“Over the holidays, I collected kid poop in a bucket. Why yes, it was a fun Christmas activity! Actually, the whole thing sucked. A full cup was needed for each kid which means freezing the specimens in between additions to preserve it. It meant scooping out multiple diapers. It meant explaining to a four-year old why she had to sit on a toilet with a bucket in it.
But I did it for them. I wanted to test them conclusively for a gluten intolerance, since they both had some symptoms (Charlotte’s asthma and eczema and Sawyer’s constipation and thinness) and since Mike is positive and it’s genetic. The stool tests are more accurate than the blood test and though insurance didn’t cover it and I had to pay out of pocket, I figured it was worth it to find out while they were still young.
I sent the poop through the mail three weeks ago. Today the results came back.
Both were positive. Sawyer is almost three times as high as Charlotte, but they’re still both positive. I stared at the computer. I texted Mike (since he was still at work.) Then the tears came and I called my mommy.
It’s hard to explain how I feel. Gluten is bad. Mike and I don’t eat it, Mike for medical reasons and I by choice. I try and limit the kids when possible as it stands but sandwiches, pancakes, and treats at school were still a part of their lives. So I’m not upset that they can no longer have something that isn’t good for them anyway – something that was making them sick…”
