Stop topical steroid abuse!

Tuesday, February 6, 2018

Wow 6 years steroid free this month!

Well, well, well..it's been a while. I haven't post in years. ๐Ÿ˜ฌSorry! Kline has been doing well. He has been living his life again. He still has itchy skin, mostly when he gets hot and his feet are still the biggest struggle. But, he is living again.....and not just living in the bath! He ski's, goes to school, swims, rides a bike, reads, and even started acting in our local theater. Although he still has skin issues it is not all consuming and debilitating. He seems happy...a little needy and a bit of a hypochondriac but happy and now just a normal kid!

I can't believe it has been 6 years since we stopped steroids and 6.5 years since he started having full body flares from the steroid addiction.  I will never get over the damage steroids can do to the body and how even now 6 years later doctors don't know about Redskin Syndrome and stil want to push steroids on us. 

Now we are just dealing with the ptsd we have as parents....having a very needy, very sick child for years and years takes a lot out of you. But we have made it through the hardest times of our lives , hopefully the hardest times we will ever have to go through, and we have survived. We are stronger and more resilient. We are more accepting of each other flaws and let me tell you person I have a crap load of flaws...especially without sleep for years! I have had and still have some real shit moments as a mom, and wife, a daughter and a friend. 

I look forward to living life and what life will have to offer us and especially Kline. 

Will it be a life free of skin issues? I doubt it. 

Will it be free of itch? I doubt it.

But it will be filled with acceptance, strength, forgivenesses, and love...even when we want to kill each other. ๐Ÿ˜Š


One thing is forsure, it WILL be absolutely FREE of STEROIDS!!! 

May you all be itch free, have clear skin and a kickass life! 
Xoxoxox Loren and Kline 


Friday, August 28, 2015

A food allergy mom's hope for her anaphylaxis kid's school year!






The first day of school worries for a parent of a severe food allergy kid are completely different worries than a normal healthy non allergic kids parents.

Most parents worry about their kids starting school( and this is just what I imagine they worry about since I have never been a mom to a non allergic kid), the normal parents brain or what I imagine it would be.....

I hope my kid does well in school
I hope he listens to the teacher.
I hope she's well liked.
I hope he's kind. 
I hope he fits in.
I hope she doesn't get lost.
I hope they make friends. 
I hope she doesn't get sent to the principle.
I hope they don't get left behind.
I hope they are included.

A parent of a food allergy kids brain before starting school.

I hope my kid doesn't die from the hundreds upon thousands  of peanut butter sandwich packed in all of the hundreds of school lunches through out the year.

I hope we have instilled in our child that he can not put anything , I mean ANYTHING in his mouth.  No  Food , drink, and even his own fingers in his mouth while he is a way from us and out of our protection. Germs! Who cares about germs!! Those are the least of our worries! 

I hope that the kids and teachers wash their hands after every meal, snack, and treat.

I hope the other parents follow the no food parties rule and not bring deadly cupcakes in for their kids birthday.  Will he be left out of they do?  Did I pack a special treat so he isn't left out if they do have a party?  Will he be able to resist anyone and everyone that may offer him food or a treat?

I hope he and all of his teachers remember to take his epi pen with them where ever they go in school. 

I hope he won't be all by himself at the peanut free table, an out cast to the rest of the kids. 

I hope he's brave enough to never take food from a friend or an adult ( or to give in to peer pressure) even if they say it's nut,dairy, and egg free, when they clearly haven't a clue that it is. 

I hope the other kids don't bully him because of his life threading food allergies.

I hope my sons anxiety that he feels around other people's food isn't to terribly overwhelming and stressful.

I hope my kid doesn't die from cross contamination on a toy, desk, the playground , and even a freaking door handle. 

So yes, I'd say starting school for the non allergic kids parent , may be stressful, but have you ever thought in your life....dear lord I hope a door handle doesn't freaking kill my kid!?!?! I bet most of you haven't!

So parents if your school just happens to go nut free, or ban parties with food in them because of a severe food allergy kid. Please, Don't make a fuss .... You have no idea the worries we face as parents with children that, if they put their fingers in their mouth after touching a door handle, after a kid that ate a peanut butter sandwiching ( fill in your food allergy here) they just may die. Because believe me, we would all rather not have theses worries and we would all rather be able to have our kid eat cupcakes and peanut butter sandwiches.  But unfortunately that just isn't the reality for kids with life threatening  food allergies.

