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Found My Brother In A Heap! Starving, Dying, Weak.....

winki4

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winki4 Apprentice
winki4
Posted

As a 11 year gluten free Celiac that endured my entire family pooh poohing the idea of a gluten free diet or Celiac in general, I was shocked to get a call a few days ago from my 54 year old brother. He wanted to go to the hospital. Says he is dying and needs me to take him right away. I go over to his home a few minutes away and find him looking like a death camp survivor. Emaciated, wracked with belly and intestinal pain and pale in color. I knew his backround was like mine, with stomach troubles all his life, so I knew I was looking at a full blown Celiac in serious trouble. I was in the same place 11 years ago, only days away from dying, diagnosed by my mom bringing in a magazine article from Diabetic Forecast magazine.

I knew how to help him, cleaned his kitchen of gluten, filled his cupboards with safe food, convinced him to just try the diet and voila! 4 days now and he thinks I am a genius. We have traded stories now about our past "problems" with eating certain foods. His son came for a visit today and was reading some info I printed off this forum for my brother to read. The son showed me his purple scars on certain key spots of his body and now I see the son has Demetitus Herpetiformus. You could have knocked me over with just a breath! Another Celiac in the family. So now both of them are doing the gluten free diet. I am elated and sad at the same time. My brother is getting well day by day, as all of us know the drill. He has a long road in front of him to getting well. As all of us can understand so well, he's been seen by too many doctors, been diagnosed with Bi-polar, depression, and called nuts all too often. I assured him that those bad days are largely over now. Thanks for this forum. Thank goodenss my brother will make it. :D

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AndreaB Contributor
AndreaB
Posted

I'm so sorry he was so sick....but glad you were able to help him and that he has started on the road to better health. :)

Matilda Enthusiast
Matilda
Posted

...

Guest nini
Guest nini
Posted

he is so lucky to have you!

Sweetfudge Community Regular
Sweetfudge
Posted

Wow! I guess sometimes it takes getting that sick to convince people that something's wrong! Glad he's doing better!

jerseyangel Proficient
jerseyangel
Posted

Wow--I'm so glad you were there for him, and that he's doing better :)

DingoGirl Enthusiast
DingoGirl
Posted

Oh my gosh, you were a godsend to him. That is an amazing story! He is quite fortunate to have someone who knows the ropes and has been there all this time. :)

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winki4 Apprentice
winki4
Posted
  • Author

Thank you everyone for your unending encouragement and support. When I was first diagnosed a Celiac, there was little gluten free food available off the shelf, no cookbooks, no internet help and I was on my own. Newbies have it really good these days. Again, thank you everyone. This forum helps even an "old timer" like me! :lol:

kbtoyssni Contributor
kbtoyssni
Posted

Your brother is really lucky to have you!

CatandCanary Rookie
CatandCanary
Posted
As a 11 year gluten free Celiac that endured my entire family pooh poohing the idea of a gluten free diet or Celiac in general, I was shocked to get a call a few days ago from my 54 year old brother. He wanted to go to the hospital. Says he is dying and needs me to take him right away. I go over to his home a few minutes away and find him looking like a death camp survivor. Emaciated, wracked with belly and intestinal pain and pale in color. I knew his backround was like mine, with stomach troubles all his life, so I knew I was looking at a full blown Celiac in serious trouble. I was in the same place 11 years ago, only days away from dying, diagnosed by my mom bringing in a magazine article from Diabetic Forecast magazine.

I knew how to help him, cleaned his kitchen of gluten, filled his cupboards with safe food, convinced him to just try the diet and voila! 4 days now and he thinks I am a genius. We have traded stories now about our past "problems" with eating certain foods. His son came for a visit today and was reading some info I printed off this forum for my brother to read. The son showed me his purple scars on certain key spots of his body and now I see the son has Demetitus Herpetiformus. You could have knocked me over with just a breath! Another Celiac in the family. So now both of them are doing the gluten free diet. I am elated and sad at the same time. My brother is getting well day by day, as all of us know the drill. He has a long road in front of him to getting well. As all of us can understand so well, he's been seen by too many doctors, been diagnosed with Bi-polar, depression, and called nuts all too often. I assured him that those bad days are largely over now. Thanks for this forum. Thank goodenss my brother will make it. :D

winki4,

Your story is so moving to me, my brother is also sick and is unwilling to do anything about it. Thank God you were able to reach your family at just the right time. I was sick for so long and now you and the others on this web page have realy changed my life and have given me the hope that some day my family will get better. My mother was very sick for years and passed away at age 44 from what I think was Celiac related illness. I believe she is watching over me now and would have given her own life to save mine. I know you must be a very strong and wonderful person. My thoughts are with you and your family. What a wonderful gift you have received for the holidays.

LOL

Cathy :D

girlfromclare Apprentice
girlfromclare
Posted

Well done you!! Im so glad that you were able to help your brother and now son as well. I know what its like to see people you love with symptoms and getting sicker and them not doing anything about it... its so frustrating. I hope it doesnt take them getting as sick as your poor brother did before they will listen to what i have to say...

well done again and I wish you all the best of luck

Liz (Ireland)

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