Yummy Chicken Casserole ~ SCD Compliant

This is one of our favourite recipes from the 
Specific Carbohydrate Diet ~ otherwise known as the SCD.
I always bake it in a 9 x 11 inch pan and cut it up 
into single serving portions and freeze them for future use.
It is so handy to have such a lovely meal to pull out as needed.

Today, I am posting my version of the recipe originally 
found in one of my favourite cookbooks for the SCD.
I'm sharing because I promised my sweet friend I would ~
So, as promised, sweet friend...here it is!  :)

This chicken casserole is gluten-free and Crohn's friendly
and it's yummy as well.  You can't miss!

Think, meatloaf meets fancy chicken salad ~ baked.

I severely altered the original recipe.
No slight on the girl who wrote the book ~
She creates fabulous recipes!
(One of the reasons why I love it).



~ Chicken Meatloaf ~

4 cups cooked chicken meat ~ diced
3 large eggs ~ beaten
2 shallots (tiny little onion-looking things) ~ peeled and minced
1/2 cup shredded carrot ~ shredded like cheese
1 sweet bell pepper (red, yellow or orange) ~ diced
1 cup fresh shiitake mushrooms ~ cleaned and diced
1/4 tsp powdered ginger
2 cloves fresh garlic ~ minced
1/2 tsp ground coriander seed
1/2 cup green (spring) onions ~ chopped
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup butter ~ melted
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

**If you don't do well with milk products, 
you could omit both the butter and the cheddar.
Substitute extra virgin coconut oil for the butter and leave out the cheese ~
It will still turn out wonderful.  Enjoy!  :)



Put all ingredients together in a large bowl.
Mix together well ~ with bare hands is best.
Press into a parchment paper lined 9 x 11 inch glass baking dish.
Bake uncovered at 375 degrees F for 50 minutes until golden brown on edges.
Let stand 10 minutes in the baking dish prior to serving.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.



Serve hot with a side of rice (not SCD recommended),
or quinoa and freshly steamed vegetables or a salad.  Yummy!
I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Many Blessings,
Camille

**This would also be THM compliant ~ S category**

Slow and Steady ~ An Update

The progress with Austin has been slow and steady.

Two steps forward and one step back at times, or so it would seem.

It's been quite a journey and one in which we find ourselves

looking to the Lord each step of the way ~ a good thing, really.

Isn't that how we always ought to live?

Day by day.  Moment by moment.  Step by step.

Yes, I believe it is.  

As a Christian, it's through these sorts of situations 

that we are taught this valuable lesson.

We will learn it until the day we go to be with our Saviour.

We will not arrive until we close our eyes in death.

How precious it is to know that He knows.

To know that He cares.  To know that He will carry us through.

Since our recent low point with Austin

two months ago, he has gained 18 pounds.

He now weighs in at 110 ~ he's nearly six feet tall.

Obviously, he is still underweight, but far better off than he was.

Needless to say, we were very concerned when his weight plummeted.

It was absolutely terrifying.

We prayed and asked the Lord what to do next and we waited.

A few days later Howie had a business meeting ~

the business person discovered some of our story

and loaned us a book which I subsequently devoured.

We were desperate and felt that the suggestion of

an elemental diet was the next step to take.

That's what we've been doing.

Austin was able to tolerate and receive the nutrition.

Day after day he grew stronger ~ very, very slowly.

His weight inched up ounce by ounce.

It's been an uphill battle these last two months.

There have been good days and bad ones,

but, overall the good outweighs the bad.

What a blessing.

The road ahead is still a long one.

We must battle through one day at a time.
We know that wherever this road leads the Lord walks it with us.
He goes before us.  We have nothing to fear.
He has proven to be Faithful over and over and over again.

Currently, Austin continues to put on weight ~ however, 

he is growing weary of the way in which he must nourish his body.

It's not for the faint of heart or weak in spirit, that's for sure!

We so covet the prayers of God's people.

