"She"s just a puker"

I have literally caught puke in chik-fil-a, McDonalds, at our kitchen table, and so many places I have lost count. I said it myself...."she's just a puker". Turns out she isn't.  She is my little Ava Elise and she has eosinophillic esophagitis. In basic terms that means she has a swollen and inflammed food pipe from allergies to food. What foods? We are still trying to figure that one out and hopefully one day my post title will say "We found it!".  What does this mean? It means we have to try and figure out what she is allergic to and eliminate it from her diet. Sounds easier than it is. Because of her super sensitive skin the skin testing for allergies isn't exactly foolproof. And because she doesn't react on her skin but inside of her esophagus we can't actually see when it happens.  The puking, or food impactions, may not occur until days later. That's where our story starts.....

Here we go....

So this is my first attempt at "blogging". I created this some time ago, just never got around to posting anything. The reason I started this was to share and and give updates on our family and what's new with us. During the time from when I started this until now as I sit writing this I have read multiple blogs, trying to find information on Eosinophillic esophagitis. In August of 2009 our little girl was diagnosed with these huge words that seem to be an even bigger mystery. I thought several times that I should share our story too, but our struggle with her condition seemed to be easier than some of the others I was reading about. I thought I had it all tied up into a nice little package that could easily be handled.....then the bow came undone. So for now I'm not sure what this will be. A place for me to share Ava Elise's story or a place that can allow me a cathartic release that may be more productive than crying in the kitchen.  So here goes...