On top of being deaf he has allergies - but not normal allegies...

On Wednesday we decided to get Troy allergy tested. That's right...any allergy test on a 10 month old! I couldn't stand it when Dean got his allergy test done at 6 years old, let alone a baby! However, the results of these tests turned out much different than I expected!

I am allergic to: dust, pollen, grass, leaves, trees, cat, dog, horse, bunny, hay, and mold. Let's just say that I am an environmental mess.

Dean (age 7) is allergic to: hay, corn husks, bunny, trees and dust

This means, I was CONVINCED that Troy would test positive for environmental factors. Whenever I wake up with dry, itchy eyes, his eyes are swollen. We got rid of our dog because whenever Troy would lay on the ground he would sneeze = allergic to dog, RIGHT?!?!

NOPE!!

TROY IS ALLERGIC TO:
MOLD, TOMATOES, PEAS, BANANAS, APPLES, & PEACHES!!

WHAT THE HECK!?!?!

That's right, my 10 month old son is very allergic to Mold & Tomatoes!! Who would have thunk? Apparently the peas, bananas, apples, & peaches are mild allergies that are causing his eczema and will more than likely go away with time. But it seems that mold and tomatoes will be around for a long time/lifetime.

Since Troy tested positive to Peas, this means that his is susceptible to anything in the "legume" family. Yup, we can not feed him any beans!

On top of all of this...the allergist informed me that he is susceptible to developing VERY severe food allergies to nuts and eggs! NUT ALLERGIES ARE INSANE!! So, to keep this from happening, he cannot eat eggs until the age of 2 and any nuts, shellfish or fish until the age of 3!

So, on top of our lives changing because he was deaf, we now have to deal with TOMATO allergies! No ketchup, pizza sauce, salsa, some bbq sauces, and spaghetti sauce (see the blog about the spaghetti I made him last week - OOPS! No wonder he ended up with a rash!)

That boy is a constant wonder!

Okay blog readers...I need your comments

Hello? Hello out there! Does anybody read my blog?

I started this to keep my family and friends informed of Troy's progress.

I used to get comments on each one of my posts.
Now I get none.

Yes, I need affirmation.
Yes, I need kind words - heck...I need ANY words!

If you read but can't comment, let me know by emailing me at Shelleyrae33@gmail.com

If nobody reads, I'm not going to keep writing this thing...

Last of the evaluations, now the waiting game...

Yesterday, Thom, Troy and I were BACK at the hospital for Troy's hearing aid evaluation.

Everything went well, minus the part when I snapped at the audiologist (oops!). I really didn't mean to, but it's hard as hell to get that little boy to wear his hearing aids! I know she wants what's best for him, but I also know she has not had to sit by a screaming 10 month old in his highchair for hours on end just so he won't pull out the hearing aids he hates so much. So when she told me 5 hours a week wasn't enough my response was "Well, it might not be a lot to you, but it's tons to us!" My husband then gave me that look that said you're being a jerk again. Oops! It's just so frusterating!

Anyways...Troy tested with his hearing aids on. I don't think that the test was very conclusive considering we set in a sound-proof triangluar room and she talked into the speakers and looked to see if he would turn to them. Well...YES he will turn to them if everytime you talk in the speakers they light up and have a Spongebob toy spin!! So I'm frusterated as hell, but I know we are done with the evaluations now.

At this point our ENT collects all the paperwork and sends it over to the insurance for approval. It's a long and frusterating waiting game, but it has to be done!! If you could send some prayers our way...I would greatly appreciate it!

Sometimes you have to be resourceful...

Troy's dinner the night of Thursday, July 23...

As Troy munched on an appetizer of veggies...
(side note: I found frozen cut up veggies at Save A Lot, just thaw out for 5-10 minutes and they are a perfect healthy snack for kids!)

I looked in my fridge to decide what to make him for dinner. I realized we didn't have much...

I decided to make some baby food from scratch. I boiled some water and added some spaghetti. Once I cooked it until it was super soft, I strained it, and put it in the food processor with some sauce and corn...

Instant Baby Food!!!!

End result...a kid who loves spaghetti!!!

Sienna's CI Surgery

To my dear family and friends,

This is a story about little Sienna. I am posting this story for you because I want you to catch a glimps of what October 14th will be like for Troy and the Stambaugh family...

Please visit Sienna's story here: Sienna's CI Surgery.

Random Picture Update

Troy with his sign teacher, Mrs. Jane.

Troy enjoying the melon I put in his mesh eater.

Being goofy...what's new??

Troy decided that he want to eat the turtle's head

NOT ME MONDAY!

A weekly forum to confess the things we would NEVER do (wink wink!):

I decided that since the doctor told me to start feeding Troy more finger food I would cut up some carrots into bite sized pieces and boil them until they could be easily mushed by his 3 baby teeth. Once on the stove I DID NOT completely forget they were there and went about my day as normal. 45 minutes later I DID NOT start to wonder what that burning smell was.

I DID NOT attempt to feed my child the burnt carrots...not once, but twice.

I have NOT decided that it is much easier to forgo all clothes on my 9 month old during the summer on the days I am home.

I DID NOT decide that since my 9 month old is doing so well on finger food, I would give him some of his brother's macaroni and cheese. No I am a better mom than this...I would never give my child dairy before 12 months.

4th of July (only 9 days late)

Yes, I admit, I am failing as a blogger. Heck, I don't even know if anybody reads these things anymore...but here goes another attempt.

4th of July in Ludington was great! We went up to see my dad's side of the family that we never get to spend time with (most of them had never met Troy before!)

Nana helping Troy wave to the parade.

Papa and Troy playing during the parade

Apparently the green cup was much more fun than watching the parade.

Dean, Brady and Daniella watching the parade (hoping for candy)

Nana and Troy

Waiting for the fireworks to start down at the marina...thankfully they put in a pretty cool playground that the kids played on.

Dean hanging out on the monkey bars

Dean and Brady waiting for the fireworks to start

Daniella loved the glowsticks all the aunts brought.

Troy and I watching the fireworks (yes...he stayed awake)

Watching Troy to see if he was watching the fireworks :)