We are thankful for each one of you who has

written and inquired and prayed ~ you are a blessing!

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

May the Lord's will continually be done.

May He give us the grace we need to seek Him first.

With Love,
Camille

12.2 ~ An Update

We are so thankful for each of you who have been checking in with us
and praying for Austin ~ you bless our hearts!
It's been a few weeks since my last update, so it's time.
Thank you for your patience with us and for loving us through this season.

Things have slowly been going in the right direction.

Austin has gained weight ounce by ounce over the weeks.

He is coming back to us slowly.

And we live.  One day at a time.
How precious and precarious life is.

Through it all, we are conscious of the fact that
our God is Great and does all things well.

In the last nearly six weeks, Austin has gained
12.2 pounds ~ isn't that wonderful?
Please join with us in rejoicing over this answer to prayer.
Praise our Great God for His mercies ~ they are new every morning.
We are praying for a further gain of 15 to 20 pounds.
Although we ask for this, we seek to submit continually 
to our Loving Heavenly Father's will and timing in all of these things.

On another note ~ Austin's iron levels are too low.

The next step in this journey is to try yet another supplement
to avoid going the transfusion route.
Please pray along with us that this iron will be accepted
by Austin's body, and that it will improve his overall well-being.

We stay the course and plod along.

Grateful for every improvement and every advance ~

no matter how small or incremental.

Over time, they all add up to great strides forward.

We are thankful for each new day.  For each new grace given.

Thankful, too, that we do not walk this path alone.

It's been a journey.

It has not come to an end and it is not near its end.

How precious life is.  How blessed we are.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support.

It is amazing to belong to the Family of our Great God.

We will praise Him together forever ~ isn't that an incredible thought?

With love and grateful thanks,
Camille

7.6 Pounds ~ An Update

During Austin's recent crisis in his struggle with DCM and Crohn's,

we sought the LORD as to what He would have us do next.

Day by day, He leads.  Moment by moment, He is Faithful.

Where would we be without Him?

Last Friday, Howie and Austin visited with the 
Heart Failure Specialist at Children's Hospital.

This particular Cardiologist made it very clear that he 
does not expect Austin's heart to recover.

He only hopes that it will not get any worse.

Our Electrophysiologist, however, has a
conflicting opinion about Austin's prognosis ~ 
she believes his heart could recover some of its function.
Austin's pacemaker is therapeutic ~
its purpose is to facilitate improved heart function 
over time with ongoing treatment.
However, neither specialist knows the future for Austin.

We serve a Great God, and He alone holds the future.

Our hope does not lie in man or medicines or devices.

Our hope lies in the LORD of the Universe!

Whatever He deems best is what we seek after.

By His grace.  For His glory.

It's easy to demand what we want.
To dig our heels in and say we will accept nothing less than a miracle.

But, we do not command God.  

He is the Potter.  We are the clay.

We must submit to His way with us ~ it is best.

May we remember this.  Always.

Even when the valley is deep, the path long, 
and the sorrow nearly crushing.

We must remember.  He is Good.

In recent weeks we have employed another

set of means to help settle the Crohn's down.

It appears to be working well.

Austin has gained 7.6 pounds in three weeks.

He is encouraged.  So are we.  

The Lord has led us each step of this journey.

We look to Him to make these means a blessing to our son.

Reducing the heart medicines has also produced some good results.

We are so thankful that the Lord has gone before us in these things.
So thankful that He prepared the hearts and minds of the
physicians who care for Austin.

It's all such a blessing and an answer to prayer.
It seems that once again, the tide may be turning.
There still is a long way to go, but, the initial signs have been good.

Eleven months ago, we were rejoicing to see
our son thriving after nearly losing him.
How quickly the change was wrought in his physical body.
It was a glimpse of how life was prior to any of these challenges.
Only a few months later, however, a decline in Austin's health began.

It surely has been a roller-coaster, but, 
our Precious Saviour has carried us through at every turn.
I can testify to the fact that He never leaves us nor forsakes us.
Wherever He leads, He gives the grace and strength required for the journey.

