Freeze drying

   Not long ago there was a mother in one of the PKU groups who was talking about how she bought a freeze drying machine and she freeze dries so many of her child’s foods.  She said on days she doesn’t want to cook she just pulls something from her shelf and adds water and instant healthy meal for her child.  It got me thinking, but when I looked at the cost I thought “no way!”  They are super expensive (close to $5000), so I put the thought aside.  I left it as a wish and a dream for maybe someday.  

We went on vacation, and while on vacation we bought the kids freeze dried ice cream sandwiches.  They were so yummy, and it got me longing once again for a freeze drying machine.  The ice cream sandwiches were so good, but so expensive

When I got home I kept rolling the thought over in my mind, and couldn’t let it go.  I went online to try and find a freeze drying machine, and found one.  Again…..super expensive so it gave me a pause, and then I joined some facebook groups to learn more.  I knew I wanted the one with the pump that doesn’t require me to empty and drain oil….I knew I wanted an oil less pump which meant it was even more expensive.  

I also kept thinking over and over and over again about what would happen if something like covid happened again.  I never was much of the type to worry about the end of the world type stuff or running out of food, etc, but covid taught me I do need to think about things like that.  I can still remember the terror and fear that set in when stores were selling out of foods and the shelves were bare.  I still remember the feeling of panic, and I stressed out over what I was going to feed my child with PKU.  I knew that everyone else would be okay because even if we could get our hands on foods that people didn’t like it would be okay because even gross food would sustain their lives.  The problem was with PKU that isn’t always possible.  You cannot just pull food from the shelves and say “oh well this will have to do” because it might not.  It might be a food that would cause my child’s body harm.  It could damage my child’s brain, and sadly that fear has never really gone away.

Add to that fear now the formula shortage, an I cannot even begin to tell you how afraid I am of something happening and there not being food for my girls with PKU.  The fear kept tugging at me.  That fear kept me up and thinking, and finally I said “fuck it.”  I went online and just charged the damn machine.  I told myself it would be okay because in the long run I was doing this for my family.  Once this thing comes I can make healthy foods and freeze dry them for my family…..including my daughters with PKU.  

I know the likelihood that something will happen that will shut the world down again is pretty slim, but I am going to be prepared. I am not going to sit back and hope that all will be okay.  I am going to make sure it is because I will have a storage of food that I am going to be putting together just in case!!!

Thankfully when I told Brad he was a very good sport about it, and didn’t say a whole heck of a lot.  I don’t think he will admit it, but I think when covid hit and we struggled to find foods for the girls in the stores it stressed him out too.  I can still remember him coming home with bean soup and saying that was all they had. Ummmmm, bean soup……Genavieve cannot have that, and while none of us liked bean soup we ate that damn bean soup (Gena had something else).  

I never want to feel that helpless again!!!

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