Feeling Really Depressed Today

[butterfl8]

So I was diagnosed in July last year, and my family was tested because of it. Both my sister and my mom were diagnosed, but my sister never has any symptoms from eating gluten, and so does not worry about cross contamination. She just eats foods without wheat. My mom "doesn't have time" to take the diet seriously, and so sticks to it, when it works for her. . .

I babysat my neice and nephew last night, and stayed out of the kitchen as much as possible. But I did see an Entenmanns cheese danish on the counter, and a dirty pie plate, and the kids ate spagetti. I only drank water, from my water bottle. So today I'm abnormally depressed, while I should be completely excited. I just got a letter saying I was admitted to Grad School at CU! Which is a dream come true! How lucky is that? Thirty years old and I get to start on my dream?

But here I am, typing on my computer, crying instead of celebrating.

So my question for everybody here is this. This babysitting gig is a once a month deal that I've had with my sis for the last 5 or 6 years. My niece is only 10, so not quite old enough to be on her own yet. I like the time with the kids, but I can't handle their house! My house is a train wreck, and really not kid friendly. No toys, no video games, no backyard. Front yard is ok. . . Any suggestions? Help? I seem to get sick over there every time now, and I don't eat a thing.

-Daisy

[Ahorsesoul]

Daisy,

You might have to let someone else be blessed with the monthly babysitting job. You can pick another day to take you dear niece out of the house for an activity. You will be busy with Grad School. You need your time and you need to set your life up to be healthy. Your dream is right in your hands. You know in your heart what you need to do. Sometimes doing the right thing isn't the easiest.

Your house is fine for a 10 year old. So what it is a wreck, she won't mind at all. Clear a table and haul out a game to play. Kids do not need toys,video games,big backyards or perfectly clean and neat houses.

[Mskedi]

Can you make the babysitting gig an outing? Take them to the park or an aquarium or something?

I'm sure that depends on the time you're babysitting, but if it's possible that may be a win-win.

[sa1937]

Daisy, I tend to agree that it might be time for someone else to take over the babysitting for awhile. If it were my family, I think I'd also be very distressed to see loved ones not adhering to a gluten free diet when you know how important it is.

If you always take care of the kids at night, this might be a problem but if you can have them during the day, the Denver Zoo is wonderful...as well as the museum in City Park (don't remember the name of it). Or Wash Park...to spend hours strolling through it plus a myriad of other Denver attractions that we don't have in a small town here.

Or how about having the kids come to your house for a sleepover...I know my 11 year-old granddaughter here doesn't give a hoot what my house looks like (right now it's pretty bad as I haven't been feeling well), much less muster the energy to have a house that looks like it should be in House Beautiful. You really owe it to yourself to take care of yourself!

Congrats on being accepted to grad school!!! My daughter is going to grad school at the U of C at Denver (class of 2012) and she will be 46 when she graduates with a degree in Landscape Architecture, a 3-year program. It's tough with a house, family, dogs, meals, etc., which somehow always fall on Mom to keep things running smoothly. She has no time to breathe, much less have any time for herself. She also has a problem with gluten as well as being hypo thyroid (she's waiting to see how I make out when I get the results on my biopsy so she can be tested, too).

Good luck on however you decide to handle this...I'm sure you'll get a lot of good suggestions from this very helpful group of caring people!

[hypersof]

Well,

I don't have much to add to the previous advice, I agree with all that's been said.

Just wanted to drop a line for the support here...

Congratulations for the grad school!!!

I can relate to how you feel about the family.

[i've tried to make my closest family members tested. So far, just my mother did it. blood work came back negative but she's been diagnosed w/ fybromialgia & IBS, migraines etc etc. for years, so I am sure she's in for celiac...I convinced her, somehow, to go gluten-free & see if it helps, but I am afraid 1)she is not going to try long enough before she drops it 2)she is not very strict at all...and I am not talking about the siblings -difficult enough to make them do the blood work, let alone try the gluten-free diet...]

So, I understand this can make you anxious; I am working on it and I'll come back with tips if I ever find a way to get my family more concerned (and I am sure there is, so far they are very understanding of my condition, so with some more perseverance/ explanations etc...they might get it ))

Anyway, I second sal1937 on this one: congrats!!! / take care of yourself/ try to relax, and handle this the way you feel comfortable with!

good luck

Sophie

[tictax707]

Congrats on grad school!!! The funny thing about emotions is that they are not rational. It's ok that you are sad even though you think you should be happy. No use struggling against it. This disease SUCKS sometimes, and it will be frustrating dealing with all the stupid gluten in the world, but it will also get easier as you find ways to navigate through it all. Go ahead and feel the sadness for a little bit, and I bet when that emotion runs it's course the sunshine of the grad school acceptance will come right on through and you can just revel, revel, revel in it!!

oh yeah - and my vote is to get out of the babysitting thing if you can, without leaving your sis in the lurch of course. Gotta focus on you.

[YoloGx]

I have a similar issue at my elderly Mother's. The funny thing is is that mostly she is gluten free--but not entirely. That and years of having gluten there make it impossible for me to stay there. I did stay recentty for two weeks with my gluten intolerant bf and we both got glutened several times with migraines galore. It just isn't worth it. We tried cleaning it up which I think helped (though it wrecked havoc on us). But the bottom line is that it will return back no doubt--due to guests who bring in gluten and a mom who thinks its OK and a little can't harm anyone... Its too bad since she is old and needs care and I otherwise would be glad to help. But my siblings don't get it and won't either... So I need to find someone to help my older brother since there is too much to do plus for times when he needs to get out and about or go on vacation...

So..what everyone else is saying is true. You really need to let someone else do the baby sitting somehow or else get your sister to de-glutenize place, which realistically isn't very likely.

Meanwhile, congrats on yr. graduate school acceptance! And consider taking detox herbs, acidophilus, bromelain, marshmallow root etc...