How blessed we are to belong to Him!
Wherever this path ends up, we have confidence that
He will lead and guide for our good, and for His glory.
There really is nothing to fear and everything to hope.
Because He is Good.  Always.

Thank you so much for praying for our family.
We are thankful for all the loving care and concern shown to us.
May the LORD bless you each one.

With Love,
Camille

Low Point ~ An Update

We are at a low point with Austin on 

his journey with Crohn's Disease and Dilated Cardiomyopathy.

Very low.  It's actually been frightening to watch him struggle.

His weight got to the lowest ever two weeks ago.
We continue to pray and seek the LORD at every turn.

There have been many bends in this road.
Humanly speaking, we are weary.  Very weary.

But, God's grace is sufficient in the midst of it all.

When Austin's weight reached its lowest point,
we took him to emergency expecting to admit him,
but, they felt he was well enough to go home with us.
We took him home and continued with the course
of treatment we were on.  We continued to pray.
In the last two weeks he has gained four pounds.
He is still far below his ideal weight,
but, we are grateful for any additional pounds.

We praise the LORD for His mercies!

Yesterday, Howie and Austin went up to

Children's Hospital to meet with the heart failure specialist.

The purpose of the meeting was to establish which

of the medicines could be eliminated or reduced.

He has been on four.  A cocktail.

It would appear that they may be interfering with

his progress on the Crohn's front.

The meeting was productive.

However, the doctor informed both Howie and Austin

that they are experimenting with our son.

They do not really know what will work for him

and what won't.  Trial and error. 

He admitted that Austin's case is a challenging one.

This confirms to us how imperative it is

that we are actively involved in the decision making process.

For that, we need much wisdom and strength.

Our gracious LORD promises to give it. 
Step by step.  Day by day.  Moment by moment.

Throughout this most recent struggle,

we have been encouraged by the following verse ~

“…neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.” 

~ 2 Chronicles 20:12 ~

He has been Faithful.  He continues to lead us so gently along.

How wonderful it is to rest in the fact that our Loving

Heavenly Father is the Great Physician!

We continually lay our son at His feet and trust Him for the outcome.

He always does all things well.

Austin loves the LORD.  His sins are forgiven.

He rejoices in his Saviour.  We are thankful for these mercies.

Such mercies!  This has been such a comfort to our hearts.

We rejoice that truly, our times are in HIS hands.

Thank you to each one of you who have prayed for our family

over the past many months ~ you have blessed us greatly.

We appreciate all the loving care and concern shown

to us ~ each one of you has been such an encouragement.

If the LORD should bring us to mind,

would you please pray that Austin would put on weight

and that the adjustment to his medications would be

of benefit to his body?  Please also pray that whatever the 
outcome should be, we would still praise HIM.
Thank you so very much!

May the LORD have His way in this whirlwind.

And, may we come forth as gold ~ tried, but not consumed.

He alone is worthy of all our praise.

With Much Love,
Camille

It's a Puzzle ~ An Update

This Crohn's thing ~ It's a puzzle.

Just when things seem to be coming together and making sense, 

something else comes along to throw a wrench in the mix.

It surely has brought me to the end of myself.

It's also been used of the Lord to show me my heart.

What am I trusting in?  Really.

Very often, I am ashamed to admit,

it's a method, a diet, a supplement, a medicine ~

All these things rather than in the Great Physician.

He alone has all the answers.

When we come to the end of ourselves,

we begin to see HIM.  Really.  See.

His provision.  His sufficiency.  His perfect plan.

Surrendering to Him is always best.

It's necessary.  It's good.

And, it's a relief.

We don't have to have all the answers.

We just need to turn to the One Who does.

He is faithful.  He leads and guides.  He directs.

How Great HE is!



