Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Apples and Oranges and Beets and Tomatoes

As some of you know, Frank has been struggling with a skin-for-lack-of-a-better-word-condition for almost a year now. We have been through two dermatologists, an allergist and a rheumatologist, and in the end, they have all thrown various steroids and creams and antihistamines his direction and shrugged. Nothing really worked to make it better. Steroids would beat it back temporarily but it would resurface as soon as he stopped taking them. No one has any idea what might be causing it.

Yesterday Frank hooked back up with the general practitioner we both love, who looked over what all the specialists had done and said "I think this is a food allergy." Not a simple food allergy like "no shellfish for you" but a complicated cross reaction that could be anything.

So, Frank is now on an elimination diet. Nothing but fresh, raw fruit and vegetables for the next 14 days. One fruit and one vegetable per day and he cannot repeat either the next day.

This has thrown me into a tailspin. We are a foodie family. We cook. We eat. If we're not cooking or eating, we are talking about what we're going to cook and eat next.

I have been cooking for almost ten years for a family of three plus leftovers for the next day's lunch. I believe I'll have to half most of my recipes if I'm only cooking them for me & Max. How will we eat our plates of pasta while Frank sits at the table with a plate full of raw carrots?!

We will do anything, of course, to get to the bottom of what has been plaguing Frank. (I think he's secretly thrilled at the idea of eating a big plate of raw beets.)

Today he's eating carrots and bananas. I'll keep you posted.

4 comments:

  1. Tell Frank we'll be thinking about him & hoping for a speedy diagnosis & recovery!
    We had to really change the way we cook, too--because we are down to just 3 of us at home!
    blessings,
    Wendy

    ReplyDelete
  2. "Nothing but fresh, raw fruit and vegetables for the next 14 days." Well, that IS an elimination diet! ;)
    I guess you guys have checked laundry detergents and softeners, too? That stuff causes some rashes here. I run everything through a second rinse, now.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks, Laura. We've been fabric softener free forever and use only the mildest of fragrance and dye free soap - plus I'm a big proponent of the 2nd rinse too! I actually went several weeks washing Frank's clothes only in water but it didn't make a bit of difference.

    We're hoping this approach will help us solve the mystery.

    ReplyDelete