Mixing Milk...

I laughed today as I tried to find the kitchen counter under all of the FORMULA CONTAINERS and milk-mixing apparatus this PKU family shuffles. Even though we see it every day, I realize that most families don't have to reserve cupboard space (and garage shelf space!) for three different types of formula, nor do they have hand mixers or milk containers constantly drying in their sink and filling up the top rack of their dishwasher. :)

We have quite the "milk" routine at the Lochhead house. I don't know if we've blogged it yet, but Josh also has the mild (and rare) form of PKU that Gracie has. Jeff and I laugh that the odds are with us--our kids have a 25% chance of having PKU (thanks to a recessive gene we both carry) and we are 2-for-2 at this point! Now that Josh is weaned, he's joined his sister in the milk-mixing routine each morning. The Phenyl-Free formula that they drink gives them the protein that their bodies can digest, without the phenylalanine. We celebrated this new step by purchasing new milk-storing Nalgenes for the kids--purple for Gracie and blue for Josh.

Most PKU kids can't digest ANY phenylalanine, but our kids have a mild form of PKU where their bodies can digest SOME phenylalanine. So, we have only had to keep a few high-protein foods (peanut butter, eggs, meat, beans) out of their diet. So far we've been able to keep a couple of servings of dairy in their diets! We feel completely blessed to be this way--life without yogurt and cheese would be unbearable! :) And with Josh eating more solid foods now, we're finding that his case is very similar to Gracie's--each month when their levels are tested, we are quite relieved to find they have similar levels of "slightly elevated" phenylalanine in their bloodstream. Completely safe.

Another development in our routine is that Auntie Debbie, our good friend and NURSE, has been such a saving grace--she's been coming over to help with Josh and Grace's monthly blood-draws (finger pricks) so that our lives can be a bit less stressful! This is a HUGE blessing to us! She is quite talented with a finger poke--and our kids get spoiled by her attention! :)

All-in-all, we feel that we've been given a huge helping of grace to travel this interesting life path. Our genetic disorder is completely manageable, not life-threatening. (We won't talk about the non-diagnosed genetic disorders that others call "oddities"...ha!) And if you ever want to see canisters of formula jim-jammed creatively into cupboards (on a good day!) or sprawled across the length of the kitchen counter (on a crazy day!) come on over to our GRATEFUL house!