to do is move out (which we’ve already done) and make sure we never move back into a home with mold. Re-exposure to any molds will make her sicker than she has ever been. Every home we live in will need to be tested. Additionally the air in our home needs to be cleaned with a HEPA system so mold spores or dirt spores don’t linger in the air for her to breath. As a result of her exposure her immune system is weak and so the least amount of stress in best. Next he said she needs to have clean water that has no chlorination. He hates chlorine, bleach, Lysol and Windex. He says they are very powerful agents that will harm her delicate system. Lastly, he said to make sure she isn’t exposed to any chemicals or fragrances. That means don’t bleach her clothes, no scented lotion, no air fresheners, no scented laundry soaps, and no pesticides etc... He said by following these measures it will help boost her immune system to start repairing her body. He like many others said he didn’t know any Drs that would treat Daraby until she is two years old. He hopes that someday soon a pediatrician will be willing to learn about mold and start treating patients.

In the end he said the mold could have done irreparable damage but he is hopeful that her body will heal itself despite not getting treatments. Daraby has severe GERD/acid reflux and has a hard time digesting food. She isn’t allergic to foods but has a hard time breaking down food in her digestive tract. That is why she is on expensive formula. I am praying that her body will heal itself and she will out grow these issues in the next year.

Today she has been really crabby and broke out in a rash. I’m going nuts trying to find what has made her sick again. I suppose some item from the moldy house brought in mycotoxins or I had some fragrance or something. Tomorrow is a new day. Perhaps she will feel better.

Tomorrow Andrew’s parents and his brother Joel are coming to visit from MI for a week or so. We are excited! I’m trying to clean house and prep meals as much as I can. It will be wonderful for them to see Daraby! For once they will see her wonderful, loving side. YAY!