literature

He Saved My Life - Auto Biography - Celiac Disease

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I became ill at the age of eleven with unexplainable symptoms. The symptoms were able to be traced as far back as to the age of two. Painful red spots all over my body, and fevers up to 104F/40C. Not able to get out of bed most days. Joint pains. Headaches. Spent several years going in and out of Children's Hospital with no answers. After three years straight, of going to specialists, with no answers, I decided to give up, and just go home.

From 2003-2008, spent good amount of time having "flare ups". Consisting of joint pains, red swelling around the ankles, and wrists.

September 2008, I started to get unbelievable abdominal pains. Painful enough that I couldn't get off the floor. When I did I would throw up. This went on for two years, occurring once a month, for about a week straight.

In Jan 2010, there was a point that there were so many strange symptoms going on in my body that I didn't know what to do with. Blurred vision, buzzing in the ears, brain fog, just to name a few. So, I went to the doctor with the current symptoms.
Fever 103, heart rate 130, abdominal pains, UTI symptoms, and anemic.

Doctor said I needed to see a Psychiatrist. I know very well, that yes, I have had rough times in my life, but I have had these symptoms even before life became difficult for me. Yet, with no conclusions of what was going on, I was sent to a psychiatrist. Why? Because any test result they ever ran came back normal.

July 2010, back in the hospital again 103.5 fever, low white blood cell count. When the doctor would come into see me he would almost scoff, write something on his clip board, and walk away. Any time I was there he would pump me with an IV, antibiotics, and send me home.

July 2010, my mom knew of a surgeon that was really good with patients, and thought we would go see him to see if he could help me in anyway. With all of the ignorant doctors I have dealt with all of my life, I didn't see why he would be any different at telling me he didn't know what was going on. I sat down in the patients room. My fevers were so high, and so exhausted, around those times, I remember just sitting there, physically, but not so much there mentally. He walked into the room, and shook our hands. He read over the past ten years of my health history. He stared and looked me in the eyes, and asked me a few questions.  Mostly about my families health history.

He said,
"It is very clear that she is dealing with depression, and anxiety,
but that wouldn't explain the high spikes in fever, and low white blood cell count. I don't think anyone can fake high fever, and low white blood cell count.
"You seem intelligent individual, and I would really like to help you."


My mom heard about Celiacs Disease, and we mentioned it to the doctor. My mother, and I, didn't really know much about it. I mentioned to the doctor about any time I ate pasta I would get light headed, disoriented, and needed to rest. He immediately said that I NEEDED to be on a gluten-free diet, and a lactose-free diet. No tests, no taking blood, no x-rays. Nothing. Just go on a gluten-free/dairy-free diet.

That was the first time in my life, I for once, actually had an answer to my life long question.

Since then, that doctor gave me my life back. I may not feel completely back to normal. Most Celiacs never do. But what I do feel, is the best I have felt in over 10 years.

He saved my life.
I had this in my Celiac group, but I am going to add it to my artwork instead.

Celiac group:

:iconceliacs-on-da:
© 2012 - 2024 lyssagal
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deborahsimpson86's avatar
When I was a child, I was ill... Until now, I was diagnosed with coeliac disease. Now I'm sticking to a gluten-free diet...