New Here --

[Professor]

Hi,

I'm new here, but unfortunately, not new to celiac disease. I've been diagnosed for about 10 years.

I was a scrawny kid, underweight my whole adult life, and often sick. I suffered from infertility, and after finally getting pregnant each time, I would have a miscarriage (4 total). Still knowing nothing about celiac and having no doctors who could diagnose why all the infertility and miscarriages, I did the only thing I could think of and went to an all-organic, all-whole-foods diet (and obviously got rid of refined, processed foods, such as flour). After just a year, I got pregnant without any help (okay hubby did his part! LOL!), and sailed through that pregnancy without a hitch. A few years later, though, I fell off the "health-foods" kick, and was sick for many more years until diagnosis. (I didn't seem to get the connection between it all, for whatever reason.) OK, finally about 10 years ago, I read about celiac disease and insisted my doctor test me. Positive, of course. Since then I'm doing very well. The cooking is no longer a challenge, but I like to travel a lot, and eating out is difficult, especially if I'm NOT in a big city with gluten-free restaurants.

Glad to have found the board, and look forward to "meeting" everyone.

(Hey, how come I can't do things like put up my photo? Do I have to be here a while or something? It said I can't have access to that part of the board.)

Patty

[celiac3270]

You probably tried to add a personal photo--none of us have that option. You can, however, add an avatar. Scroll up a bit and go to my controls. Then on the left hand toolbar, click "edit avatar settings." You can add one from the gallery and import one of your own (I don't remember, but you might need 30 posts--advanced member--to be able to import your own avatar). Other ways you can kinda personalize yourself on the board is by editing profile information--including AIM, YIM, e-mail, MSN Messenger, etc. so people can talk with you (if you choose to) and adding hobbies and interests, birth date, location, etc. Finally, you can add a signature, clicking "edit signature". The signature is added automatically to the bottom of every post you make. Mine has my name, diagnosis story, etc., some people have a quote that they like or something. All of these options are located in the same general area on the left side under "my controls".

Welcome to the board!

That's about all I have to say--no words of advice or reassurance needed--you've been on the diet 10 times longer than I have been .

-celiac3270

[Professor]

Thank you for explaining it! LOOK -- I got the photo to work -- yay me!

As far as me needing no words of encouragement or support, well, that's another story . . .

I guess there are two great difficulties I experience. One is travel -- always SO difficult to just head to wherever, and survive. We usually end up renting a house or apartment, so we can cook. Hard enough to find gluten-free restaurants (non-existent in some places), but much more inconvenient to travel to them three times a day.

The other is people who just don't "get it" -- I've tried explaining til I'm blue, and get so tired of it. I think a friend or family member totally understands, but then I get to their house for my birthday party and there are sandwiches, pizza, and cake! LOL! So, I have a glass of iced tea and then they ask why I can't have some occasionally. Everyone here must know this feeling?

At least my home is safe -- we have a totally gluten-free home, so there is no cross-contamination or anything for me to worry about (cookware, dishes, or just crumbs off the counter). Easy to stay healthy there at least.

Patty

[stef-the-kicking-cuty]

Hi Patty,

welcome to the board from me, too. It just amazes me how fast our "little" group grows every week!

Stef