The 'Big Day'

I'm starting a blog.  I've been fighting it for years.  I've played with the idea of fashion, make-up, photography, children, and never got past the real idea of it.  Then one day I'm told "I think you have Celiac Disease."  Two weeks later I decide -yup, it's time for a blog. I've got to share this craziness with others! Now reader, be patient cause I'm gonna walk ya through this.

Around January 2010 I noticed that I just didn't feel like myself.  I was tired, had headaches, constantly dizzy, my stomach always hurt, and I felt as if I had brain fog.  Every doctor I saw gave me a new prescription.

• You have headaches--here take Imitrex
• You have vertigo--here have Meclizine
• Stomach issues, you have reflux-- here take Omeprazole
• You have chest pains--it's all in your head.

By November 2010 I was referred to GI for a stomach issues.  The Doctor comes in the room and sees me all of 3 minutes and says, 'Yup-you have reflux.'  Seriously?  That's all ya got? In your pompous deameanor you decide my fate without listening to my symptoms or descriptions of pain?  Ok, I'm outta here!

Fast forward to a really frustrated March of 2012.  I just turned 40. I'm desperate.  I am walking around with a distended stomach, headaches, a feeling of 'living in fog' and the scariest symptom yet--what I call the tinglies.  Tingly feet and fingers.  I'm sick of feeling sick.  I don't bother telling anyone how I feel cause I've just chalked it up to the 'norm'. Looking back, I felt like I succumbed to the fact that this was just how I would feel for the rest of my life.  "Is this what 40 feels like?"  Then it hit me.  This Jersey girl is NOT giving up the fight!

I march right back into the Doctor and this time I am not so nice.  I unfortunately had to become ghetto rude. Me, rude? Yes, it happens.  I demanded testing.  "I want blood tests, I want a barium swallow, I want an endoscopy and a colonoscopy. I even want to be checked for parasites.  Something is wrong with me!  AND-- don't ask me to see the asshole you sent me to the last time!"  Sorry-- I had to take it there and I think that's what worked its magic. I think he was a little scared so he gave me what I wanted! LOL

On March 13th I had my barium swallow. YUCK. Results revealed a hiatal hernia.  Yes, this is where my chest pains came from. And yes, I TOLD the a-hole Doctor I had this too, but did he listen? NO!

On March 28th I get wheeled in for my scopes and as they are putting me under, my Doctor says, "Your blood tests are back and they all look good...oh, wait."  Wait?! Wait, what?  At this point, I'm getting drowsy, and confused.  He looks as confused as I do and as the nurse is telling me to start spelling my name (what they do when they give you a sedative) he says, "It looks like you may have Celiac Disease."  That's all I remember because I am then in sedated la-la land.

When I woke up, the first thing I heard was-- does anyone know where her husband is?  I thought to myself -- somewhere watching golf channel.  Did you check the other floors??

They finally find him and the Doctor comes in.  I go home with a probable diagnosis of Celiac Disease that will be solidified once the small intestine biopsy comes back. Celiac? What the crap is that? He tells me to no longer consume gluten. Ummm...what's gluten??  We leave and I go right home and buy Celiac for Dummies.  The first of many Kindle purchases.

So there ya have it.  March 28, 2012 was a defining day for me.  I knew what the biopsy results would be. After reading the book, I had all the symptoms.  And as I guessed, the biopsy was positive for Celiac Disease.  I made the decision that day to change my diet for life because at the end of the day it was my life.  I just didn't know how RIDICULOUS this celiac life could be!