Throughout my life, there have been times when I tried to
push the envelope or do what “Everyone Else” was doing. It has never worked. I always get caught! That being said, I
will move on to my latest lesson learned.
As you know, Shank and I were in Europe for 2 weeks. While
on the ship, I was able to follow my gluten free lifestyle. However during
shore excursions and in Barcelona, it was more difficult. If the excursion
included a lunch, it was usually pasta. So, needless to say, I cheated. I did
pretty well in Europe, just some joint pain and swelling, but nothing that I
couldn’t live with. I think the reason is because there is less gluten in
European wheat.
Flash forward: We come back from Europe and Labor Day is
upon us. The last weekend of August, we spend a wonderful day with our friend
Judith on Group Therapy. Everyone brought food to share. One of the foods
available was chicken strips. I decided to have 2. After all, I had just spent 3 weeks eating pasta and bread once
a day, what was going to happen with the breading on 2 chicken strips? The next day, I woke up with what I
thought were mosquito bites. The
next week went by and everything seemed to be fine. On Thursday, I woke up late
and missed breakfast. So I stopped and got a sausage biscuit. Now usually, I
throw away the biscuit and just eat the sausage, but again, what could it hurt.
2 hours later, I am aching and having chills. In my denial, I thought, “ I must
still be tired from the trip”.
Saturday, I cooked Gumbo and Shrimp and Grits for 20 people! We had so
much fun! I have adapted both recipes so that they are gluten free. The only
thing that I made that wasn’t gluten free was homemade Banana Pudding. I had a serving.
I woke up in the middle of the night itching and I was so sore the next day I
had trouble walking. Again, I realized that the aches were from the pudding but
thought I had a mosquito in the house. On Sunday, I went to my friend Lorie’s
for a cook out! I thought that I had not had any gluten but after about 30
minutes, I had chills again and had what looked like chicken pox appear on my
arms.
Now here is where I should have listened to reason. But I
just had to push that envelope. I just had to know for sure. I told Shank, this
is probably not the thing to do, but I have to know for sure if this rash is
caused by wheat/gluten. I decided that if I was going to do it I was going to
go out with a bang! I had a chocolate chip cookie and a turtle brownie!
By midnight, I was covered in whelps and oozing sores,
having chills, headache, and aching all over! I tried to self medicate (being a nurse and all) but after 5
days of no relief and being unable to sleep with out clawing myself and drawing
blood, I ended up at the doctor’s office.
Now 3 days into steroids, I can wear clothes with out pain!
The doctor told me that if I wanted to be tested for Celiac,
she would order the testing, but that her recommendation was to consider myself
Celiac and NEVER eat wheat or gluten again. I am considering whether to have
the test or not. Either way, I am off of gluten.
Now why am I telling you this? First gluten is gluten. I
should have not eaten it in Europe. It is interesting to know that I am not as
bothered there. Secondly, 95% of
people with Celiac Disease do not know that they have it. I am including a
Celiac Symptoms website that you may find interesting. I hope that this may
help someone who is having issues and does not know why.
Until next time!
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