My Story

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I always have had stomach or digestive issues growing up. My mother and grandfather were both IgA deficient and had IBS, I was diagnosed with both at an early age.

At the age of 21 I decided to finish my last semester of college abroad in Costa Rica. Not even one week into my semester abroad I became gravely ill. I was admitted to the hospital where I remained for weeks and they ran tests and treated me for multiple intestinal parasites. After I was cleared of the paracites the doctors in Costa Rica explained to me "I may never be the same" little did I know they were so right.

 

I withdrew from school and returned to the states to begin a long and painful journey to diagnosis. The Costa Rican doctors were right. I would never be the same, I wasn't the same. I became more ill and the doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong. After 3 months of testing and multiple procedures I was diagnosed with Celiac. I have what is called a "trigger diagnosis" Celiac Disease doesn't run in my family but the stress my body went under in Costa Rica had changed me for good. My intestines were kaput, my villi almost non existent, and now...a newly diagnosed Celiac.

4 years later I can say I live a happy and normal life! It wasn't so easy getting there. It took months or years of prayer and acceptance. The transition is the most difficult but now I am so thankful for my disease. I am blessed by it, I embrace it and it doesn't bother me at all! I hope to bring encouragement to this community and offer advice and guidance to live happy, healthy, and gluten free!