Entry 90: 49!!!!!!!

 My new favorite number!

Medical info: So calprotectin is a test they do and you have to bring in a frozen stool sample. This was the test that alerted us that Harper’s struggles this summer were most likely Crohn’s. The first time I checked the results for this test was in August while I was sitting in the pediatrician’s office. I cried. Normal range is 50 or less, 50-120 is borderline. Harper’s was a whopping 4,560. This meant back on the medical rollercoaster. This meant so many new unknowns. Tears because ugh!!!! And because researching Crohn’s is scary.

Fast-forward to today. Today is week 13 of using food as medicine. We’ve both been doing the Specific Carbohydrate Diet super strictly. Harper has had to make many sacrifices, figure out new normals, and just suck it up a lot these past three months. She’s really expanded her pallet and thanks to our chef, Dot, we have so many delicious options. Harper retested and did bloodwork on December 27th. Of course I’ve been checking every day. Bloodwork came back looking pretty good according to my untrained eye and the ranges they give, but we kept waiting for calprotectin. I kept telling myself I’d be happy with anything under 500 reasoning that these things take time. Gut healing and such. Well friends, you can imagine the tears when I opened the app and the number was 49!!!!!!!! The word normal next to it. What the what?!?!? This is all worth it. I know there is a lot ahead of us and things can always change. But how incredible is the power of being fortunate enough to use food as medicine and avoid the harsher meds while we can. I have to keep telling myself that if we need biologics (immunosuppressant meds to treat Crohn’s) one day it won’t be a failure, but how exciting that today is not that day!!!

I’ve known my girl is resilient however being different in third grade is hard. Never having a cheat day to look forward to is hard. Missing bagels and cream cheese (her number one want) is hard. But this girl is rocking it and it is so so worth it! “Mom can you please make me kale chips?” This is a quote from Harper today that never would have been uttered three months ago. 

Although of course no Crohn’s would be better, it feels pretty darn good that this little chick can do hard things, have amazing results, get to feel better, and keep a pretty good attitude most days! Hallelujah!!! A special thanks to all the parents who have done this diet before us, have done the research, post great recipes online, and tips and tricks on the Facebook group. It is such a needed resource. Also did I mention I’d be in the fetal position on the kitchen floor if I had to do all the cooking?! So thankful for Josh! 

But by the way, 49!!!!!!!!!! 

Disclaimer: We don’t meet with the doctor until the end of January so who knows what will happen then. For now we celebrate 49!!!!!!!!