Hi Rumbly
I appreciate that but surely she still has the same risks from the saturated fat/empty nutrition of it as anyone else such as cholesterol, sudden demands on insulin levels etc?
Just a thought?
Gg
Not at all - she needs the fat and has no cholesterol issues as she also has an enzyme deficiency which not only doesnt process her food properly to gain weight (she is 3st 3oz, 132cm tall and is 15 years old next month) but the enzyme deficiency also seems to dispose of all the fatty stuff whilst juicing out the bare minimal nutrients that she needs to thrive. She eats at fast food places twice a week for both enjoyment and because it has absolutely no affect on her health.
When she is compared to most kids, she eats very well. As she doesnt eat potato, her diet consists of casseroles, meaty dishes and pasta with a good selection of veg. We dont eat chips nor fry our foods (we cook most from scratch). All of whch I enjoyed but my problem over the years has been carbs - bread, pasta and cakes. Ellie doesnt eat cake or potato so her only access to bulk is pasta and bread - both of which she enjoys.
She is classed as failing to thrive but that is due to a number of issues. When you have been in and out of hospital over 240 times with a child that cant put weight on since day 1 and are fighting the MOD with trying to ascertain that the 1st gulf war may have contributed to this horrible condition that she suffers with - you will get anything down a childs neck that a: she enjoys and b: something that she will finish.
She only eats out in fast food joints twice a week (once on a sat and once on a shopping trip to the supermarket) - is that bad? I dont think so. Other meals times include a proper square meal of which she has adult portions at home. She has Pasta and chicken at school everyday as she is a creature of habit - I love the school she is at, it has a pasta bar and its her "go to".
She is also under a dietician who also supports eating in this particlular restaurants. Luckily Ellie has this incredible motabalism that stuns the specialists that seems to take just exactly what IT needs but not what she needs.
She has beautiful skin, teeth, hair and nails which refelcts on a relatively good diet. She has 1500-1800 calories a day but simply cannot put weight on. She is a medical wonder but as a result also suffers with aspergers, scoliosis, osteoperosis, photophobia, myokymia, vitamin D deficiency, hypertension, myopathy, failure to thrive. Other than the threat of giving her a gastic tube (which we are against) she is expected to be offered supplements to top her up. We think this wont make an ounce of difference becuase the NHS need to identify why she isnt processing the food she is already eating and enjoying before shoving a tube in her tummy (both invasiv and uncomfortable). I dont think she should be punished with having a gastric tube simply because they faily to identify the enzyme issues first. The only medicine she has is cholecalciferol which is a vitamin d supplement.
So whilst we try and deal with opinions on her fast food eating habit, our priorty is keeping her alive with as much food as possible and giving her the love and support she needs to get into adulthood.
Im sure most of us would kill for a metabolism like that and have no ill effects of cholesterol and high salt levels but sadly it comes at a high price where our daughter is concerned.
