Friday afternoon I received a call from my doctor’s office regarding my blood work. I had been having some pretty severe intestinal issues for about 2 years now, but had been avoiding getting them checked out due to my doctor (aka; needle) phobia. However, the pain and general discomfort had reached an all time high and I finally waved the white flag and made an appointment. When I got the call, I knew they had found something.
And that something was Celiac Disease.
For those of you unfamiliar with the condition, it is also referred to as gluten intolerant. You may walk down the aisles of your local Whole Foods or even local supermarkets, and see many products being advertised as gluten free. Well, those are the products that I now have to buy in bulk. Gluten is the common name for the proteins in grains such as wheat, rye, barley and oats. I can no longer consume foods that contain any of those grains. That means no bread, no pasta, no cupcakes, no beer. No big deal. Just everything that makes me happy.
I usually don’t delve too deep into my personal life here on Melificent, but I figured posting about my journey towards becoming gluten free may help others in my predicament. I had a very difficult and frustrating weekend, and I know having some sort of support system would have really lessened those negative emotions. My husband has been more than understanding, as has everyone else in my life, but it’s definitely life-changing. I really enjoy food – especially trying new places to dine out, and now I feel like that has been ripped from me.
I went to a local spot for dinner on Sunday night, which I knew had a gluten free menu. Unfortunately, I’m not sure if the food was contaminated or what not, but I got very sick again. This was also after spending almost $100 on what I considered superficial items that would just help me “get by” at Whole Foods. Items that mostly tasted like a shell of what food should taste like. I also feel like I will be eternally annoying at every dinner table I ever sit at, and have turned into that girl. When I start getting hunger pangs, I panic because picking what to eat for breakfast, lunch or dinner is now an all out mission.
And as you all know, I am just learning how to cook. Now I need to go back to square one and start hunting down gluten free recipes, as it is evident eating out will be more of a headache than a treat. Thankfully, I have found several blogs (1, 2, 3) that will guide me along the way, but it still feels extremely daunting to me right now.
I’m really sorry if this post seems disjointed, but I’m still trying to wrap my head around this new lifestyle, so the emotions are still a little hard for me to express and deliver in a nice and neat little package. I know things will get easier and adhering to the diet will become second nature (it has to, disregarding it can result in premature osteoporosis or intestinal cancer), but right now this all feels like life decided to kick me in the ass.
I am grateful for all the advice I have already received from friends, but am definitely open to more.
I am trying to put things into perspective, as I am very happy that it wasn’t something more serious and that I now know what is making me feel this way and how to start feeling better. But sometimes, you just need a hand to hold.
Thanks for holding my hand.