Panacreatitis

[Sapphire Silk]

My question is not for medical advise. It is basically is there something we are missing in her diet that someone else who has dealt with this can pick up on.

It sounds to me like you've gotten a lot of information from your health care providers. In any case, there really isn't anything members here can add as none of us here are dieticians.

I would venture that the real issue is dealing with Lil Bit's insistence on breaking her diet. This is not all that surprising; she is a teenager, and teens rebel against rules and controls as they attempt to establish a sense of self identity.

She'll start sticking to her diet when she gets tired of being in pain.

Then this doesn't sound so much like an issue of "missing something" so much as an issue of her being a kid and not understanding the gravity of her situation.

^-.-^

I think Lil Bits DOES understand . . . that doesn't prevent one from living in denial though.

I'm just concerend that I am not doing everything that I can to help her come to grips with what is wrong with her

That's an understandable emotion. You're a parent and you want your child to be healthy and happy. Unfortunately, we live in a world where nothing is assured or guaranteed. Give yourself credit for the work you have done on Lil Bits behalf, and try to recognize and accept that she is going through a NORMAL part of her psychological development that consists of risk taking behaviors and a sense of immortality. You don't have to condone behavior you don't like, but try to let her take the bit in her teeth and figure out for herself: Eat right=no pain. Eat wrong=pain.

I think she'll figure it out.

Take her to a local rehab facility and introduce her to the diabetics who are missing body parts. Thought provoking.

That's overkill and I think it would just put Lil Bits off and close the doors to further communication.

[Fire_on_High]

You're missing the obvious.

You think she's going against what she was told when she goes out with her friends? Then put the kibosh on going out with her friends.

For good.

She'll hate you, scream, be bored, and likely end up alienated and all these other things that seem like the end of the world to her now...but it'll decisively end the issue.

She'll thank you later.

(Having seen how many of the kids I went to school with managed to completely ruin their lives via social stupidity, I'm *slobberingly* grateful now that I wasn't allowed to drive til college or have friends outside of school.)

[FormerCallingCardRep]

We have started experimenting with some new chicken dishes. She likes chicken breast stir fried with broccoli over brown rice. She like a dish called chicken rigatoni which is chicken breast that is baked in cream of chicken soup and put over whole grain rigatoni noodles.

Her boyfriend's step mom has started making chicken for the days that she comes over for dinner. Little Bits was over there for dinner twice last week and did not have any pain afterwards.

We have been discussing how food choices can effect the amount of pain she has. I have been having her write down what she is eating and that is helping her see what foods are causing her pain. She has totally quit eating meals prepared in the school cafeteria and we are packing her lunches that do not cause pain and that includes foods that are on the list of foods that have nutrients that help to promote healing in her pancreas from the list the dietitian gave her last spring. We make sure to pack a fruit salad in her lunch every day made from fresh fruit we buy together.

I think the painful attack she had a couple of weeks ago has taught her what she should be eating.

Thank you for all of the advice and all of the confidence you have given me in knowing that I am and have been doing what she needs to get healthy. My hope is that she will better understand her diet restrictions before she goes away to college next fall.

[AccountingDrone]

That's overkill and I think it would just put Lil Bits off and close the doors to further communication.

Believe me, watching a friend of the family getting shorter from the bottom up made it *very* clear what happens if you do not maintain your health.

After 30 years as a diabetic, I have *no* neuropathy. I have *warm feet*. I even have hair on my toes. [no idea, but my endocrinologist is amazed I have furry toes] I do not want to lose body parts like my Dad's friend.

[dalesys]

...endocrinologist is amazed...

Just don't make a hobbit of that.

[Sapphire Silk]

Believe me, watching a friend of the family getting shorter from the bottom up made it *very* clear what happens if you do not maintain your health.

After 30 years as a diabetic, I have *no* neuropathy. I have *warm feet*. I even have hair on my toes. [no idea, but my endocrinologist is amazed I have furry toes] I do not want to lose body parts like my Dad's friend.

Lil Bits isn't diabetic. This issue doesn't affect her yet. It would be very premature.

My father was diabetic too, for 15 years. Didn't lose any toes, never a major problem. the key was not scaring him into what could happen. He understood what could happen.

The key was my mother who controlled his diet (you either ate what she put in front of your or went hungry). The key is support systems.

The OP is doing that. But we're dealing with a teenager, and you have to give teens some freedom to make mistakes or they just don't learn. Right now, the only risk Lil Bits has is suffering pain. Which is why I think scare tactics are premature.

[AccountingDrone]

Just don't make a hobbit of that.

<snicker>

Lil Bits isn't diabetic. This issue doesn't affect her yet. It would be very premature.

My father was diabetic too, for 15 years. Didn't lose any toes, never a major problem. the key was not scaring him into what could happen. He understood what could happen.

The key was my mother who controlled his diet (you either ate what she put in front of your or went hungry). The key is support systems.

The OP is doing that. But we're dealing with a teenager, and you have to give teens some freedom to make mistakes or they just don't learn. Right now, the only risk Lil Bits has is suffering pain. Which is why I think scare tactics are premature.

Sorry, when I grew up seeing the family friend getting bits cut off, I wasn't diabetic either. It was seriously memorable.