At the end of it all, all that really matters 
is where we stand with God.
And, where our soul will be for all eternity.
And, whether our sins are all forgiven.  Or not.
And, if they are, we can rejoice.  Truly.  In HIM.
In His provision of Grace.  His Mercy.  His Truth.

What He has done.

Austin seems to be doing quite well heart-wise.
We continually are thankful for this provision ~ 
the Lord is to be praised.
Yes, He is.  And, we do praise Him for these mercies.
We thank Him for the time He has granted.  

It is precious.

On the Crohn's front, however, 
Austin has not been doing very well.
Obviously, the heart is of utmost importance.
It's been a focus, medically speaking, for quite some time.
Now that it seems to be stable, 
 Crohn's has shifted into a position of prominence.
And, here we are at a crossroads again.

Each day.  Each step.  The LORD is Faithful.
We look to Him for the help, strength, wisdom,
and grace in the midst of it all.
We pray that the means which He provides will 
work in Austin's body to promote healing.

If that does not come,
we must remind ourselves of the Truths we hold dear.
This life is not all there is.
Health and strength this side of eternity is not all that matters.
Relief from pain and suffering is not always best.
Yes, we look for it.  But, if it is not granted ~

HE is still Good.

God knows what is best.
Whatever that may be, is what we desire.
By His grace.  For His glory.  Alone.

There is more to life than the here and now.  
That *more* will not be fully realised until eternity.
May God give us all the ability to live our lives
in light of this wonderful Truth.
And, may we patiently wait for His timing in all things.

HE truly does all things well.

Many Blessings,
Camille

**Image in this post courtesy of Calvin ~
Thank you my love!  XO

The Hybrid Approach

In the last little while, I have

fielded a few questions regarding treatment for Crohn's.

Before I launch into some of what we have been doing,

please let me say, we do not have it all figured out.

It is, and has been, a journey.

Quite the journey, in fact!

I am not a medical professional.

I am just a Mum seeking to do her best for her child.

Please weigh everything I share in that light.

Please also understand this ~ God is Faithful.

He never gives more than we can bear. Never.

What a blessing it is to rest in that. Truly.

A Blessing!

This journey for us began nearly three years ago.

Austin had been unwell for awhile off and on for about

nine months before his condition

escalated to the point of near desperation.

I did some serious research online.

My research pointed to Crohn's and I wanted to be proven wrong.

I pressed for testing to be done and we got our diagnosis.

Crohn's it was.

During this journey of research and testing,

we pursued alternative ways to deal with his condition.

And, he got some relief ~ what a blessing!

It was due to this relief, as well as some reading

I had done, that encouraged us to continue to pursue these means.

Now that we have been on this journey for a full two years,

much has been learned. Some things have remained the same,

while other things have changed. We must flex and grow.

It has been necessary.

Treating our son became a little more complicated when

he was found to be in heart failure this past spring.

The focus shifted from Crohn's to DCM.

And, rightly so.

Since those early days of dealing with a

life-threatening heart condition,

my focus has changed.

Everything changed in those first

few days of heart-wrenching uncertainty.

We are seeking to deal with Austin as a whole person.

And, we are taking what one friend referred

to as the "Hybrid Approach" ~ I like that.

The best of both worlds.

I came across a book that seems to be balanced in its approach.

It's called "Why Doesn't My Doctor Know This?".

Among other recommendations,

the basic premise of this book

is that you eliminate gluten, sugar, and dairy from your diet.

The author advocates using a good pro-biotic.

He also recommends getting yourself tested for any

immune responses you may have to foods,

and avoid any that are troublesome.

And, over time, relief is often the reported result.

It's simple.

And not ~ at the same time.

It is never easy to give up sugar, gluten and dairy.

Not easy, but not impossible either.

It seems to be working.

Austin has been taking the prescribed medications.

He has also been diligent about diet and taking his supplements.

The Hybrid Approach ~ It seems to be the sensible way to go.

One day at a time. Step by step. With the LORD.

HE is Faithful. And, HE does all things well.

