by Bethy
As part of my duties here at "They Call Me Mom", my mission, if I chose to accept it, was to address Celiac Disease. I was diagnosed in late '09. My first Thanksgiving with Celiac, I literally subsisted on mashed potatoes and butter, and coffee, while everyone else had the gravy, the great biscuits and crescents Grandma made. It's been a really long road, already. But, it's also been a huge blessing. Here goes:
What is Celiac Disease?
Celiac is a disease of the digestive system. Basically, when a celiac eats anything with gluten, the body treats it as a virus. It is an auto immune disorder. The "villi", little hairs on the intestines, are flattened. Numerous symptoms can develop, from flu symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea, to headaches, crankiness, lack of concentration, irritability, and more. It is an equal opportunity offender on the body.
Many celiacs find that they have been accused of "faking", have been misdiagnosed with illnesses like Irritable Bowel Syndrome and go through tests upon tests before being correctly diagnosed. I was lucky... my malabsortion, dark circles under my eyes, and extreme vomitting gave me away. Starting on a gluten-free diet (which I have to remain on the rest of my life) and with an endoscopy, I was found, not to have an allergy to milk, or to be "Just delicate" but to be having issues with foods I was given to make me healthy - like rye and whole wheat!
