Dairy Daze...and Now Beyond

 The first thing I've learned that I think is really the most important is that calling AGS a "red meat allergy" is almost a misnomer; it barely touches the tip of the ice berg.   It's actually an allergy to the carbohydrate "galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose" found in the cells tissues and fluids of non-primate mammals..even cats and dogs.  However upon researching it, I have found that I am probably already conditioned to be used to the alpha-gal present in my cats/dogs, so they do not cause an allergic reaction when I am around them.  This doesn't make sense to me, but I have read online that some people DO become allergic to their pets.  I guess it depends on the severity of a person's sensitivity.  I supposedly have a moderate sensitivity. This alpha-gal carb is also present in pretty much every mammal byproduct and also in all dairy products. I have to scan labels for the following ingredients; gelatin, glycerin, lactose, casein, whey, stearic acid...

Last week I had what I thought was a great idea; I would have a friend cook up a bunch of ground beef (in the form of hamburgers and just some crumbles for maybe soup or spaghetti) for Gary and Ellen as a break from chicken or turkey.  On Sunday I gave my friend Erin several lbs of ground beef.  She cooked it up and brought it back to me on Monday.  So I wrapped 3 burgers tightly in foil and put them in the oven to warm up. Such a bad, bad idea.   It took maybe 10-15 minutes and I could feel myself starting to react. First I got faint; not really dizzy completely, but just really light headed and shaky.  Then a few minutes after that my pulse began racing. It is a very unpleasant feeling. I at first got a face mask, turned off the oven and kept on with supper prep in the hopes it would subside, but it didn't, it just got worse.   I took some liquid allergy medication and just went outside and sat in the fresh air to recover. Gary and Ellen ate the...

 (So I have tried to get photos to load on here from this iPhone a couple of times, but they refuse to cooperate so phooey on it for now.) Here is a brief rundown of life as it is going for members of the House of Howard.  Last Saturday Ellen and I went to her college’s summer orientation. It was fun and I think it helped to relieve some of Ellen’s nerves about her upcoming college career. She got her schedule and bunches of info, met a few of the other incoming college freshmen. I think she is looking forward to it.  In the meantime she is working 3 days a week at a local resort; Friday Saturday and Sunday, in the office fielding and making calls and all the etceteras that go along with a little convenience store. She works the evening shift Fri and Sat,  then works a 12 hr day shift Sunday from 8 to 8. She is enjoying it much more than she enjoyed cleaning the cabins last summer. Haha ******* Gary is keeping busy with hauling gravel, water well repairs and general ...