Growing Up Special

The Care and Feeding of Guy Foster—Part One

The care and feeding of any family of kids is an important undertaking.  Every growing body needs lots of whole foods; good pure water; adequate exercise and sleep.   Every body requires large amounts of hugs and laughter to mature properly.  That’s what people have in common with one another.

I have had a lifelong interest in food, nutrition and all things pertaining to health so it was natural for me to gravitate toward healthy choices as I prepared meals for my growing family.

When we welcomed a certain charming three year old with multiple health issues into our family, it became all the more imperative to pay attention to what we all ate and drank and how we managed the care of our health.

The new kid on our block, Guy Foster, had four caretakers in three months before his arrival.  Prior to that, he had lived in two hospitals and he endured multiple orthopedic, exploratory, corrective and brain surgical procedures.  To be honest, Guy was an adorable, busy blob of humanity whose needs were monumental.

The most pressing issue was a shunt that keeps spinal fluid from collecting in his skull.  There were many other challenges, too, but the most persistent was the dreadful odor that surrounded Guy’s body.  No amount of scrubbing, no brand of soap, and no sort of deodorant offered any relief.  It was a major concern.

Guy’s health had its ups and downs.  When Guy was 29 he underwent a surgery that had a bad outcome.  That’s when it was decided he should live in a nursing home.   Only those who have gone through that process can appreciate the pain of that time in our lives.

During Guy’s tenure in the nursing home we discovered a new kind of water.  It had more minerals and oxygen so we thought it would be good to get Guy to drink that.  He even had a spray bottle for topical use. 

We also acquired a magnetic mattress and pillow, along with a Far Infra Red comforter for the hospital bed on which he languished most of his days AND nights.  We slipped magnetic insoles into his shoes, much to the chagrin of his orthotics and prosthetics specialists. They just did not fathom the concept. 

The dietary people were unhappy, too.  They did not appreciate or value the purpose behind the juice or “green stuff”-barley grass-we provided to accompany Guy’s meals and the nursing staff complained bitterly, loudly, and often that the whole foods supplements we brought for Guy had not been sanctioned nor labeled by the pharmacy department.

As time passed, we opted not to use any medications in Guy’s treatment.  The medical staff at the nursing home became ENRAGED over that decision but as Guy’s legal guardian I had the right to make that choice.  It was in Guy’s best interest, after all.

Over time, the toxicity of the medications eventually left Guy’s battered body, leaving him more alert, more active.  The many surgical scars that covered much of his body had faded into oblivion.  Best of all, even his breath was sweet!  He was no longer plagued by the issue of odor!

Connie Baum

http://motherconniesez.blogspot.com

       Thank You Connie for your guest blog post!