Diagnosis

Normally I don't take self-portraits and post them on my blog. Well not this kind of self-portrait anyways. But normally I don't write personal blog posts, especially about myself...so I saw fit to post this particular photo. So If you don't want to read this long of a post, or feel it's silly that I am even writing this, you can stop. This last wednesday, January 13th, I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. Since my 8th grade year, I have literally in bed whenever I can. The hard part in high school, and as of recently, is that I am a very social person. It's hard because I want to get out of the house and be with everyone and do everything and not miss out. But that always dragged me down, and I would stay in my room sleeping...even skipping meals just to get that extra half hour of sleep. Well, now I know! I've been told for so long that I was anemic, or had a thyroid disorder, or had lupus and all these things, but never once had the doctor ever tested me for Celiac. Then, this last holiday season, we were at home in San Clemente when I woke up one morning with what looked like bug bites. There were one or two of them. Then, the next day I got more, and more. I just assumed that the room we were sleeping in had "bed bugs". Exactly 10 days later, I'm photographing a wedding (in CA again), and sitting at a table when this woman tells me all about her son on a mission. He just broke out in all these bumps all over his body, went to the dermatologist, and they diagnosed him with Dermatitis herpetiformis. That is part of what celiac's go through. So while she's telling me this, my face got red, my hands started to sweat, and I asked her all sorts of questions, of course avoiding the fact that I have exactly what she's describing, on my lower back. She continues telling me how he can't eat the food that is "gluton-free" (but that's the missionary mind) becuase it grosses him out. Anyways. I run home, tell my parents, and they of course, tell me to get checked when I get back to Utah. Of course, I googled my "bumps" (as I've been calling them) and so many websites on it. I saw pictures, I read testimonials, forums, and blogs all from people that just woke up one day and had these crazy bug bites that never go away! And they itch like crazy. You can't pick at them or they'll get white and start to scab, but never will the scab go away. Anyways. I stopped my worrying and said to myself, just forget about this, enjoy the New Year, and you'll figure it out later. Well, on New Years Eve, we were in Seattle and I tell my Aunt about my "bumps" and she said that she has a good friend that has those, and she has celiacs. I mean come on Elise, everyone has been telling you about this. Go check it out. Now you should know, I've really never heard about this before that wedding dinner. There are two people in my ward, brother & sister, that have it and I only knew because they have a baggie brought to them during church to take their own piece of bread. So I got curious. So I google it like crazy, still itchy, but this time, I'm getting itchy on my elbows, my knees, my chest. I go in the first day I get back. My doctor tells me that I probably don't have it, because a lot of people think they do, when really they are lactose intolerant, or have bowel problems. Then I showed him my "bumps", and that's when he started getting serious with me. He told me that celiac's usually aren't asymptomatic and that he needed to see a few more things. Dr. then laid me down on the table/bed/paper thing, and pressed down on the left part of my abdomen. I started bawling! It was as if he was torturing me and I didn't know if I should hold in my tears, but at that point, I couldn't help it. He then sent me immediately to get blood tests, asked me to come in sometime the next week, (next week, seriously? if i don't treat this right away sir, i can't have kids!) I scheduled it for 8 days after the blood work was done. He called me 4 days later, told me it was urgent and to come in as soon as he was able to. So I came in, he told me some really confusing things... and then finally I said, so is it positive? He said "YES! Your levels are at the highest they can go!" Wow! I didn't expect that at all. I am so used to doctors telling me, "you're just growing", "you need more sleep". Or "women always have really low iron levels". Finally there is an answer. Most of you are probably thinking I am crazy how positive I am, but this is such a blessing. And I can't believe I have had this all my life and never knew about it! Even now, being on a gluton free diet for 5ish days, I am starting to feel so much better. It's weird to think that I never really digested normal, and I'm starting to now, even if it's just a little bit. I feel like I can fly around the world! I feel lighter, cleaner, and have a lot more energy. And so far, I have learned so much! Here's a few that I specifically am excited/not excited about.

1. Grocery shopping, much simpler now. Just buy everything that says "gluton-free". If it doesn't say it, you search. 

2. Indian food, 99% gluton-free. Thai food, not that high.

3. Rice flour in Lindsay's chocolate chip cookies, not the best, but it's getting there.

4. Breyer's,  haagen-daz ice cream, & Chex cereals, totally gluton-free

5. Chocolate, definitely okay.

6. Oatmeal, of course, is gone. But I do think Irish Oats is okay.

I hope this will help people who think they may have some food allergy, or have similar symptoms. You cannot just develop it, you are born with it, and most likely, your family, immediate or distant, has celiac or another autoimmune disease. If you have any comments, tips or anythin-g, let me know! I need all the help I can get!

{And I hope my friends will still invite me over for dinners & dessert nights. please?}