Update on Logan - Eosinophilic Colitis

Logan has been through a lot this last month. He started out by having blood in his stool in Washington, accompanied by a cold that lasted 2 1/2 weeks....just as I thought he was getting better, he picked up RSV.  Logan has been to the ER twice and then to the doctor 4 other times. Poor guy! He has been through so much congestion, endless coughing, diarrhea, dehydration, wheezing, runny nose, vomiting, and I'm sure more, but I can't think of them right now. Reminder this was all within the past 4 weeks! He has been sick for 4 weeks!!!!! Let me just say I'm SOO ready to have a happy, healthy boy back. Logan still smiles at us every day, but isn't 100% himself and I just want that back. At the doctors today his pediatrician told us that his stats are at 100% and he is really getting better, compared to what his stats were on Friday. We can stop doing the Albuterol treatment (nebulizer) because his wheezing is gone, but if we need to use it because his coughing gets really bad we can. His runny nose/congestion is dwindling and I'm not having to suction his nose out as much anymore. He still has an ear infection, but the antibiotics he has to take seem to be helping.

This past weekend I noticed Logan hadn't been eating as much which made me a little concerned. I tried nursing him, pumping bottles for him, tried to give him pedialyte, and tried giving him solids, but whatever we gave him he still wouldn't eat very much or spit it all up. I was really worried he was dehydrated again so I took him into the doctor today. They probably know me by first and last name at his doctors office because I've been in 3 times within the past week. I guess I'm just that "overly concerned parent", but I'd rather be that than a parent that isn't at all involved with their child. Every doctors appt. that we have been at this past month has been with every other doctor and nurse but his pediatrician. Today I wasn't going to meet with any other doctor but his since we haven't seen her for 2 months and I really want to fill her in on everything. I called the nurse today to fill them in on everything and see what I could do to try and get Logan to eat something.

She set me up with an appt. to meet with Logan's pediatrician this afternoon and let's just say his pediatrician is my favorite! This lady knows her stuff (as should every doctor). Ask her anything, whether it be about vaccinations, certain behavior, etc. she could go on for hours just about one thing you ask her. So today I was filling her in about what has been going on with Logan since we saw her at his 4 month check-up....I was telling her about the blood in the stools thing that happened back around New Years and she asked me a lot of questions and then told me Logan has something called eosinophilic colitis. Yeah, I had never heard of it before either....you can find more about it here. Basically what I got from his doctor is Logan has an immature GI tract (all infants do, but it affects some more than others) and it makes it really hard for him to process certain foods. His body is sensitive to certain foods and rejects the foods that irritate him (diahrrea/vomiting). This "disorder" will be outgrown in the future, but for now it makes it really hard for him to gain weight based off of the foods I'm eating. Since Logan has been "diagnosed" with eosinophilic colitis I have to be put on a very strict diet while I'm nursing him. I don't know how long I'll last on this "diet" but the longer I can last the better so I don't have to buy the special formula he would need. Basically his doctor gave me a list of things I can and cannot eat.....here is the list she gave me....

Cannot Eat:
Dairy
Red Meat
Fish
Soy
Nuts (no almond milk)
Berries (strawberries/blackberries)
Flowered Veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts)
Headed Veggies (lettuce/cabbage)
Chocolate
Peanut Butter

Can Eat:
Potatoes
Wheat
Rice
Chicken
Pork
Pasta
Most veggies
Corn: limited
Most fruits 
Need to take TUMS 3x a day to get calcium

So yeah basically my diet is super restricted and I don't have many choices. I've already lost 10 lbs. from being dairy free so this has got to help me lose 2 more lbs. to be back to pre-pregnancy weight :) I'm really hoping that by being on this "diet" Logan can start gaining some weight and he won't be suffering as much anymore. He's been through too much and I really want him to be a easy-going baby again.

I'm really glad we finally have some answers as to why he had blood in his stools and why he has been acting the way he has with certain foods I eat. I'm grateful for all of you who have been praying for Logan. From what the doctor said today he seems to be getting better and hopefully he won't be sick again for a long, long time.

P.S. If any of you moms reading this have had kids who had this as an infant I could really use some ideas for meals I can make that I won't get sick of.