Last night I was unable to sleep again. Each night it seems like it's for a different reason. Last night, I believe it was reason #749:
I thought reading a magazine before bed might help ease me into a restful slumber. In the magazine, however, I read about the alarming increase in the number of children with severe food allergies, to foods such as peanuts, tree nuts, etc. I know it has drastically increased in some of the surrounding school districts. Some believe it is caused by antibacterial soap and lack of exposure to germs in infancy. If that's the case, then Olivia is at a huge risk. I struggle with how to protect her best. Sometimes I don't know. I know I talk about how it's best not to worry about things, but that sounds better in theory than in practice.
Anyway, we were up bright and early because Olivia had another eye appt today. We now have to increase her patching to 6 hours a day. . which is most of her waking hours. It just breaks my heart. We go back in about 2 weeks for another checkup. I also learned that our eye doctor is leaving at the end of the summer. They are trying to replace him and there is only one other pediatric ophthamologist in our town. I've heard that if Olivia is going to need surgery to unblock her tear ducts, it's best performed between 12-14 months to be the most successful. . . .which is right when we'd be switching to a new doctor. I'm pretty stressed about the whole thing. I'm sure that will be reason #750 that keeps me awake tonight. . .
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Park City Utah
2 years ago
4 comments:
You could use regular soap. As long as you are washing your hands for long enough, the same amount of germs come off your hands that way as they do with the antibacterial soap. Purell is also OK because it is just alcohol based - basically, nothing can become immune to alcohol, so it's not perpetrating the problem that antibacterial soap causes. :)
HTH. We never used antibacterial soap at home with Sydney. Honestly, we were pretty laid back about taking her out - we lived with my parents and 5 younger siblings when we first came home from the NICU, we occasionally took her places, etc - and she didn't start getting sick a lot until after she was already 1. And at that point you're in therapy all the time and can't hide anyway. :) We just wash hands a lot and hope for the best.
-Sarah
http://sydney_lou_who.livejournal.com
I feel torn about the whole germ thing too. I think lots of preemie parents do. Now that RSV season is over, maybe you can start slowly exposing Olivia to the outside world, but I really don't think there's anything wrong with bringing your handiwipes or Purell and making sure things are clean. Eventually she'll get old enough and independent enough that she'll be into the germs and dirt before you can catch her. That's what stage we're at :-) I know it's hard not to worry, but you're doing a great job!
Isn't life ironic? I bet sometimes you feel like you just can't win. You protect Olivia brilliantly from getting sick, but now have to worry about allergies BECAUSE of it. She sleeps through the night like a champ, and you can't sleep at all. Irony. It should go away and not come back!
I will see you soon. I'm sorry you have to be stressed about the allergy thing and the eye doctor thing. Try to get some sleep. If not, Shelley and I will still put up with you even if you're crabby! See you soon!
Kerry
I know it's hard...but we started taking Jade out two months ago. For us, there was never really any choice. We have absolutely no family in Wichita. It's just Stephen and I, so, if I have to go to the store and he is at work...Jade has to go.
I'm trying really hard to not worry about her getting sick, just making sure that I don't get her overtired when I take her out.
Oddly enough, she loves restaurants with lots of noise. I think it has a lot to do with the whole NICU thing...so loud in there all the time.
The only thing I'm really careful about is other kids. Adults...I usually let them hold her without washing their hands unless they are sick...then...I ask them to refrain. But little kids I've been pretty careful of so far. I've let a few of the church kids near her.
I know you are big about the rodentia world, but it really might be a good idea to get a kitten. Everything I have read has said that having a cat in the house can really make a difference for the baby and allergies. It's just something to think about. We have two cats and two dogs, I don't let them crawl all over her, but I do think it is helping her immune system to have them around.
Finally, I wanted to share with you that I feel the same way every time I read a parents/baby magazine...there is always something in there that terrifies me...like the whole bottle thing. How can plastic bottles cause prostate/breast cancer...its just wild! Me, I'm still using them....I think that some of the "scare" things out there are just a bit too much for me to swallow.
Chin up...you are not alone!
~Lin
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