Gettin A Move On

It has been 8 months on GAPS intro stage 1. Ellie has lived on meat, broth, and zucchini for 8 months. She has grown, thrived, and never been healthier. Any person can live on a diet like this forever. But there is no way I want her stuck there. There have been so many times I have thought there must be something else. GAPS got her started, but what is the hang up? Back to my knees, and the science, and my support system, and we keep plugging forward. I keep hearing of other GAPS patients who take 2 full years before really seeing large jumps in healing and progress. Ellie is on the extreme side of that, so 2 years may even be an unrealistic goal. I tell myself that 2 years for a lifetime of eating is a drop in the bucket. But that is not an easy goal to hang on to.

And then this week something changed. By the grace of God I got another glimpse into her system when she ate some wretched dried green peas. Those peas tore her up and I prayed every night that it would not set us back months. And it didn't. Which was amazing in itself. Once she was symptom free we decided it was time to retry chicken broth. Two days before her eczema on her legs erupted into a nasty painful mess that looks more like hives. We recently stopped her nystatin because she reached the six month mark, but I have no idea if this is the cause. Should we wait?

GAPS progress is largely individual and based on the healing that has taken place. It is completely possible that the small amount of fiber Ellie is getting in her zucchini is keeping her from healing, and we may have to pull it. When I got that word from Dr. Natasha, I cried. 8 months of broth and healing and that? And then the pea incident.

Back on my knees I went. Pull the zucchini? Move forward? Once the basis of healing has begun in a GAPS patient, foods should be tolerated easier and at a 'quicker' pace. Other FPIES kids have moved much faster than Ellie. This time I feel it is different. I may be right, I may be wrong, but there are some changes that show me it is time to push forward.

Three days ago we started our third attempt at chicken broth, armed with lots of fat from the feet and added lamb tallow. These chickens have been fed grain, and guess what? SHE DID GREAT! This pass makes me want to do a dance with excitement. I am feeling the green light. It feels scarey and exciting, but I am hopeful at another milestone of feeding Ellie.

So what is next? We begin with one drop of fresh carrot juice a day. Carrot juice has anti-fungal properties and will help with candida which she battles. Carrot, butternut, and pumpkin are on the list. Maybe even onion. And I am thinking it is time for a trip back to the feeding specialist to find help getting her off the bottle and onto whatever is next.

Here we go Ellie! Here we go FINALLY gettin' a move on!