If you are struggling with your own set

of troubles, please feel free to share,

and I will seek to remember you in prayer.

My email is found near the top right of my blog sidebar.

The LORD hears and answers.

HE will never give HIS people

more than they can bear!

What a blessing it is to belong to HIM!

In HIS Love,

Camille

**Disclaimer ~ I am not a medical professional.

I cannot advise on any dietary supplements, protocols,

or treatments. I am a Mum who is seeking to do the best

for her child, and along the way, I am sharing what I am learning.

May the LORD give you wisdom as you seek HIM for it! HE is Faithful.

DCM and Crohn's ~ An Update

We were at Children's Hospital

for a cardiology appointment a few days ago.

The usual tests were performed.

Nothing has changed.

Austin's heart is still enlarged.

He still takes three medications

for his condition daily.

He is functioning well all things considered.

And, the cardiologist does not need to see him until Christmas.

These are good things.

We must be patient. We give thanks.

God's ways are higher than ours.

Five months ago, it was not known if Austin was going to live.

He was so incredibly ill. He was in heart failure.

By God's grace, Austin did not die.

He was allowed to come home.

Oh! How thankful we are that he was!

It was thought that a pacemaker

may have been needed within a month or two

of that hospital stay ~ it's now been five months.

He hasn't needed one placed.

What a great blessing!

On another note ~ Austin also has Crohn's Disease.

He began taking the starter medication for it

just after his stay in the hospital.

It's a maintenance dose.

It would appear that the honeymoon is over.

He continues to take it, however,

it seems to be less effective than it was initially.

We are seeking to be wise in how we deal with this condition.

Austin pays careful attention to his diet while taking the medications prescribed.

It's a long road. But, one worth travelling, it would seem.

We pray that the LORD would heal our precious son,

and that He would give us wisdom to know the way forward.

What a blessing it is to know that HIS ways are higher than ours.

We are aware that He may be able to use Austin

better through his illness than if he were perfectly well.

This life is not all there is.

In fact, it is so short in light of eternity.

This is but a shadow of the eternal.

What a blessing to have that perspective!

It changes everything.

Many Blessings to you!

Camille

Full Circle ~ An Update

We've come full circle.
Austin began life as a heart patient.
And he is one again.

We had no idea that his condition was as serious as it is!
And we had no idea that it was his heart troubling him
rather than Crohn's Disease.  What a shock!

On Monday (the day after he was admitted),
he was transferred to the ICU at Children's hospital
due to a heart condition that we were unaware of.
He is currently still there.

As an infant, he had open heart surgery.
And now, his heart is enlarged.
Dangerously so.


~ Austin in 1996 ~

Crohn's Disease is on the back burner. It's secondary.
This particular heart condition is rare ~ Only 1:100,000.
And life-threatening. Scary.

One third of children who contract this malady die.
One third live with impaired heart function.
And one third recover completely.

We pray that Austin will be in the latter category.
But, if he is not, we know that ALL things work together
for good for those who belong to the LORD.
HE truly does all things well.  And we rest in HIS perfect plan.

Austin loves the LORD.  This is the most important thing.
Everything else pales in comparison.  It's first.
How precious it is to know that our son knows his destiny.
Such a comfort at such a time.

Please continue to pray.  The journey to come is a long one.
We will not have answers to all our questions for months at the earliest.
In the meantime, we live.  And we grieve.
But, we do not despair.  HE is giving grace and strength
outside of ourselves.

May the LORD help us to honour HIM day by day.
How gracious HE is to us!  We are so thankful to belong to HIM!
Thank you SO much for your prayers and for your concerns.
They are such a blessing to us all!  We know that the LORD
is in control of this storm.

"...the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm,
and the clouds are the dust of his feet."
~ Nahum 1:3b ~

"The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble..."
~ Nahum 1:7a ~

Many Blessings to you each one!
In HIS Love, Camille

**The next post in this series is found by clicking here.
The third post is here.  The fourth post is here.

P.S. I am currently unable
to repay the visit to you at your place...
please know that I have not forgotten you!

