Its all over Steven did Elemental for a week.

Well, that's that then a whole 7 days on Elemental feed. I started last week thinking that it would be a bit of an inconvenience.  I did not originally have a plan to raise any money for FABED, just do it for experience.  The week has been pretty awful to be honest, i woke at 2 30 am this morning with that horrible grumbling tum feeling that our kids always complain about.  Half an hour later and no joy, no wonder Alexandra always look tired

That had the knock on effect of making me sleep in!  7am is like getting up at midday, running around like a loony and then to work with my last bottle of feed for the week.    The pain from the constipation today was bad to the point of distraction, no amount of Picosulphate or Movicol could settle my stomach.  I am really surprised at the discomfort, it has more than a little shocked me to look back at all the times our children have complained of severe stomach pains.  Although we never dismiss this, it is sometimes seen as a bit of a whinge.  I will never make that mistake again, i have taken 60ml of picosulphate and plenty of movicol and still nothing!!!

Over the weekend i found it increasingly easy to go without the food, today was a doddle to be honest. it still tastes awful, someone last night had tasted it had said it was like vomit and postage stamps!!!  What a good description, i will not miss the taste at all.

Something else that has surprised me is the weight loss, from Tuesday morning last week up until 7 30 am today i have lost 13lbs in weight!!! Now the feed has been made up to give me 2000kcal a day.  I would expect, even with my desk bound job to lose a lb or 2, but 13?  It goes to show how much we take food for granted, all the little extra bits add up.

So for dinner tonight it was supposed to be an omlette so i did not shock my body after no solids.  However, the pain from the constipation was at a point that i would try anything.  So off to the chavermarket and the hottest curry i could find, to be washed down with Belgain Wheat beer, a guaranteed toilet starter, as i type this i have eaten vindaloo and madras, and had 2 bottles of wheat beer.  Not a sign of anything happening, i really do find this unbelievable. Michelle has suffered from a sleepy bowel, mine has gone into a coma!!

It is amazing how easy it is for us all to get into the routine of feeds, restrictive diets and/or meds.  It is not until you have to live that way yourself the you appreciate how hard it is to stick to that routine/

I get asked all the time what it is like for Josh and Cam to be on feed only, i now appreciate just how dull and very ground hog day it is.  It is no wonder that some children have behavioural issues, i have went a week and am totally ready to throw my toys out of the pram, try and imagine 1, 2 or many more months. Even the restricted diet must drive people to distraction.

So as this week ends, what are the final things i have noticed?

1.  I don't now  know if  i eat to live or live to eat?

2.  Never mind a pint of beer, i think i better have a pint of picosulphate.

3.  Chavs wobble round Tesco every night!!

4.  If it had the same reaction, i would do this for a month if it meant 1 more person understood Eosinophilic Disease. Don't ask me until i've been to the loo though!!

5.  FABED members have done a wonderful thing this last week.  Thank you to each and everyone of you who supported this first UK NEAW, hopefully the first of many.

6.  Myself, Dave, Amanda and Shell have no idea what we have started, i really think we can now make a difference.

7.  Blogs are good therapy to help you stick something out, thank you to APFED members, Suzanne and Rob for the messages of support and by eating my share of Chocolate cake, Mandy, my one follower Karen and anyone else who has got so bored they have read this.

Finally, this has been a very difficult but very rewarding experience and one last thank to Michelle, Josh, Cam and Alexandra.  Everything they go through daily is awe inspiring, night xx

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