I try to keep my blog posts focused on fun things to do, eat, and see. This post is different than what you normally see on here. I will be getting personal about my relationship with food and how it is changing. I don’t know if this kind of post will be the only one I share or if I will write a short series about my gluten-free adventures. What I do know is that over the next few months I will be exploring a new world of food with excitement and a bit of unsureness.
On Friday afternoon, I received some news that I have been waiting patiently for and dreading all summer. It’s not news I wanted to know. In fact, I have been spending my summer stuffing my face with more gluten than ever before, trying not to think about what I would learn. I have been stress eating every gluten sweet in sight, until Friday night. I had my last delicious gluten doughnut from Ohana at 1:30 pm Friday, September 7th 2018.
My biopsy results are in and it’s official; I have celiac disease. Honestly, I am feeling a bit lost in this new world I am living in. I know that there are many great gluten-free options out there. But I am feeling very overwhelmed with trying to sort through everything and remember it all. I have hope that once I get to see the dietitian, things will become clearer.
Why am I sharing this with you? Because it feels good to write it down. Get it off my chest and open up. Also, I am hoping to start a conversation. Do you have celiac disease? Or another life-changing disease that you are dealing with? How did you cope? What did you do to work through the challenges and feelings that came with it? Comment below or tweet at me here.
*Everything written below I did at the beginning of June. I have not posted it until now because I was in denial and now am working on accepting my new reality.
***All of the photos in this post features gluten food.
I bought myself one final beautiful gluten S’more cake from Sugared and Spiced to celebrate all things gluten a couple of days before my biopsy
I love food and will try almost anything. However, I never think about the finer details of what is in my food, I simply enjoy every delicious bite. I can cook and bake, but I do not. I prefer to enjoy the food my husband makes for us or to eat out at restaurants, favourite or new alike. However, my relationship with food will soon be changing.
I recently had blood work that came back positive for Celiac disease; the next step is to get a biopsy confirming the results. My doctor stated that the blood test has 90% accuracy and I am to eat my regular diet until the final test is completed. After my initial state of denial, depression, and disbelief I have decided to cope with the news by eating my feelings. – The doctor says ‘eat normal until the final test’, what I hear is, – ‘eat all your favourite gluten foods while you still can’ – Challenge Accepted!
I have started my own personal “Gluten Food Bucket List Challenge” to help deal with the separation anxiety I am having over the future loss of gluten in my diet. As many of you may have noticed, most of the food I share and love focuses on desserts. When I go to a restaurant, it is the first thing I look at on the menu to better plan my meal around what desserts I have to try. So that’s what this Challenge will be focusing on – saying goodbye to my favourite desserts and trying out new ones on my list, with a side of regular gluten meals. I know that there are many great and delicious gluten-free options available now. Once my diagnosis is officially confirmed, I will be excited to seek out and try them. Until then, I am still coming to terms with the news, digesting it, having small panic attacks about never getting to eat (insert favourite dessert *here* from that cafe I love *here*) and taking the Gluten Food Bucket List Challenge. I keep bouncing somewhere between acceptance of the news and hanging on to that 10% chance the blood test was wrong. Waiting to find out is the hardest part; I am hoping I will feel a bit better once I at least know when my final appointment actually is.
Until then, I am planning where my next dessert will be with my new motto “Eat every doughnut like it’s my last”
Have you been diagnosed with Celiac disease? How did you cope with the news? Leave me a message by commenting below. I would love to know some delicious places to find gluten-free food options in the city, please share any recommendations you have.
