December, Part the First

1.12

For future reference, DRIVE to Malpensa. It’s about 2.5 hours. On the train between getting to Fidenza station (40 mins), train to Centrale (95 minutes), bus to Malpensa (60 minutes), and the associated wait times, it took the better part of 4 hours to get Ron to his plane, and 4 hours home again. Ugh.

3.12

Elise has been suffering from stomach stuff on and off for several weeks now. I spoke to Dr Wolfsdorf about it last week, and he said to get a celiac test, as her symptoms seem to indicate that. Since we were going to see Dr Chiari today anyway, I called and asked him to order a celiac test and full blood panel. Naturally, being Italy, it's not that easy. What he did was make up the prescription for the test. I had to make the appointment and buy the urinanalysis kit (!). Fortunately the test doesn't have to be done in Parma. We can go to Fidenza at 7:30 Wednesday morning and get her back to school by 9. So that's the plan. The test is expensive for those of us without national health - $190 - but it's important that we not wait. Aurora should also have a full blood panel done, but we should have our national health cards sometime in January, and we can have hers done for $10 then. QUITE the difference!

In anticipation of a positive diagnosis for celiac, we have bought a bunch of gluten-free pasta, crackers and flour. Elise was without gluten or milk today and says she feels much better. She has been complaining of stomachache and gassiness after most meals lately, and did not today. (For celiac webMD recommended that she also be without milk for 2 weeks until the intestine heals a little, then milk is ok again. In the short term, I'm treating for celiac since that seems to be working. She's unhappy about the no milk, but I pointed out that 2 weeks is no big deal. "Forever" is a little bigger deal. But then, "dead" is an even bigger deal, so we're going to work with it.)

Celiac is a common complication for T1DM patients. Fortunately, it is easy to control: just ditch all gluten. Wheat and barley are off the list permanently if indeed this is what it is. (Dr Chiari pointed out that there are several other GI issues, all of which will eventually resolve, that also respond well to reduced gluten in the diet, so I haven't given up ALL hope yet.) But hey, we all read labels obsessively at this point anyway, so it's just one more thing to look out for. With any luck it will force her to find more vegetables she likes!

Not much else to report. It snowed last night, just enough that there was snow in the grass in shadowy places (none on the road) and a BUNCH on the Alps. I wish I'd had my camera on our way to Parma this morning, as it was quite beautiful. We're planning a Christmas party for the older kids on Dec 15, with invitations to be delivered on Wednesday after Elise finally gets to school, and for the littler ones on the 16th. Not sure what I'm going to do with piles of random children for 2 hours on two days, but I'm sure we'll think of something.

5.12

We went and got the blood and urine panels done this morning. Elise felt very faint when it was all over and was feeling very ill by the time we got to school, so I dropped baby and brought her home. She slept all day and seems in better spirits now. She'll go to school tomorrow. Part of it I think was having to get up very early but not able to eat breakfast until very late -- she was 308 when we got home because I didn't want to give her any insulin lest she get low.

It's cold out, but hasn't been foggy the last couple days. There was an attempt at snow yesterday, but it became freezing rain briefly and then went away altogether -- no accumulation at all.

Parent-teacher meetings for the lower school today. All Rosie's teachers said she's VERY bright, VERY capable, and when she concentrates, an outstanding student. She just doesn't concentrate very often. I was appalled by the English teacher. Woman doesn't ACTUALLY speak English. She couldn't understand me at all. She's not convinced Rose speaks English because "she says she can't understand my accent. That's because my accent is British." No, it's because your accent is so heavily Italian and you mispronounce everything so significantly that *I* can barely understand you. Ugh.

The house is chilly upstairs so we stay downstairs, where it's quite lovely with the pellet stove. I'm experimenting with some more cooking things, especially a few gluten-free, in case celiac really is the diagnosis. I decreed tonight to be the first night of Hanukkah and made latkes and apple sauce. They turned out pretty well! Going to try frying a chicken in gluten-free flour this weekend.

Planning a Xmas party for Aurora's friends on the 15th. Was going to have one for Elise but she is not willing to do it. Aurora talks to her friends a goodish bit in something very close to Italian, so she is making good progress. Elise understands nearly everything, but is unwilling to talk. She is very lonely. I don't know how to help.

7.12

Snowing now but not terribly much - not a heavy blizzard or anything, more like the snow version of drizzle. Fortunately we don't have to be anywhere before Monday, so not too worried. Some slightly more christmas-y pix added distributed to the famille who celebrate same.

Elise has started her morning that last two days by drinking a couple of the anti-nausea mineral drinks the pediatrician gave her, and says she feels better. I'm keeping the gluten to a minimum too, but dehydration does seem to be a real issue with her. Wouldn't it be lovely if it turned out we just had to limit her gluten and give her gatorade every day?