LIVING WITH CELIACS DISEASE

     If you knew me in my younger years such as Elementary school through college, you knew I was always a very skinny guy. I could never gain weight! It didn't matter what I did. I always had a huge appetite. I truthfully ate like a horse! Being half Italian, I always loved food and have fond memories of having a 10 course meal at my Grandma Cricco's house. Boy, she was an amazing cook. So is my Mom!

I do remember being very young and always having stomach problems. As a kid I will admit I was always very nervous. The doctors even told my parents that my problems stemmed from being a nervous kid. Whenever a new school year started, I hardly slept the night before. I was not a big fan of change. Moving from New Jersey to Long Island at age nine did not help me! What I did not know is that I was suffering from a disease and I honestly had no clue that I had it. I wasn't until 1991 that I would discover it. I did not know why I had stomach issues as a young kid and why I could not gain weight.

     While I was in college in my at the beginning of year number four, I had a major fair up. I stared losing more weight like crazy and had to leave school in September and return home. It was frustrating but the start of my physical challenges. I believe God allowed me to come home to not only restore me but to show me His will for my life. I was able to take my final class and get my Associates Degree. After coming home and seeing the doctor, he had no answers for me. I got a job at a medical supply company testing Mammography machines. A far cry from being a Bible College student. It was a job and a paycheck.

     It wasn't until 6 years later I would discover what my issues were. In the Spring of 1990, I had a very bad stomach virus, so I thought. I started losing more weight! Weight I didn't have! In the span of 3 weeks I lost over 15 lbs. YES! I went to a Gastroenterologist hoping to help me. I am sorry for the one a chose. He misdiagnosed me and told me I had Colitis. He had me drink Metamucil which contains wheat. I didn't get better, I got sicker. I spent over 6 months hoping to get better. I never did. I remember that fall my sister got married and at her wedding in the family pictures I looked like a skeleton or maybe Frankenstein's brother. I wasn't getting any better and realized I had to find another doctor.

     I was able to find a doctor who helped me tremendously, Dr. Harris. He gave me every test under the sun. Upper and Lower GI, colonoscopy, an absorption test among other tests. I will never forget sitting in his office in early 1991. He looked at me and said "You have Celiacs disease, Dave." He then proceeded to tell me I could no longer eat wheat, barley or oats. I would have to watch my diet. My reaction was "So Doctor, will I be on this diet for what...a week? A month?" He looked at me very sternly and said "How about try for the rest of your life!" WHAT? No bread? No spaghetti? No Cheerios for breakfast? No more Chips Ahoy's, pound cake or Bagels? No pizza? What am I supposed to eat. Let me just say that when I was diagnosed, the choices for bread, pizza and cookies were horrible. They have certainly come a long way in 28 years!

     I had to learn the hard way how to stick to this new diet. My doctor told me that if I ever decided to eat anything containing wheat, barley or oats and lots of it, I could develop a tumor in my stomach. Because I lost a lot of weight in a short amount of time, I panicked and tried eating a lot. Because of that bad eating habit I did something I never thought possible in my lifetime. I gained weight!!

Looking back over these last 28 years since I was diagnosed, I am grateful that the Good Lord has protected me and used Dr. Harris to diagnose me. I am happy to be alive and not suffering with stomach issues. I praise God for life and being able to serve Him wholeheartedly. Staying on this diet has been rough. Hearing people say "Oh, you cant eat that" was always a huge pain in the neck. But I am grateful that I can eat healthy and continue to serve Him!