Observations From A Newbie..

[MEH]

Observations from a Newbie

1) I can't believe I am still married. Which brings up observation number 2:

2)My husband is a saint. I was so very tired, so sick and so moody and depressed for ten years, I'm not sure how he hung in there, but he did.

3) I am adjusting to the new "me." It's wonderful to not be so tired after a trip to the grocery store, but I find that it's taking time to adjust. I keep acting like the old me even though I don't feel like the old me. I think, "I should rest when I get home for a little while before making dinner" and so I do, even though I don't really need to anymore. I have to adjust to the "new normal."

4) It sure is wonderful not to feel like a crazy woman half the day, but again, I have to set up new reactions for myself---new guidelines for behavior. My husband, for example, is accustomed to doing his own thing quite often in the evening--like reading a book--but the new me wants to sit and talk and engage more. I'm not looking to go to bed as early. We are all adjusting to my feeling better.

5) Part of me doubts all of this. You mean, it's just this easy? Don't eat gluten and I'll be better? Is it really possible? No surgeries needed? No million dollar drugs? I always thought that whatever was wrong with me was not able to be pinpointed--and that if it was--it would be something complicated and hard. It's taking time to adjust to having a reason behind my health issues---and it's a simple one. Now matter how wonderful that is, it's an adjustment.

6) It's a hard diet. So many hidden sources of gluten. I am learning patience with myself as I struggle to eat and do the right things.

7) I must have appeared to be a hypochondriac at some point. And now that I can pretty much say, "well, this is it--it's gluten," I'm not certain everyone believes me. I don't blame anyone. My list was pretty long: MS, Bladder disease, asthma, allergies, reflux, fatigue.....

8) I don't miss wheat. I noticed in the past I'd avoid it quite often, as if my body had its own built in intelligence.

9)I can't believe that I'm better. I'd given up hope. I didn't care anymore, really. It was too painful to care. But hope will slowly seep back into my life, now that I'm not so tired and grumpy and achy and fog brained and depressed.

Thank you life.

Thank you all, too...

[srall]

I know a lot of people here can relate. I hope you continue to feel better and better

[wheeleezdryver]

Those are great observations!! AWESOME!!!

[GFshay]

It's so true that it sometimes seems amazing that the answer is so simple... even though it can be hard to stay safely gluten-free. I think a lot of us felt like hypochondriacs. Just to think about the fact that it wasn't all in my head makes me feel like crying out of relief. It's nice to feel justified.

[CeliacMom2008]

As a parent of child with Celiac, I couldn't agree more with everything you said! It's wonderful when it's yourself, it's a miracle beyond words when it's your child who doesn't have cancer, doesn't need surgery, can laugh, can stay up past 7:00, can run on the soccer field, can get good grades, can grow up to be a healthy, happy person!