The Big Guns

Sometimes the Big Guns are required.
There's no shame in that.
Through God's Providential Care, our child with Crohn's Disease
is in Children's Hospital.  He is there by design.

And God is Good.  Always.

We see His Hand in all the events that have led to this moment.
We see His Loving Care being displayed to our precious son.
He is sick.  Very sick.
And he is receiving amazing care.
We are so thankful for this mercy.


What a blessing to know that it is the LORD Who holds us.
We are standing on the Solid Rock.

We still believe that an excellent way to
manage this disease is through diet.
For the long term.
But, right now, he needs the Big Guns.
And he is getting them.  By God's Grace.

Please pray that the LORD would have His way in this storm.
And that we would have wisdom in the midst of it all.
Thank you so much for your kind friendship ~
it is a great blessing.

I will be offline for the next little while ~
just so you know where I've gone.

Much Love to you all!
Camille

Of Transfusions, Prednisone and Resting

It was a shock.

Our child with
Crohn's Disease needed blood.
Two units of packed cells.
Just to get him out
of the critical zone.

Frightening?

A little.

No.

A LOT.

After about 10 months of only
using natural means
to treat this disease,
he needed a boost.

Two things.
One was the transfusion.
The other was a pharmaceutical.

Prednisone is currently
the drug of choice.

Not the route
we wanted to take.
But, the one
that made the most sense.

For now.
And only for a very
short period of time.

The LORD willing.

We continue to use
supplements and diet
to manage this disease.
It all seems to be working.

God is Good.
All the time.


Through it all we pray.
We trust.
We lean on the LORD.
We rest.

What else can we do?

Nothing.

And sometimes,
that is the point.

The place where we need to be.
Completely and utterly
dependent on HIM.

The book of Job is such a comfort.
Job's reactions through
all of his suffering
were upright and godly.
He was beyond reproach.

We, of course, are not.

But, we serve the same God.
Job's God is my God.
How WONDERFUL
that thought is!

We continue to trust that the
LORD does all things well.
That HE makes no mistakes.

We look to HIM
each step of this journey.
We know HE is in control.
HIS ways are perfect.

We rest.


If you find yourself
in a difficult place,
do not despair.
The LORD never gives us
more than we can bear.
With HIM.

"For I know the thoughts that
I think toward you, saith the LORD,
thoughts of peace, and not of evil,
to give you an expected end."
~ Jeremiah 29:11 ~

Look to HIM.
Rest in HIM.
Pray.

Many Blessings to each of you,
Camille

**Photos in this post courtesy of
our precious Emma ~ Thank you! xo

Marshmallow Root Tea

Just a little something to share.
It's really too good not to.

No, I don't mean it tastes good.
At least, not particularly.

But, oh is it G.O.O.D.!

I have a little history
with kidney stones.
Okay,
not really a little one.
It's been big.

As in, if I don't do something
about it, I could lose the kidney.
Not good.

But I digress.

I was recently told a little secret.
A wonderful secret.
And I am going to share it with you!

Marshmallow Root Tea
is the secret.

Oh. Dear. Me.

Does it ever relieve
the pain I have been experiencing.

And how.

Unfortunately,
it hasn't taken the stone away.
But, it has provided a reprieve
from the throbbing I was experiencing.
I do still have to deal with the stones.

Oh well.

What to do?

Get your hands on some
marshmallow root tea.
Spoon a teaspoon per cup of water
into a small pot.
Bring to a boil.
reduce heat and simmer ~
with lid slightly vented ~
for 20 minutes.

Strain and enjoy.
Up to three cups per day.

I just leave my pot on
the stove all day with the lid
on and the heat off.
When I want another cup,
I reheat to boiling and
strain into my mug.

Do not leave on the stove
longer than 24 hours without refrigeration.
It can go bad.

And, please, do see your Doctor
or Naturopathic Physician if
you are having any pain
or symptoms of kidney distress
of any kind!

