Feeling overwhelmed with chronie & celiac at home

My husband was diagnosed with Crohn's 8 years ago. My husband was relatively healthy (though often tired) when we met 17 years ago.We have daughters who are 6 and 3. We just found out our 3 year old has celiac disease. We are finally managing that. I've felt like a single mother many times. I do everything at home to ensure my husband is healthy enough to work. Now a lot of energy is spent on figuring out what to feed my daughter. I have to cook completely different and have stopped even making food for my husband since he's had many flair ups & eats things my 3 year old cannot. I'm overwhelmed. Her celiac disease is serious. Affecting her moods, her skin (bleeding blisters) and bowels. I don't feel I can complain to my husband because when he's "healthy" he helps out so much. He tries so hard. I can't tell him how alone I feel. I tried once and it made hurt him. He said he was so sorry and felt he failed me. I've never told him anything close to that again. I don't feel any friends or family understand my situation. Everyday, all day long I worry about what goes in my daughters mouth or if my husband will come home and pass out with just a kiss hello. I'm sorry to lay this all out, but I need to put it out there in the chance someone else understands. Thank you anyone who read this.

Hello Ladyshawn,

I'm really sorry that your family is going through this but you are not alone and you are among friends here. My cousin is a celiac and was very sick until he was diagnosed. He had his daughters tested and the younger girl is also a celiac. Because of this he and his wife decided to make their home completely gluten free. My cousin has recovered fully and his daughter has been thriving.It is a little more difficult when they go out but they have found several gluten free restaurants. The extended family always keeps them in mind when entertaining. I was diagnosed with crohns a few years ago and like many who visit this website we learn what we can and can't eat by trial and error. Each of us have different reactions to certain foods. In your situation you face a slightly more complicated cooking situation but your daughter's health must be managed by you because she is not old enough. There are celiac forums that can help with ideas and recipes. Please work together with your husband and explain your situation to family and close friends so that you don't feel so alone. Hopefully they will respond with compassion.

Alan

Thank you so much.

There is a forum just for spouses of crohn's partners. Go to main forum page and post there and you will get responses I'm sure. I am so sorry for what you are going through. Hope you get the kind support of many people. God bless!

I'm sorry you are struggling so much, I can't begin tor imagine how you feel as a wife and a parent dealing with all of this.
I found this cookbook on Amazon.com, it has recipes for Crohn's, Celiac's, Colitis, and IBS, take a look through it or google recipes to try and appease everyone's diets.
http://www.amazon.com/Healing-Foods...74054918&sr=8-2&keywords=cooking+with+crohn's
On another note, you have to remember to take care of yourself as well. Unfortunatley you have to be strong for the family, they need you, but you need you too. Try to take some time out every week, even if its for an hour, to do something just for you. GO get a pedicure or a massage or something as simple as taking a long walk through the woods or a pond or something. Weekly or bi-weekly therapy might also be a good option. I know you don't want to talk to your husband about the way you feel, and that I totally understand, but you can't bottle your feelings either.
EDIT: I just saw your from Texas! I have never been to San Antonio but I have heard good things about it. I live north of Dallas so quite a bit a ways away

I will definitely check out that book. Cooking is a huge burden when in still new at the celiac part of things. Everything's been bland to me and my 6 year old. You're definitely right about making time for me. I'm usually to tired to, but I will just make it a priority like cleaning the house or laundry Thank you so much for your ideas and encouragement. Sometimes we just need to hear someone say they understand. Thank you again for the book idea. I have a few celiac cookbooks but they aren't always comparable with my family.

Without an illness even, I can attest to the fact that revamping one's diet is challenging.
Our family was pretty much meat and potatoes, then we went veg, then I went vegan, then 1 of my kids went vegan, then husband began including fish again, then oldest became an omni again when she got Crohn's (SCD) and recently son who's been a life long veg was recently diagnosed with Crohn's and is trying to consider the possibility of adding meat to his diet, but he really doesn't see meat as food.

Now, husband has been getting a lot of heartburn and I mean A LOT and has a new list of foods he can't eat. It's been crazy. :eek2:

My husband is vegetarian, but thankfully Ellie is good with eating just chicken and fish. Red meat always upset my stomach. It's been 20 years since I ate any. Ellie is now a horribly picky eater since everything hurt her so much, she still thinks anything new will hurt her. It can take a week to convince her to even taste a new good. I think/hope this will go away when she is continually healthy without gluten. Food is kind of a pain for me right now. I'm glad there a cookbooks to help celiacs and chronies

Hi Ladyshawn,

I hope you have found some help on the Crohn's Forum. At 6 Ellie might be old enough for you to include her in some of the easier tasks involved in preparing gluten free food. She may feel more comfortable trying things she helps put together. The following recipe is easy and fun to make and gluten free if you can get the Gluten Free Rice Krispies. The second recipe is one I make all the time as it is fast to make and lasts a long time in the fridge. The dairy doesn't bother my crohn's and hopefully your husband will like it. It is a good source of protein and is also gluten free. You would need a food processor to make it.


Krispy Bars

1 cup lite corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup lite brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
4 - 4 1/2 cups rice krispies (Use gluten free Rice Krispies)
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter

Coat 9x13 pan with wax paper.

Combine corn syrup and sugar over medium heat. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla. Mix well. Add cereal, combine well, spread, chill. Cut when cold.

Ricotta Pudding

1x 3 lb. container Whole milk ricotta cheese (Sorrento is a good brand)
1 cup Splenda (or sugar if you don't like the artificial sweeteners)
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla

Place all ingredients in the processor and process until smooth (less than 1 minute)

I return it to the cheese container and keep it in the fridge. Serving size is 1/2 to 3/4 cup and you can top it with fruits like blueberries. My Crohn's Dr. doesn't want me to eat raw fruit so I sprinkle a few chocolate chips on top. It makes a special dessert but I like it for breakfast too.

All the best,

Alan

Wow! That does sound good! Something they both could eat. I will definitely test it out. Thanks!

Hi and welcome.
My Grace (4yrs old) has a secondary disease that effect what she can and can't have.
I feel for ya.
My girl can't even eat yet and I'm already thinking about what to make.
I also have a wonderful hubby but the ONE area he doesn't budge on is his food, he wants his sweets and meats (in that order).

KFA (Kids with food allergies) has a wonderful site of recipes and advice. It's free to sign up.

Pm me any time.