For a food allergy parent all we can do is hope and pray that his teachers watch him, and follow all the strict hand washing rules and no food for celebration rules, and that we have instilled in our own child to never put anything in their mouth including their own fingers. And pray that if there is an exposure to their food allergen, the epi pen is always near by and the fire department is close enough. And that your own cell is always in service and ready in case you get that terrifying call of your kid going into anaphylaxis. So yeah, you can say this mama is a little stressed out about kindergarten! 

And don't get me started on the worries I have about his skin and itchies. Ain't motherhood grand!!?!?!?

Stay safe everyone this school year...and don't share food, and wash your hands! 
Xoxox Loren and Kline ( anaphylaxis  to dairy , egg, all tree nuts and peanut)

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

A tip for a calm nights rest

We have found something that has helped soothe Kline itch and  helps him be more balanced during sleep. LAVENDER essential oil! (the highest quality of oils is the key)  When Kline gets itchy now,  we add lavender essential oil to his bath to calm him. 




                            His sleep is less interrupted when he takes a calming lavender bath. 

                                        A nice sleep may just be the best thing on the planet!
OK so these are lupines but you get the hint! lol



Warrior boy!

I love no one more on this Planet than my brave brave boy!

Recipes for a calming bath!

We have a large tub....

1/4 Epsoms salt
10 drops of the highest quality lavender, not the stuff at any natural store, it won't have the same medicinal effect! 

And soak! 

Easy as that! Enjoy and relax!

If you are interested in learning more about the essential oils I use for Kline and our whole family email me at lorenbmccormac@yahoo.com to set up a free one on one consult.  

Also I started a Facebook group, essential oils for skin issues and itch.  


Come join and learn more of how essential oils can support your skin. 


We love our essential oils now!!

Love to you all!
Loren and Kline
Xoxoxo 

Monday, July 13, 2015

Paxil no more, give me my wild orange essential oil PLEASE!

( disclaimer: I am not a medical professional and in no way am I saying wild orange should take the place of antidepressants..I am only saying that In my experience wild orange has helped me ween off Paxil and made it a more manageable weening process. I also wish for myself I had tried wild orange or other essential oils before I went right to Paxil.  If you are having suicidal thoughts people contact your doctor! )


So if you've read klines blog..you may have noticed I have suffered with depression since pretty much Kline came out and started stressing me out. ๐Ÿ˜œ The stress of red skin syndrome caused my depression to go insane. Literally! So about 3 years ago I started Paxil to help me cope.  


Now that Kline is doing so much better and we are getting our lives back, I have been trying to get off the Paxil. Well, wouldn't you know, big surprise, call the presses! Paxil has a terrible withdrawal. 


If you just stop Paxil and possible most anti depressants you may be prescribed , you will go insane in the membrane! I am talking take me to the insane asylum asap insane.  So, I tried weening...but I went way to fast. I cut my dose by half...then a few weeks later half again. Coo coo reducoo!!! My anger went out of control , my mental state was just not normal. I literally would either just get insanely angry or I would be balling all day for no reason. I was finding the Paxil withdrawal was way more intense than my depression was before I started Paxil. 

Lucky, I found some great Paxil withdrawal support groups and I found out that I was not the bitchy witchy I thought I was, it was the withdrawal ( well, mostly the withdrawal ๐Ÿ˜œ). I also found out that my withdrawal could take a year or more...going down 1 mg at a time every 4 weeks.  I got the liquid Paxil because trying to cut the pills was not easy and my dose's were never the same.   So, if you are trying to ween of Paxil. Find the groups on Facebook and follow a very slow withdrawal weening process!!!  

While trying to ween I was introduced to a high quality essential oils, wild orange.  ( not available at natural food store, the ones at natural food stores are not the same quality) I started taking it 2 drops under tongue in am) and I was amazed at how much smoother my withdrawal and depression was going.  I was extremely surprised when I accidental ran out of my wild orange and my depression and withdrawal got a million times worse.  I reordered my wild orange and made sure I ordered 2 bottles so I never ran out again.  I truly think this has helped not only my withdrawal but my mental well being.  


Visit Me before I started using wild orange and trying to ween off Paxil here.....
 
 


Depression is so depressing! And it can be fatal, I have had the thought of ending it all.  But I must say since I started using wild orange I haven't.  Sure I still have crappy days, I still get angry and sad but I am much more even than before I started taking wild orange.

