We aren't the only ones!

Tonight, on abc 20/20 -
 http://abcnews.go.com/2020/video/adult-picky-eater-feels-tormented-food-22399067
  and     http://abcnews.go.com/2020/video/woman-eats-french-fries-panics-rice-22421517?tab=9482930&section=1206863&playlist=6627259  
they talked to people with eating disorders, also known as Avoidant Restrictive food Intake Disorder.

I have such a heart for these people because I deal with this on a daily basis! People have NO IDEA what its REALLY like.....What does go on in their minds. These brave people that share their story, are adults, they are able to explain what they are feeling and going through. 

My Price cant really explain things to me. All we know is he is NOT interested, at all. Wont go near it, wont touch it and hates to be around it! This is all he has ever known. He started therapy when he was 2. He never did "finger foods"....

As I watched this, I cried and laughed. I have tons of fears, doubts, worries and concerns. I also laugh a little, thinking, "that's Price"...Thank God we aren't alone! Its so nice to know you have a support group.

I'm very thankful that Price does drink Ensure, eats (1 type) of yogurt, and (1 type) of applesauce...but those 3 things are kinda healthy and Lord knows we need it bc nothing else he eats is healthy. 

Watch these clips, its a glimpse inside our world. 

http://abcnews.go.com/2020/video/woman-eats-french-fries-panics-rice-22421517?tab=9482930&section=1206863&playlist=6627259

Whats been going on!!

It's been a while. But I have good news. We have started a new game, "Try it Tuesday"....I'm not sure we have made huge progress, but in our world....it's HUGE.
I never really pressure Price, I wouldn't ask him to try a hamburger or turkey sandwich. I keep it simple...We just try new chips or other foods close to something he does eat. For example...he doesn't seem to have a big problem trying new chips, but it really depends on his mood and mind set.
The thing I am pretty excited about are the fact that when we were in Walmart, I kept telling him It was "Try it Tuesday" (even though it was Wednesday)....I begged him to try the new applesauce that squeeze in a package. He eats ONE type of applesauce now, but I thought if I could get him to eat these new squeeze kind, life would be easy....they are healthy, he doesn't have to touch it and he would actually eat them at school. Well, after I gave him $2, he tried it....hated it, spit it out and told me NO! we were over that. BUT, he TRIED it!!!! That's ginormous!
Anyway, we live about 5 miles from a Southern Maid Doughnuts (probably the worlds best doughnuts)...anyway, we use to live to real close to Krispy Kreme and he would only get 2 - and had to eat them in the car....
so, since we moved, I always show him this Southern Maid, he always says no and ask me to drive 20 minutes to Krispy Kreme....I dont! Long story short....the other day...he did it!!!!! We pulled in, you could see he wasn't really excited...I kept singing and dancing and saying..."Its Try it Thursday"....we get our doughnuts to go, he gets in the car and stares at it....finally....bites into it....devoured it and ask why I only got him one!!! I was so excited!!!! No, doughnuts are not good for you and I would give both of my arms for him to eat a carrot or something healthy....but he tried a new brand!
its really the small things here!!! :-)

we laugh now

Have you ever noticed how we tend to laugh at the fact, as adults that we are A.D.D or OCD, or "have issues". I am probably THE worst. I have tons "of issues".....
 Not "serious" issues! Just my own difficulties! I never went to any type of therapy as a child (prob should have)...but I've noticed, as I'm getting older, I'm so difficult. It drives me crazy.
Let me throw my issues out there for you, so you know what I mean. I cant list all of them, but here are a few that instantly come to mind...
I cant stand for furniture to be in front of a window.
I don't let my food touch on the plate. YES, I've been known to get several plates, if necessary.
I don't sit for longer than 30 minutes, drives me crazy. I feel there is ALWAYS something that needs to be done around the house.
I don't eat leftovers
I have to be snuggled up and pillows all around me at night, but cant stand for things to close to me any other time of day.
I only drink sweet tea from like 3 places.
The list could go on & on....I haven't even touched on all of my new found fears as an adult.

The point...???
WHY are we hard on kids with "issues", or better, why do we laugh at it as adults.
When I see how crazy I am, there is no wonder why my kids are crazy.
My oldest uses different utensils for each item on his plate.
He also builds "forts" in the bed, about 20 things piled around him. He cant stand to be dirty.

