Cliche?

I know, I know.  First get married, then get pregnant, then start a blog.  A little cliche?  Maybe so.  But, I love reading all of my friend's family blogs.  However, this blog is less about my pregnancy and more about being diagnosed with Celiac Disease on 4/11/2012 (Don't worry, I'm sure I will still post plenty about my pregnancy, family, and future baby!).

When I tell somebody I have Celiac, one of the first questions is always, "What symptoms did you have?"
       My main symptom was pain.  My whole life I have believed that I had a "weak stomach."  Even when I was an infant I had colic and my parents had to try several formulas on me.  I remember in elementary school or middle school having the stomach virus so often.  One time I had abdominal pain so pain I had abdominal ultrasounds done checking for any abnormalities (I wasn't a nurse at the time, so who knows what they were really checking for).  I have no idea what I was ever diagnosed with, or if I was diagnosed with anything.  I can only assume that the doctors believed I was somatisizing stress as abdominal pain.
     As I got older, I just believed that I had a "weak stomach" that reacted badly to several foods. **Warning, do not read the rest of this if you are at all squeamish or currently eating**  While in college I went to the doctor once because of severe abdominal pain and rectal bleeding.  I, of course, assumed I must be dying from colon cancer.  The doctor performed a digital rectal exam and could not feel any external hemorrhoids, so I was diagnosed with internal hemorrhoids and somatization of stress.  Somatization is basically when somebody has a psychological stressor that manifests as a physical symptom.  The doctor was not calling me crazy, because these patients' physical symptoms are very real.  He basically told me to take Tums anytime I felt stressed or stomach pain (at least, that is what I heard).  So, I ate A LOT of Tums...
     Fast forward a few years.  I am now married to my wonderful husband, Michael.  Michael knew that I had this "weak stomach" and was pretty sympathetic to my complaints.  However, it was easy to see he was getting a little tired of my Constant whining about my stomach hurting.  I would go back and forth between diarrhea and constipation from one day to the next.  My hemorrhoids got so bad that I was afraid I would be anemic.  And, I was crying in pain almost everytime I had a bowel movement.  Basically, at this point, Michael had had enough of seeing me in so much pain.  He forced me to go to the doctor, yet again.  I went to a nurse practitioner that was closest to my house (have I ever mentioned that nurse practitioners are awesome?).  She was very concerned about the bleeding and abdominal pain.  She referred me to a GI doctor who she assured was the best (and he is, until Michael becomes a GI doctor).
    Dr. Feagens (the best GI doctor) decided to do an EGD and Colonoscopy because of my symptoms and some family history of bowel problems.  He tested for several things, but Celiac was the resulting diagnosis. (TMI? sorry)

So, long story short, my constant pain and bleeding were the symptoms that led me to being diagnosed with Celiac Disease. 

Here I am, 5 months after the diagnosis of Celiac, trying to cope with this life change.  This blog is basically a way for me to keep up with restaurants I can eat at, recipes I enjoy, and let me vent.  Most days I feel like I can't complain, because I know I have it so good compaired to others.  But on other days, days like today, I break down and cry (like a blubbering fool) over wanting bagel bites (this could be pregnancy related).  I need a place to vent.

Disclaimer: This blog is not meant to offend anybody or make anybody feel bad for sitting there and eating their soft roll dripping with butter while reading it. ;)