The Watermelon Incident

On Monday I had the privilege of visiting two sweet women who mentored me through a Women's Bible study at my previous church.  I am getting good at packing up many food options for Rebekah on outings, but as I piled things into the van I somehow forgot the diaper bag.  It was a good thing one of the ladies has a daughter a couple of months older than Rebekah as I knew I would be able to change her diaper before the ride home.  The only semi-challenging part was half of Rebekah's food was in the diaper bag - and I was praising God it was only half and that I had options with me.

As lunchtime approached Rebekah was offered some watermelon.  My instant response was, "Yes!  Thank you, fruit is always a safe option."  It was then that I was instantly reminded (a prompting from the Holy Spirit) of a friend telling me that dyes have been used occasionally in fruits.  I dismissed this thought by reminding myself that I had looked that up in the past and I had confirmed dyes added to apples to make their skin more red/ripe looking, but I had not come across other fruit.

When the cut up watermelon was handed over, I exclaimed, "Look how red it is!"  Since I was too oblivious to hear my own words they were echoed by our mutual friend, "That really is some red watermelon."  (prompting number 2 which I just did not open my ears to hear.)

My friend's daughter, who sat across the table from me, had spread a white napkin out and a few pieces of watermelon were placed in front of her.  Instantly I saw the red liquid creep into the white napkin.  After a quick thought of "that is not normal" the enemy snuck in for the kill with a thought of "raspberries and strawberries do that, why not watermelon?  Still, I could not remember once seeing watermelon bleed like that....

Rebekah only ate one piece completely to my knowledge... she took a bite of a second and threw it on the floor, and then a bite of a third and threw it on the floor.  It is amazing how her body knows how to rebel against chemicals, even when her mind sees a food she is "allowed" to eat.  By the time I started my drive home, I realized the three warnings I had been given and dismissed.  I had to know and I did not want to wait the 40 minutes until I got home.  A quick call to Matthew and he confirmed that sometimes red dye is injected into watermelons to make them appear ripe.  (This is just one source I found:  http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-05-12/kanpur/31678929_1_bright-red-shade-watermelons-harmful-colours)  ... by the way, this is edited:  most stories of dyes in watermelon seem to be in Asia and India.  It is not supposed to happen in the United States.  But sometimes, things happen... and this watermelon did appear very unnaturally red....

Not many people can even come close to understanding how the artificial dyes and preservatives can effect a child.  I am constantly surprised myself, even when I see the outcome.  I tried to dismiss Rebekah's cranky and uncomfortable afternoon to a cold/virus that was going through our family.  I tried to be hopeful for a good night's sleep by giving Rebekah some natural nighttime medicine that contained melatonin.  By midnight I heard her babbling, and crying on and off.  By 3 A.M. there was no more denying it.  Rebekah was restless and uncomfortable and crying with misery.  I brought her back to our bed which really translates to nobody gets sleep.  Rebekah tried her best to be still and I tried my best to relax her.  At one point she hit her head a few times while saying, "No, No, No!"  She knows she is supposed to be sleeping, and I can not even imagine what her body goes through.  My heart breaks as I think about the words from another blogger of a mom who's child reacts to dyes and I hear these words as if coming from Rebekah..."Monica ends up on the couch next to me, shaking and sobbing uncontrollably and asking me to make whatever is happening to her stop. Squirming and itching and rocking and crying, “Just make it stop, mom!” 

"Just make it stop, mom!"  I see it in her eyes.  I hear it in her self frustration saying, "No! No! No!"  How else can a 22 month old say it?  In the above quoted blog, http://www.allergykids.com/blog/seeing-red/, the episode lasts an hour... for Rebekah it still seems to be 72 hours before the cycle is completely done.  She goes through softer stools and a really bad rash.  She will also scratch her skin until it bleeds just where her nerve endings are at the middle lower part of her backside.  All these things seem to be part of her red dye reactions.  Even though I have read stories which confirms she is not alone, she seems to have the most extreme sensitivity to the littlest amount of dye.  It breaks my heart that after it starts there is absolutely nothing I can do to help her through it.  She only finds comfort in sleeping upright on her mommy or daddy for brief moments that get better after the 24 hour mark.

I am thankful some people in our lives are starting to "get it" as best they can.  I am thankful my mom has made 3-4 visits a month and has gotten many play by plays of what we have gone through.  As I went through this story yesterday with my mom, I started with "Rebekah got some red dye on Monday."  My mom wondered how on earth when we have been so careful.  "Watermelon" I said, and her instant response was "You are kidding me!"  There was not a single hint of speculation in her tone, but more of an astonished tone that it is now in a natural food.  She instantly followed up with "I can see how they would do that... making a melon appear ripe."  She is getting it, and for me that is a sense of peace.  Not having to defend myself or explain it in 100 ways.  Rebekah reacts to chemicals.  Since February we have only had two episodes Praise the LORD!  One from the BHT in Kellogg's cereals (which is not as severe as a dye reaction but still enough), and now the watermelon incident.

Here is to praying I can hear the warnings a little quicker next time.  Here's hoping to no more 72 hour episodes, ever!