William and I have been at the Ronald McDonald House (RMH) for 2 days. Besides the expected loss of appetite, reduced energy levels and emotional sensitivity, William is doing okay. Due to neutropenia there is a need to limit William’s contact with the other families in the RHM; William is understanding about the restriction, but not happy about it. I would appreciate some ideas on how I can keep Sir. William entertainment while still abiding by all of the restrictions and rules.
In preparation for the Bone Marrow Transplant that will hopefully start in a 3-4 weeks, I am slowly transitioning William into the low-bac diet. A low-bacteria diet excludes foods that are most likely to contain bacteria or other infection-causing microorganisms. The BMT team at City of Hope has provided me with a 1 inch binder filled with rules, guidelines, tips and FYI’s regarding the diet. To give you an idea of what we are facing, I have listed a few of our new every-day nutrition rules.
•Food may not be prepared, warmed or cooked using a microwave or barbeque. All food must be prepared on stove top, oven, deep fryer, double boiler, and/or toaster.
•Don’t drink well or spring water that has not been tested. RECOMMENDED that only purified bottled water be consumed.
•Before opening cans and bottles, wash the outside with soap and warm water.
•Avoid the following foods: aged or ripened cheeses such as blue, goat cheese, feta, or brie; eggs with cracked shells or eggs that are not cooked all the way; nuts or trail mix; pickled fish; raw eggs or homemade eggnog; raw fish, lox, or sushi; raw, rare, or undercooked meats and poultry; raw or fresh-ground peanut butter; tofu, tempeh, or other aged soy foods, such as miso.
•Select pasteurized milk, pasteurized yogurt, ice cream or frozen yogurt, pudding, or custard.
•Avoid raw or farm-fresh milk, raw yogurt, raw milk cheese, and raw milk ice cream. Avoid aged or ripened cheeses.
•Select the following foods, prepared and packaged: Bread, rolls, muffins, hot dog or hamburger buns; cooked rice or pasta; dry cereal; cooked cereal; mashed potatoes; baked potatoes; saltine crackers; graham crackers; popcorn; potato or corn chips.
•Select cooked vegetables, canned vegetables, canned vegetable juice, and canned tomato sauce or paste.
•Avoid raw vegetables; pickled vegetables such as olives, onions, pickles, or pickled cabbage; tossed salads with raw greens and vegetables; freshly squeezed vegetable juices.
•Select canned fruit or applesauce; canned fruit juice or nectar; peeled thick-skinned fruits such as bananas, oranges, grapefruits, and melons. Wash melons after peeling them.
•Avoid fresh fruits with thin and/or textured skins such as peaches, nectarines, plums, cantaloupe, pineapple etc. Avoid raw juices made from fresh fruits.
•Avoid desserts with coconut, raw fruits, raw nuts, and raw honey. Also, avoid constructed desserts. These are handled a lot when they’re made.
The Ph Balanced, organic, sugar free diet that William was on is obviously something that has to be done away with. Unlike me, William is thrilled with the knowledge that he will once again be able to eat Chef Boyardee and Kraft Mac n Cheese. I must admit, there is some relieve in knowing that this will be a more affordable diet to go grocery shopping for.
For those that have not yet noticed it, there is a new page tab listed at the top labeled September. September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month so I encourage everyone to please take a look at the page and share the information with as many people as possible.
Eleanor Roosevelt said "You gain strength , courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face." By definition of that statement, all MomCologists and DadCologists are super powered heroes, and it is in recognition of that strength and courage that I wanted to share the poem below with everyone.
I am wearing a pair of shoes.
They are ugly shoes.
Uncomfortable Shoes.
I hate my shoes.
Each day I wear them, and each day I wish I had another pair.
Some days my shoes hurt so bad that I do not think I can take another step.
Yet, I continue to wear them.
I get funny looks wearing these shoes.
They are looks of sympathy.
I can tell in others eyes that they are glad they are my shoes and not theirs.
They never talk about my shoes.
To learn how awful my shoes are might make them uncomfortable.
To truly understand these shoes you must walk in them.
But, once you put them on, you can never take them off.
I now realize that I am not the only one who wears these shoes.
There are many pairs in the world.
Some women are like me and ache daily as they try and walk in them.
Some have learned how to walk in them so they don’t hurt quite as much.
Some have worn the shoes so long that days will go by
before they think of how much they hurt.
No woman deserves to wear these shoes.
Yet, because of the shoes I am a stronger woman.
These shoes have given me the strength to face anything.
They have made me who I am.
I will forever walk in the shoes of a woman who's child was diagnosed with cancer.
This is William's journey and we will Keep on Keepin on' and Live Strong with God in our hearts and courage in our souls.