As an added bonus,
it seems to be a wonderful tea
for our child with Crohn's as well!

Many Blessings,
Camille

**Disclaimer ~ I am not a medical
professional and I am not authorized to
give medical advice.
I just share what has been working
for me with the desire that it may be
of benefit to someone else.
Please do consult with your Physician
prior to consuming any herbal remedies!

Some of Our Journey

What a journey this has been!
God is so Good.
All the time.

What a blessing it is to
rest in HIS Goodness.
In HIS Grace.


~ Photo courtesy of my Emma ~

Some of you may
be on a similar journey.
Crohn's Disease
is a tricky thing to deal with.
It's not simple.

Simply not.

We have been to see a
G.I. Specialist at
Children's Hospital in Vancouver.
We have been to our GP.
We are also seeing a
Naturopathic Physician.

They all have something to offer.
Advice to give.
Instructions to follow.

When we first got the
Crohn's diagnosis we were not surprised.
It was something we already figured he had.
It was, in some ways, a relief to know.

We started using dietary supplements.
We altered his diet.
We have been following this one.

Things went well.
Very well.
For a few months.

Then, some things stopped going well.
A flare up.

Not uncommon for those with Crohn's.
But, at the same time, disheartening.
Our son has been careful to follow
his dietary restrictions and recommendations.

No chips.
No chocolate.
No grains.

He is committed.


We continue to follow the
principles laid out in Elaine Gottschall's book ~
Breaking the Vicious Cycle.
We are also following the advice
of our Naturopathic Physician and General Practitioner.

Sometimes adjustments are necessary.
We are willing to do whatever it takes
to help our son get well.

Remission.

We seek the LORD for wisdom.
We pray.
We seek the wisdom of Physicians.
We weigh it all up.
We act.

I would like to share some of
what we are doing and going through
to be an encouragement to those of
you who may be in the same boat.

I also want to record it
for future reference.

To bring down the swelling
in our son's leg
(a manifestation of Crohn's),
we are administering a poultice
of grated potato and carrot with ice chips.
Wrap this in cheesecloth
and apply to the swollen area for about
an hour at a time.
Do this at least twice per day.

For settling and soothing the abdomen,
soak a flannel cloth in
Castor Oil infused with Lavender
and Chamomile and place on the tummy.
Cover with plastic and have
the child lie down on his back
and apply a hot water bottle to the area.
Lie still for an hour or two.
Do this twice per day.

For tummy cramping,
we are using a tincture of
Viburnum Opulus.
For our son, the dose is 30 drops
in water three times per day.
During a flare up,
it may be administered up to six times
per day, if necessary.


He also is taking a
natural anti-inflammatory twice per day,
a GI repair supplment at every meal,
a probiotic twice per day,
and vitamins.

As well as all the above,
we are keeping his diet very simple.
Nothing that will stress the system
is allowed.

I am currently making up
a big batch of hearty beef broth.
Chicken Stock is also an important
healing food that is being administered.
Did you know that homemade broth
has so many amazing nutrients in it?


Emma was recently feeling sick,
so I took some rich Chicken Broth
from the freezer and boiled it up for her to drink.
She started to feel a little better.
Her fever broke the next day.

Coincidence?

Maybe, but I don't think so! :)

May the LORD give us all
wisdom as we seek to lead our families
in the journey of good health.
For HIS Glory.
By HIS Grace.

Many Blessings,
Camille

**Disclaimer ~ I am not a medical professional.
I am just a Mum sharing some of the things that
we are using to help our son.
Please consult with your Doctor
prior to administering any drug or supplement.
Dosage amounts will vary due to weight and
the age of the individual being treated.
Some people will respond adversely to some treatments.

Sometimes...

Sometimes...life can be difficult.
It's been a little that way for us lately.

Our son has Crohn's Disease.
Crohn's is nasty.
No two ways about it.  Nasty.


