Keep Your Eyes Open

Here we are. We’re here in all of this, still. Still here. The months keep passing, one season folds it’s cards to the next. We soldier on.

We are between 16 and 17 months on the GAPS diet. It’s one of those updates that doesn’t feel much like an update, but there are things. We are coming closer to a year and a half in this journey, and, right now, we seem to be in a holding pattern. By that I mean not a whole lot is changing or happening. Or so it seems. I’m always looking for changes, but often times the significant ones are subtle and sneak up on us; and we realize we’ve cleared a hurdle overnight, and we celebrate. That is a bit where we’ve been. Raleigh has had some skin flaring from a mild cold virus or two. We also tried to switch lotions/body creams since the one we are currently using has destroyed his clothes. Five days into the first new lotion we realized the product was not going to work. It made his skin sting and by day five had created a massive flair. Fun times. We’ve since landed on a suitable alternative that we’re liking so far that doesn’t seem to be destroying his clothes. It’s all these little details that make a journey like this so valuable.

I’ve found myself thinking a lot lately of the week we spent at National Jewish 3 years ago. We took a week to go through their program to help teach parents like us how to deal with severe eczema. It was a painfully long week spent beneath florescent lights. At that time, Raleigh’s skin had not exploded into what it would become, but while we were there we saw many children from across the country who were far worse. I’ve been thinking of those kids. Wondering how they are now. Wondering if things are better, worse, are they still using corticosteroids day in and day out? Or did they choose another path like we did? I wish I had a way to find them and find out.

There is quite a bit of pain, with equal parts joy, and greater hope for how I’m feeling about our journey so far. I want so badly to help others find this place where I now find myself; where we find Raleigh. That is why I keep telling our story. I will always shout this from the mountains, and when the day comes and Raleigh comes off the GAPS diet, is fully healed of his food allergies, eczema and asthma, I won’t be able to stop telling the world. There is so much hope here. I won’t be able to keep quiet.

I haven’t talked about a song in a post lately, but I have one for you today. It is by Needtobreathe, of course, and it’s a good one. I’m leaving the lyrics below. Turn it on, let it wash over you and keep your eyes open.