When things don't go to plan!

It's been a rollercoaster couple of weeks here on our few foods diet journey. K became unwell with a rather nasty urinary tract infection and ended up on strong antibiotics. She's allergic to penicillin and the one she was given didn't agree with her tummy unfortunately. This really messed up food trials since we couldn't properly trial whilst she was on them - for ten days.

To make matters worse, we were away for a few days - our only few days away this summer - and she desperately wanted to enjoy the treats her twin brother was able to have, however limited! He was brilliant, and we even had real tears of compassion on one occasion as he felt so sorry for his sister. We have also had tears from her, and meltdowns, anger, frustration and plain sadness. It's not an easy road.

On our third day away she ate nothing in protest, and then said she wanted some of my food that evening or she wasn't eating the next day either. She can be VERY stubborn!! In desperation I didn't stop her - and the vegetarian bean mixture she had two spoonfuls of caused her reflux and other symptoms to *really* flare. In some ways this was harder, because she had control, but it didn't do her any favours and she felt utterly defeated.

We've got over this (massive but not unexpected) hiccup and have since successfully trialled pea protein which is truly fabulous as she can soon hopefully have her Violife cheeses and the Wot no Dairy? yoghurts back. Coconut needs to be soon on the hit list to facilitate these, and apple. However since she  reacted to that meal of mine we also have a list of possible/probable culprits comprising onion, garlic, pepper, haricot beans and lentils to get through.

Diets like this are incredibly difficult for anyone, for kids it can seem arbitrary and unfair even if you totally agreed to it in the first place. When your peers, friends and twin BROTHER for goodnessake can eat lollies, chocolate and Haribo and you can't, the world is a very unfair place. We have limited his treats too - and ensure he has them out of sight but as she said today

"That's kind of irrelevant though, isn't it? Because I *know* he could have them, if you gave them to him. I have lost so many choices."

Out of the mouths of babes...

She did have a choice of course - this WAS her choice, and it's proving incredibly worthwhile. But that doesn't make it any easier, and although she will admit having significantly less reflux is "pretty cool", she's still a tweenager with attitude and I'm her emotional punchbag. And when you are that age, life is rarely "fair".

Distraction is definitely the best policy, and we are keeping busy!