Still Learning

Learning is a good thing, right? My brain is overloaded at the moment. The internet is both a blessing and a curse. I'm thankful the information is out there, but wading through it causes me to sink to drowning point. While my head spins from trying to swim, I'll share my enlightenment.

I learned yesterday, that my daughter Elisabeth, has Celiac Sprue. After all of these years, it is nice to finally have an answer to her many symptoms. Unfortunately it feels like a lifetime sentence. Over the weekend, I read about this disease. The puzzle pieces started to form a picture.

I was shocked at the vast number of ailments CS can cause. Elisabeth exhibits so very many of them. A part of me was hopeful. A simple diet change could alter her life in a positive way. Just remove wheat gluten from her diet. Life is good again. I was almost elated when she received the diagnosis yesterday. But then the reality of it began its hostile takeover.

Breads, pasta, cookies...ok, that sounds hard, but we can do this. (Elisabeth, if you are reading this, stop. You've already thought about this.) Pizza, ramen, chex mix, frosted mini wheats, triscuit crackers-a sampling of favorite snacks that are banned. Breakfast burritos, Chick Filet, Cheeseburgers, Burger King Chicken Sandwiches; the quick fast-food fixes are out. This is getting harder.

I had no idea the foods which might contain wheat gluten: sour cream, yogurt, french fries. Apparently condiments can also hide this now evil ingredient, so labels have to be read for salad dressings, ketchup, mustard are just a few. Soy sauce, that I cook with so frequently, has a major wheat component.

Sigh.

I'm also thinking that Elisabeth's bout with "shingles" was actually not shingles, but a symptom caused by CS.

Whatever am I going to do with my recipe page? It might receive a transformation, with a new section of gluten-free. I'm open to advice from anyone who has successfully embraced a gluten-free diet.

Maybe this is a new opportunity for adventure. I need to come up with the perfect gluten-free diet. While I'm at it, I might as well make it casein-free too. Then Ethan will greatly benefit too.