We are using means.  We are not flying solo.
We are praying for wisdom.
We are consulting with physicians.
We are seeking the LORD.

The Great Physician.

What a blessing it is to know that HE is in perfect
and Sovereign control.
HE does not give more than we can bear.  Ever.
With His help and grace and strength, we can face anything.

God's Grace is evident in the life of our son.
He says that he has nothing to complain about!
He continues to be thankful.

What a rebuke.
What a blessing.


Today our Pastor preached from Philippians.
How encouraging it was!

"Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord."
~ Philippians 3:1a ~

We don't rejoice in circumstances.
Sometimes circumstances are hard.

We rejoice in the Lord.
We can always do that!
Think of what HE has done for us!

"Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss
for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord:
for whom I have suffered the loss of all things,
and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness,
which is of the law, but that which is
through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which
is of God by faith:

That I may know Him, and the power of his resurrection,
and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect:
but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which
also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus."

~ Philippians 3:8-12 ~


How Precious HE is!

May the LORD give you the grace you need this day
to face whatever it is you must face.
HE is Faithful!  Look to HIM.

Many Blessings,
Camille

**Photos courtesy of Emma ~
Thank you my little love xo

Grain Free?

This is something new to me.
I never thought I would have to
drop the grains!
I actually didn't think it was overly
*do-able*.
But, it is!

Rather than re-invent the wheel,
so to speak,
I will just send you on over to
Keeper of the Home.

Click Here to get to her
most recent post on building
a grain free pantry.
It's an excellent starting point.


Just one thing I would like to clarify ~
We are not all *grain-free* around here.
Our child with Crohn's
is the only one who MUST
keep to this strict diet.

Although, I must admit,
I feel better when I follow
this way of eating.
I am thankful that I can serve *regular*
bread to the rest of the family.
God's mercies are new every morning!

Many blessings,
Camille

Yogurt Anyone?

Ease of operation.

I'm trying to do things in
a straightforward and streamlined way.

Saves the sanity.

Yogurt is a necessary part of the
healing process for
Crohn's Disease
according to the book
"Breaking the Vicious Cycle".

I never thought I would make yogurt.
It was not on my radar.
Not, that is, until this happened.

I am committed to doing all I can
to facilitate healing for our child.

Part of that is making yogurt.

In an effort to keep things simple,
I bought a yogurt maker.
I try to stay away from plastic as much as
possible, so I bought the glass jar that fits the yogurt maker.
I also buy the starters 12 boxes at a time.

The method is simple.

You heat the required amount of milk (1 litre or 2)
in a pot to simmering.
It should be 180 degrees ~ use a thermometer.

Then plunge the pot into a sink of cold water.

Stir while the milk cools ~
it should be lower than 100 degrees.

Mix about 1/2 cup of milk into the starter.
(Use 5 grams of starter for 1 litre
and 10 grams of starter for 2 litres)
Whisk it until dissolved.
Add the remaining milk and stir well.
Pour into your yogurt maker liner.

Seal.

Lower into the yogurt maker.
Make sure you put water in the yogurt maker up
to the lower line for a 1 litre batch and the upper
line for a 2 litre batch.

Put the lid of the yogurt maker on.
Plug it in.

Let it sit on your counter
fermenting for at least 24 hours,
but no longer than 32 hours.
(This longer incubation time
is to produce a lactose-free yogurt ~
Important for the *SCD).
If you do not require a lactose-free product,
your incubation time will be about 12 hours.

Once the time is up,
remove the yogurt batch
from the yogurt maker and
set gently in the fridge for 8 hours to cool.

To serve, spoon some yogurt into a bowl,
drizzle with a little honey
and add berries to taste.

You will have probiotics in a bowl ~
what a fabulous way to incorporate them into the diet! :)

Do you make yogurt?
Would you like to begin?
I'd enjoy hearing your yogurt stories.

Many blessings,
Camille

*SCD ~ Specific Carbohydrate Diet
as explained in "Breaking the Vicious Cycle"