I don't take him to a doctor or therapist. Should I ???
I've worked with preschoolers for many years, I've seen very picky kids. I have also seen kids that have issues like, control, hitting, or even the ones that don't play with others,wont get dirty,wont touch grass, even kids that will only color with one color.

How do we know when to see a Doctor or Therapist??

I don't know that I have a real point here, I know with Price things are a little different, his health is involved. Its very important that we get the recommended amount of fruits & veggies.
But do we as adults??

Could Price possibly be healthier than most of us? He gets 3/4 Ensure a day. That's probably double the amount of good nutrition I take in.  And, other than eating,I look at Price's other "issues" as "cute, or funny"...or even stuff he will grow out of.

Do you have issues?? are they with Food??? or other things??
What about your kids??? What do they do that is "unique" or funny maybe even difficult for you to understand???

Heaven sent

I am ALL about believing in angels! I KNOW God has placed them all around us!
I have to tell this story, we have some pretty amazing neighbors, and our neighbors have a pretty amazing mom! We have claimed her as our own! She is our "Grandma Becky"! She doesn't live in the same town as us, so we don't get to see her as often as we would like. But, God placed Grandma Becky in our lives and this last visit, he placed her right where he wanted her!
Just the day before I was so angry trying to fed Price our first attempts at the apple pieces.
Grandma Becky (and our neighbors) brought us dinner....afterwards, I'm very excited and I say to Price, "YAY, lets show them that you can eat apples now"...Well, of course he isn't as excited as I am. I really wanted them to see how dramatic he is when food is near, but as I'm cutting the apples, I hear Grandma Becky talking (whispering) to Price. I'll never know what was said, but he listened and he climbed in the chair with her...they looked at some pictures and she fed him all 9 apple pieces!!!!!!! Amazing!!! We had already left the room, prior to her talking to him, so once we knew she was going to fed him, we stayed gone....Price could see us, and as he is chewing, he is still talking to her and giving us a look like he wants us to rescue him, but he ate them, all!!!! We all cheered SO very loud! He was very happy too! I did hear Grandma Becky tell him how proud she was of him for "climbing that mountain"...
They later left, and she did say she would be back the next day to climb the mountain again.
The next day, they all came over and before leaving Price and Grandma Becky ate more apples!! I'm so excited! There was no fight! No crawling on the floor, crying or hiding in the corner...he just "climbed the mountain" and ate the apples! There are no words.....

So, tonight....I cut the apples, walk in with Price, and he instantly says, "No"...I say....come on baby...lets do this! and he does it! I noticed tonight, that he isn't chewing like its painful anymore; he is just eating the apples!!!!!

We will now do this every day, hopefully we will eat 2 wedges soon!!!!

I want to Thank GOD, for all the wonderful family, friends and therapist he has placed in our lives. Many, Many wonderful people that we will always be grateful for!

How dramatic!

          Today, my world changed! I was taking pictures of a wonderful family and we begin to talk about cancer and everyone getting sick and it just really made me sad. when I came inside, I did just what your not suppose to do! I started to google cancer! How do we get it? Can it really be prevented? is there a magic food or vitamin we can take to avoid it?? WOW! There is SO much on the Internet!!!! You know they say, to not believe all of what you read! BUT, I came across this one site and it listed the top 7 foods to avoid BC they are the leading cause of cancer. Top 3: French Fries, Doughnuts and Chips.....I didn't make it past #3! THESE 3 foods, are the ONLY 3 foods Price has eaten for 5 years!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG! I began to get sick to my stomach!!!!!! Literary, these are the only 3 foods he eats! AND, the sad thing is....often, he would want fries, then later eat doughnuts, I would feed him an applesauce and he would finish the night off with chips and I thought it was a good day BC he had "eaten" food that day and not just had his "pink"!!!! I'm telling you, I was in tears!
                Now, I know if your going to get it, your going to get it! BUT, I don't want to add to our chances! So, that did it for me, things have got to change!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
With that being said, I knew I couldn't completely quit the french fries, doughnuts and chips, but we can start to try other - healthy options!
                 I pick him up from school and I am ready! He immediately says, "I want french fries"...I say NO! He cries! and there goes my heart! I try to tell him that he has to change and we have to start to try new things. I don't want him getting sick. We make it home...(without the fries). Now, my first thought is I know he can and has eaten apples for his therapist.  They were very tiny bites and they played a board game  to get him to eat it, but he did it. So, I'm thinking we will start with apples, and maybe just more applesauce & yogurt...
I cut up 1 wedge of an apple, into 6 very small pieces........and it was on!!! I was ready!
              I walk in the bedroom, and I'm very happy with the apple pieces. He FALLS on the floor! I start out very sweet, he is crying, rolling around of the floor...after 3 minutes, I get more and more firm - I need to add this: I get VERY upset, when I KNOW he has eaten something and he wont eat it again!
with that being said, I'm getting mad,he is rolling around, hiding under covers, tucked away crying in a corner. I can feel my tears in my throat. I'm mad and I'm sad! WHY is it like this...????? I begin to bribe him with all sorts of things...I'm just so mad...then I finally win my bribe! He ask me to put the apples in his mouth for him, I do it! He eats 3 and we CHEER like you wouldn't believe!!!!!!!!!! This is huge!!!! YAY!!!!

