Abigail's Story

Abigail inside of Angel One on the way to Arkansas Children's Hospital on March 24, 2008.

Note: Abigail's allergies: milk, eggs, wheat, peas, peanuts, white potatoes, and goat's milk. She is also to avoid all tree nuts, shellfish, and legumes.

On December 18, 2007, Abigail was admitted to Arkansas Children's Hospital (ACH); after refusing to eat anything except breast milk for two weeks. I went to several different doctors that told me, "It's just a phase!" Our last option was to drive 3 1/2 hours and take her to the ER at ACH. We were there for 15 days, but it was "just a phase"! While in the hospital, Abigail was diagnosed with Eosinophilic Esophagitis. Meaning that eosinophils had gotten into the tissues of her esophagus causing swelling. This resulted in difficulty and pain when swallowing. The doctor's put Abigail on Elecare Vanilla, an elemental formula that is hypoallergenic because she has such severe food allergies.

The doctor's couldn't tell my family and I much about this disease because they themselves lack knowledge about this rare and incurable disease. We were discharged from the hospital on January 2, 2008. (That's right, Christmas and New Year's in the hospital). Abigail was sent home with an NG feeding tube, six different medications, and terrified parents with no knowledge of what's to come.

Even on the Elecare formula, Abigail still wasn't back to her "normal" self. She had a persistent runny nose and just didn't seem to feel well. Then, she began having chronic diarrhea. She was admitted for another three days to ACH. On March 3, 2008, she had her third EGD and Sigmoidoscopy with biopsies to find that she now has eosinophils in her colon. Her GI doctor finally changed her formula to Neocate; after I asked for this to be done two months prior.

Today, Abigail's sole source of nourishment comes from Neocate Jr. Tropical, an elemental formula. Bananas are the only solid food she can eat. Her diarrhea has ceased and her runny nose is gone. All of this has happened since changing her formula. She has changed into a different child; sleeping through the night, playing with her sisters, laughing, and squealing. The journey continues, but for today we will smile!