I need help...

It's been a long time between posts, not because I am waning in my enthusiasm for all things I ramble about on my blog, but because life has, as it usually does, become very busy and somewhat worrisome.

arm/elbow

Miss K's continuing fight with eczema has really had us run ragged. Last month she was covered in spots and scratching like a cat with an infestation of mutant fleas. The doctor encouraged us to lather her in emollient and apply hydrocortozoin (on and off for two weeks). We had follow up, after follow up - eventually, after an additional course of antibiotics, it began to clear. 


Until two weeks ago. Yet again, my gorgeous wee four year old has become a walking spotted child, who has been scratching and itching all day and at all hours of the night. We had two days off kindy last week because I could see that all the waking at night from the itching was exhausting her. Her tiny body is trying to fight whatever it is that causes this outbreak. Every night I have been up two or three times to bathe her in pineotarsal, then lather her in special cream. By mid-week I too was exhausted. Apparently my usually 'zing' had gone and I was even described as looking 'harried'!



Top of thigh



Sleep deprivation is not a good thing for anyone. I know the impact that it has on me, and I know what impact that has on my kids and family. Mr T is full on with his work commitments at the moment and is often away during the week and weekends. Being in The Arts, this is quite often the nature of his world - it's not always like this, but it can be particularly tough when the kids are not themselves. After Master A was born, I struggled with post-natal depression (PND) for a good 18 months, and I'm very wary about letting myself get too run down, and missing too many Zumba classes (as I have been), because I start to get very cranky and irritable (as I have been).

So I changed doctors for every one's sake. We are now going to Natural Healing in Raumati, with a more holistic doctor, who heard all of Miss K's medical history (including phlegmy cough, pneumonia last year, continued eczema, etc etc). He checked out my little girl and believes that she has a dairy intolerance. This actually came as some relief because it's given me somewhere to start to try and make things better. No child should suffer what she is going through. While the photos here show the eczema, strangely, it doesn't really reflect its severity.

I have been given oodles of advice and suggestions - some which I have tried, and all that has been offered with love and concern. The variants in triggers for eczema are huge - from dust mites to perfumed soaps, wash powders to sugar, dairy and wheat. The treatments to soothe and heal are just as amazing, and we find just as one seems to be effective, the darn eczema beats us and we need to move onto something else. So I am not asking for additional help with preventing or curing it (yet), but sites on info are welcome.

What is it that I need help with?

Firstly, I have found the struggle to nurse Mis K, hold down a part-time job, begin a new short-term contract, do a writing course, be a mother to Mr A and a wife to Mr T, as well as juggle a few crafty causes, is getting too much for me on such little sleep. I am learning (albeit very slowly), that I need to know when things are too much and to ask for help (this has taken 37 years and I'm still pretty crap at it), otherwise, I erupt and it ain't pretty. I don't want to give up on  FromNZwithLove and Xmas4Christchurch - there is still plenty of time to get these underway, yet I do need help. I need help to spread the word and encourage people to donate/pledge for the 100in100Days Challenge. I need help to contact bloggers, crafters, and stores to spread the word and generate goodies...I would be very, very grateful if anyone would be willing to give me a hand.

Secondly, with going Dairy Free (at least for three weeks to see how the eczema responds), I need to research alternatives and to find good, kid-friendly recipes. Dairy-free catering eateries in the Wellington/Kapiti region would also be appreciated. You can email me on hapachica at gmail dot com or post a comment. I'll be blogging about the recipes I do try.

We went to a birthday party at OneRedDog on the Waterfront today. Miss K was very brave and wanted to attend, despite knowing she would not be able to eat pizza or have ice-cream. It was going to be worth it for jelly, which was listed on their kids menu. Well, what do you know? The surly, non-smiling waitress advised us they were all out of jelly. All out of jelly? On a Sunday, when lots of families might eat out? How does one end up 'all out of jelly'? It's not like asking for cherries in the middle of winter! So nope, not recommending OneRedDog on the Waterfront, especially not for a four year old who is bravely forgoing her favourite foods!

We are at day 3 on the dairy free. I am getting a little more sleep, and I really look forward to hearing from you :-)

Somewhere in between all the itching, scratching, baths and new diet I managed to sew a few items for a young local man to take to an orphanage he's visiting during the school holidays. I had hoped to do more, but well....

Finger puppets

Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs modelled off the work of our wonderful friend Nerissa O'Donnell (Check her out on felt)