Mark it down. Friday, June 24th 2016. The day a doctor told me I need to start eating gluten free.
I've been fighting it for a while.
Back in January I saw an old coworker at a wedding. She had celiac disease. I made a joke about how I probably have it but I didn't want to get tested again. She told me how much better you can feel when you actually know what is wrong and you can take steps to fix it. I've been thinking about that conversation ever since.
This last Monday I saw the doctor about a really, really sore throat. He told me I had strep and I asked if he did tests for celiac disease. He called Tuesday and told me the test was positive and that I should meet with a gastroenterologist he knows. Wednesday I developed a sunburn-like rash on my arms and legs. My limbs were, and still are, swollen. By Thursday all my joints started to hurt and I started wondering what the hell was wrong with me. It seemed like my body was shutting down on me. I saw my doctor again on Friday. He thinks the swelling and the rash is viral and he did another blood panel to confirm. I got a call this evening from the GI doctor saying that it could all be caused by celiac disease. I asked if I should go gluten free or if I need to keep eating gluten for any upcoming tests. I was hoping I'd have to keep eating gluten so I could enjoy this weekend and the housewarming bbq we have planned. No such luck.
If cutting out gluten makes the swelling go down and makes it as painful to walk, I'll be glad to do it. But I wish I had a guarantee. My mom was diagnosed with celiac disease 14 years ago. It sucked. Eating gluten free sucks. You can still eat yummy food and enjoy eating but it sucks. I'll never have a Papa Johns The Works pizza again. Chick-fil-a, Chinese take out, Taco Bell. Gone. Eating normal meals with my family? Gone. I hated trying my mom's gluten free food when I was younger. It tasted bad and the texture was off. But now I can completely understand why my mom wanted us all to eat the same. Ignoring the possibility of contamination, I just don't want to have to cook the good yummy stuff I used to love for my family while I make some lesser alternative for myself. Doesn't seem real fair.
It sucks.
