Please Help! - A Letter to Friends & Family

Dear Family & Friends,

In December of 2008 I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. Adjusting to the new gluten-free (GF) diet has been one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. To have all your favorite foods ripped away, to watch people eat the good foods you can't, to see the commercials on TV for foods that look so good, but you can't ever eat is miserable. But every once in a while, I'll find something new in the GF world that gives me hope. This is one of them.

Jason's Deli is considering adding gluten-free sandwiches to their menu. Everytime a restaurant has a GF menu, I get excited. It makes eating out with family & friends so much easier for me. Mainly because I really don't like salads. They are currently taking a vote to see if they should actually do this. I'm begging you to PLEASE, PLEASE click on the link below and vote for them to add GF sandwiches to their menu.

Jason's Deli Gluten-Free Sandwiches









Thank you!

Lexi

Thanksgiving

Ok, I've stalled long enough. I'm going to add a quick Thanksgiving update. I was really nervous about Thanksgiving and the holidays because they seem to be centered around food. This wouldn't be a problem except that I have a very limited diet due to Celiac. However, it's been great so far. We spent Thanksgiving with my family this year. My mom made everything gluten free from grave to pies. It was wonderful! And my breadsticks were even better than their rolls! It was so encouraging to know that I wouldn't just have to miss out on all the good stuff. I've been SO discouraged lately about everything I can't eat. I've gotten to the point where I just want to avoid all events that include food. So this was a good experience. I don't know what I'd do without my mom and her dedication to keeping me gluten free! She's done so much research on all the common holiday foods and is helping me find a way to enjoy treats like everybody else but still stay healthy.

We then spent the weekend with Allan's family and had a Thanksgiving dinner up there. I took my pies and breadsticks with me (I left the stuffing out and it went bad :( ) and once again, I didn't miss out on anything. Hopefully the Christmas season will go just as well.

Diagnosis Feelings (Ranting & Raving)

WARNING: this is me ranting & raving. I think that if I get it out of my system I'll feel better. I'm hoping. So really you don't have to read it. I'll probably even delete it later, but for now, I need to get it out.

For the past two months, I've been really sick. I've been nauseous every single day & have no energy whatsoever. After putting up with it for so long, I went to the doctor. She thought it was diabetic gastroparesis but after going to a specialist & having an endoscopy, I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. The doctor told me it's very common among type 1 diabetics. I've had diabetes for 14 years & never heard that once. I asked if I just developed it in the last two months & he told me that I've actually had it for years, it just made itself manifest in the last two months.

I am so incredibly angry about this. I'm angry with God. I feel like he lied to me. In blessings I've been told that if I took care of myself, God would do the rest & I could live a long, healthy life. Well, I'm in the best control I've ever been in. My last A1c was 6.9! A Dr couldn't ask for better than that! And after I get in such great control, I get this! Don't I have enough health problems to deal with already?! Good grief! I've got diabetes, scoliosis that causes severe back spasms and then all the shoulder, hip & knee pain that can't be diagnosed. I never feel good as is. There are bad days & not-so-bad days, but never good days. Plus, I'm an extremely picky eater. Now over 50% of my diet has to be eliminated. I'm so angry that I just cry. I can't believe how much I've cried in the last 2 days. Ya, way to keep up your end of the deal, God. NOT!

I know that I shouldn't be angry. I should be grateful that although it's a chronic disease, it can be controlled. At least I don't have cancer. But I just can't come to terms with it yet. I'm so angry & somewhat depressed. I don't want to eat at all anymore. Everything I think of, I can't have anymore. I'm sitting around & wallowing in self-pity. Pathetic. 

Since my diagnosis, the only time I've felt ok is when visiting my grandpa in the hospital. He had a stroke last weekend. It was so nice to think of someone else & not myself. When I'm alone or working, all I can think about is myself & this stupid diagnosis. I really need to start school again so I can become a nurse. I think it would be so good for me. I'd be able to focus on those who are far less fortunate than I am & then not feel so bad for myself. I'm going to start classes in January, I think. I hope.

On a brighter note, I have the best husband in the world! After I was diagnosed, Allan made me a dinner of fettuccini alfredo. I really love pasta & was sad I couldn't have it anymore. He went to the store & got gluten-free noodles & bread to show me that I can still have good food. (The noodles were disgusting, but it's the thought that counts.) I thought it was the sweetest thing ever. He has also since cleaned out our cupboards of everything containing wheat. They are pretty bare. But he did it so I wouldn't be tempted & he has decided to do the new diet with me even though he doesn't have to so that it'll be easier for me. Could I ask for a better husband?