Monday, May 24, 2010

Maggie Allergy Update

The big girls (K and M) and I headed to Topeka today to meet with Allergy Doc at Cotton O'Neill Clinic, to try to get some answers or confirmation or denials about Maggie's food allergies. Well, I say food allergy, but it is actually a food intolerance for lactose (dairy) and sucrose (table sugar), and an allergy to cinnamon. Doc said that we're doing the right thing, that she could most likely outgrow both the intolerances, that it sounds like she's a bit hypoglycemic, just like her mama. They also did a lung capacity test that she more-or-less failed. After a breathing treatment, her lung capacity improved nearly 20 percent. So, Miss Mags is back on advair and a steroid for awhile. The improved breathing should help her get a more restful sleep and in turn improve the behaviors we've seen lately.

Now, I'm not blaming her bad behavior totally on her health. But, when she knows it's wrong and just can't control her body, when she is acting so un-Maggie-like that our friends' jaws drop, then something must be going on. It's nice to hear that maybe there is a relatively simple fix.

And while we were in the big town of Topeka, we shopped for Katie's 4-H buymanship outfit. The buymanship project did its job today. We talked about price, value, fabric, wear-and-tear, versatility, why not to buy white shorts, what makes a good fit, and all that good stuff. We found an outfit that will probably be returned now, and we definitely got sticker shock. When 98 percent of the girls' clothes come from garage sales, hand-me-downs, or ultra-clearance sales, buying stuff full-price seems insane. $18.50 for a shirt!?!? That's how much I paid for 15 pairs of jeans earlier this spring. Katie said more than once, "Oh, that's why we buy our clothes at garage sales!"

All in all, a good, full day to start the summer.

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