I wish I had started using wild orange before I started using Paxil..... I am learning that pharmaceutical medications have so many side effects and so many drugs put you into a withdrawal, that I am now looking into medicinal's created by Mother Nature and not man.  

I wanted to share my experience with my wild orange essential oil in case I may help anyone else with depression or if you are having a hard time getting off your anti-depressant.  Essential oils may just make life a little more bearable while you ween! 

If you'd like to know more about how to get your wild orange and receive a free 15 minute essential consult email me or Facebook message me at Lorenbmccormac@yahoo.com 

Loren  Beth McCormac 
 
 

All the best for your mental wellness!!! 

Orange you glad I didn't say banana! ๐Ÿ˜œ๐Ÿ˜˜

Xoxox One little less crazy mom! 



Thursday, April 16, 2015

Kline Update: the later stages of Red Skin Syndrome.. Topical Steroid Addiction Withdrawal

SO, its time for an update on Kline...we have been so busy living life that I havent shared all the fun things he has been doing!!! Kindergarten has been great the last few months..I havent gotten a call to come pick him up for being too itchy in months!!! Huge step forward for us!!

Ski team! What?!?!  He is skiing the slopes of Squaw Valley 2 times a week and was skiing the intermediate slopes by the end of the season!! I am a pretty dang good skier, I must admit, and I had to haul ass to keep up with him!

We have been swimming at a cool indoor pool a few times which he loves and I am going to sigh him up for swim lessons again , which is a huge step since at one time I blogged about how I had to cancel his swim lessons because his skin was too bad when he was ON STEROIDS! http://klinestopicalsteroidhell.blogspot.com/2012/02/i-am-so-sad-to-have-to-cancel-klines.html

He also wants to do Hip Hop Class to work on his moves, which will be fun to watch!

H e is growing up way to fast and I cant believe he will be 6 in a week...he is living life again and although he has a few spots on him that are being stubborn and his itch isn't complete gone...he is alive and well and so much better than he has been in 3.5 years, even when he was on topical steroids...aka.... cortisone! Happy healing to all!  life does get better! Xoxox Loren and Kline 36 months off topical steroids.
Our BIG BOY!!!

Showing Our Support Always!!!



Skiing with Mommy!

Off with Ski Team!!

Fun with Grammy!!!







LOVE IS IN THE AIR!

Fun with Grandma and Grandpa


Fun with His cousins!

UV Light therapy...started in Jan.  we got a machine for our house and it seems like its helps!!!




Kline's first ski race.......self confident and happy big boy!




Taking advantage of Mommy Monkey'in around!!

Too COOL FOR SCHOOL!

Dressing up like mommy!

Ice Skating with his friends!



Thursday, February 26, 2015

Kline's 3 year anniversary off topical steroids!

Today marks Kline's 3 year anniversary of being off topical steroids. 3.5 years of pure hell.  All consumed by itch, worry, and pain.  Watching your child suffer for so long and so intensely is the worst thing I have ever experienced.

We have lost so much of our lives from his steroid addiction withdrawal .....  Not only the pain he has been in,  but also, financially we have spent probably $20,000 in the last 3 years trying to speed this thing up. Which nothing has helped.

We have nearly separated from the stress this has put on our marriage, luckily we have fought through the urge to leave and have stuck it out because we do need each other.

We haven't had but maybe 5 good nights for sleep in 3 years and kline still needs the tub nearly every night.

But he is better than 3 yrs ago.....most of his skin is beautiful!!!! His itch is not constant, and he no longer stays all day and night in the tub. He can go to school most days and ski school.  His sleep still sucks but even that is better than it used to be. He used to go 36 hours with out sleeping and now he only wakes a few times to have a short itch fest.

I hope with every inch of my body that next year at 4 yrs off I will be able to say that kline is living fully again.  Even if he has eczema I hope that his itch does not fully consumer us as  it has the last 3 years.

I have amazing support with our parents and my friends and www Itsan.org support is immeasurable!
 I am so thankful to all of them for helping us "manage" the last 3 years.

I have an amazing husband that stayed even when I was at my worst.

And I have one of the bravest boys on the planet, that even when his feet as cut up like ground beef he'll still painfully put his ski boots on, ski, and sing the whole time he's going down the mountain.  Kline amazes me...I don't think I would have ever been as brave as he has been.

I hope that klines story , blog and my work with ITSAN will prevent others from suffering like our family has and most importantly that no child will suffer again like my son has. Xoxoxoxxo Loren