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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, May 15, 2015 | 10 Teen with rare disease keeps sense of humour on his menu continued from p.5 "It has made a huge difference because now he's able to eat some food and every week, we introduce a new food to see how he reacts." Brendan, however, wouldn't exactly describe the feeding tube experience as `terrific'. He lost weight until he was approximately 88 pounds. "I mean, it was bad, but I guess it could have been worse," Brendan said. "The only solid food I had was sucking on Jolly Rancher candies and I sucked on a lot of them. "The tube went down my throat and past my stomach. I don't know where it ended up. It was disgusting. The formula was supposed to be vanilla-flavoured but it wasn't vanilla. It was like always having a greasy feeling at the back of your throat." But knowing he wouldn't eat solid food for a while, he had a last meal at McMaster Children's Hospital that consisted of a footlong BLT sandwich with mustard, pop and two cookies. "He would take a bite and then vomit, but laugh and smile and then take another bite and vomit and smile and laugh again," Donna said. Brendan said, "It was really good. It was totally worth it." Corn, soy, rice, raw tomatoes, eggs, apples, bananas, peaches, rice, peanuts, some soda pop, some ice cream and all pork products (bacon, ham, etc.), and juices are off limits, but some foods traditionally known to cause allergies such as pineapples, dairy, and wheat are OK. He can eat almonds, chicken, turkey hamburger, certain fast-food French fries and his all-time favourite food is cheese pizza. "It's really trial and error," Terry, his father said. "If he reacts, say on a Sunday, he's out of school until Friday and then he feels OK again." As well, he's allergic to pollen and the cold. He gets severe rashes on his arms in cold weather and doctors have said he could die if he ever fell into cold water. He can't swim in chlorinated pools. Donations aren't going to research into his particular disease because there isn't anyone or hospital in Canada doing research, Donna said, adding one of the few places that is investigating it is Cincinnati Children's Hospital. Donna and Terry wanted to have their son tested there but OHIP doesn't cover the expensive testing. Asked what food he wants to try next, Brendan smiled and said "Cucumbers and pickles, so I can put them on a hamburger." Create your dream Kitchen or Bathroom! 20 Y Exper ears ience ARE YOU TRULY DIVERSIFIED? A world-class asset manager--based in Oakville--Acorn invests over $100 million on behalf of institutions and accredited investors seeking true diversification to achieve beer portfolio returns and risk reduction. Let Acorn help you diversify your portfolio. Contact us to find out how at www.acorn.ca or 905-257-0773 FREE INSTALLATION SOmE ExcEpTIONS, pLEASE vISIT ShOwROOm FOR dETAILS. OFFER ExpIRES mARch 2015 MAY 31,31, 2015 333 Wyecroft Rd., Unit 3, Oakville 905.844.3332 Free Estimates www.aromakitchens.ca $10 OFF SALE 3.79L Regal® Select and ben® Paints* May 8­17, 2015 The Painters Place Don't Miss Out! (MSRP) 478 Dundas Street West Oakville, ON 905.257.2061 MSRP available on Regal® Select and ben® Interior and Exterior products. $10 off per 3.79L container at regular retail price of qualifying Benjamin Moore paint. Offer valid on following REGAL® Select products: 547, 549, 550, 551, 552; 400, 401 & 403 and on ben® products: 625, 626, 627; 541, 542 & 543. Qualifying purchases must be made in one (1) single transaction. Discount applied at checkout. Offer available from 5/08 to 5/17 and cannot be combined with other discounts or promotions, or applied toward prior purchases. Expires 5/17/15. At participating retailers only, while supplies last. Details in store. ©2015 Benjamin Moore & Co., Limited. Benjamin Moore, REGAL, ben and the triangle "M" symbol are registered trademarks, and "Only this Can" and "Paint like no other" are trademarks of Benjamin Moore.