My fears coming real!

I haven't posted in a while because not much as changed! Still not eating and I'm still not really pushing it! Its such as battle, Ive given up! That's horrible to say, "Ive given up"! Thats really the LAST thing I want to do, but I also cant stand the fight!
     For years, I have dreaded kindergarten!!!! Sending my "Little's" into the big world! What if he gets sick in the cafeteria? What if he needs me? Who will open his drinks & food for him? SO, many fears! I often thought I should home school Price, BC of the Food (and cafeteria) issues!!!
So, August is here and I have to send him off! Ugh!!! I'm so scared!!!!!
     One the first day of school, I meet with his teacher, telling her all about Price and his eating. She was so kind and also told me we can bring a snack and keep it in the class in case he doesnt want what is offered.
I have told him all summer that if I pack yogurt or applesauce, he will have to open his own food and feed himself! He always says, "yes ma"am"!
     Now, its the first day of school and I pack all his favorite junk! I also pack his "pink" (Ensure) School is over and he comes running to the car, happily telling me, "I got on green"!! (which means a great day) :-)
He never mentions the cafeteria!!!!!!!! WHEW!
         That evening, I asked him how school was! How was lunch? How did he do sitting in there? Did anyone or anything bother him? How were the smells??......all I got in return was, "good"....
I was so relieved!!!!!! I asked again to make sure he was REALLY OK....(I'm CRAZY)...he says he did good! I leave it alone!
This is huge!!!! I'm SO happy! He WILL be OK!!!!!!
I have yet to actually pack his applesauce or yogurt! but, he does get his "pink" and chips and fruit snacks for lunch. He hasn't eaten anything yet, just drinks! (I'm OK with that)

Is it THAT bad??

If you google; can one live off Ensure alone? there are several different answers! Some websites / opinions say YES (but 6 cans a day are required) others say NO!
What is the correct answer? Is there one?
Many people ask me, is there a way to "fix" this? Will he grow out of it? Am I REALLY that worried about it?.....well, excuse me for this one....but HELL yes, I worry! wouldn't you!?!?!? My child doesn't eat!!!! I can get past the meats...but no fruits or veggies! And I personally cant afford him to drink 6 cans a day!
I sometimes get so frustrated that Ensure & Pediasure are so expensive, but its not that bad when you consider, that's his "groceries" for the week!
So, I don't really know if one can live off ensure alone! Are there any professionals out there that can answer this one??

As I'm sitting here typing tonight, Price is standing here next to me, I'm feeding him 2 yogurts....and he is singing with Diego! Just keeps looking at the TV, opening his mouth when he see's the spoon!  Sorta like a 1 year old!

Lets talk about that one....YES, I said I am feeding, and YES, he's 5 years old! THIS is the kinda behavior our therapist hate to see! WEAK parents like myself! Its S U C H a battle to fight him - I choose my battles and when it comes to him eating, I don't fight a good fight! I cave in to him...bc I want him to eat! Yogurt & applesauce are the only 2 things he "requires" me to feed him! - Are you in disbelief right now?? are you saying to yourself, I cant believe she still feeds him?? OR are you thinking, I would do the exact same thing! Whatever it takes? Does it effect him that I feed him? To me, its kinda like potty training, - just chill out, they WILL get it!! NO one graduates from high school in diapers!

Next post will be about potty training, since I just brought that up!