Somewhat New Celiac

[*~jOaNnA~*]

Well hello yall, my name is Joanna, I'm 19 and I was just recently diagnosed with celiac disease in May 2006. During my senior year of high school I missed 28 days due to everything that comes along with celiac disease. At the time my family thought it was just a bug, then the last week of my senior year, I woke up with an unbearable pain on my left side. We went to the emergency room, they gave me morphine and everything, it was bad!!! They did x-rays, thinkin' it was kidney stones, then the Dr. thought it was, gall stones, then they they thought I had IBS (irritable bowl syndrome), then they thought this and thought that, finally I got into GI doctor and he said hey lets do this...so I was scheduled for a colonoscopy and an endoscopy a week after my high school graduation. They found out that I have celiac disease, it was the most dreadful thing to hear, b/c EVERYHING has wheat in it, but I was so happy to finally find out what was giving me such a fit and making me lose so much weigh! I use to go to the bathroom EVERYDAY at school, w/ watery D, I actually had went on myself several times b/c I had such a long way to walk to the bathroom and then tryin' to get the teacher to even let me leave class. My senior year was ruined, but...all i can do is look towards the future. In the beginning I use to dread going out with friends for dinner or to concerts or just to hang out in fear that it would hit me. I felt and still feel like whenever i'm nervous or stressed about something it hits me. Now I'm in my 1st year of college and I'm still dealing with it but I can't let it stop me in my tracks, i've got things I see myself doing in the future, and sittin' on my butt at home because I'm afraid "it" might hit me ain't it. I absolutely dread my public speaking class...I will be a CRAPPY MESS....haha...but I finally realized that their are more people with our problem than let on...so I do what I've got to do and give everything my best...ALWAYS...ALWAYS...ALWAYS REMEMBER: God doesn't give you more than you can handle!!

Oh yeah, i'm in college for nursing. So whenever I make it big i'm gonna let everyone know about celiac disease and then maybe people won't be so yucky about it!!

I LOVE YOU CELIACS!!!!!

[Guest nini]

Welcome! I love your attitude! Keep it up girl and yay on going to school for nursing and being able to educate more people about Celiac!

[Jestgar]

Yea!! Kick some butt Joanna!!

[jaten]

Go, Girl!!!

That's the attitude. AND, you'll find that as your intestine heals more and more, you'll even be able to eat in public places (your own food), and be perfectly fine. In December I will have been gluten free for a year...and all is right with my world

[Canadian Karen]

Hi and Welcome!

I'm glad you got your answers without having to go years and years searching because the medical community is woefully uneducated about this disease! You lucked out with that GI!

You go and kick some butt in the nursing field! Every single person spreading the news about this disease helps!!!!

Hugs.

Karen

[kbtoyssni]

Welcome! We need more people like you in medical community!