Kristen's Story
By Her Mom
As a little girl, beginning as early as age five, Kristen complained of severe stomach aches. Never having heard of Celiac Disease, I responded with typical Mom advice - drink more water, eat less junk, take some Tums. We followed this pattern for several years. Kristen's symptoms and suffering only got worse.
By the time Kristen began middle school, her mental, physical and emotional well-being had seriously deteriorated from years of eating gluten. She had many of the classic signs of Celiac Disease related malnutrition: poor performance in school, poor weight gain, a distended belly, delayed puberty, osteopenia (which resulted in arm and ankle fractures), canker sores in her mouth, discolored teeth, low self-esteem, depression, and insomnia.
For Kristen, each day at school became an ordeal as she tried to cope with all of the many digestive complaints that accompany Celiac Disease (sever stomach aches, diarrhea, constipation, and flatulence). The day came when she had finally had enough. She told me that she was ready to talk with a doctor about her embarrassing problems.
We found a female pediatrician with whom Kristen felt she could confide. Through what I believe to be a miracle, this doctor recognized Kristen's symptoms as Celiac Disease and was able to make an accurate diagnosis through a blood test. The blood test was followed by an endoscope of Kristen's small intestine, which confirmed that she had Stage 3 Celiac Disease. The average person suffering from Celiac Disease sees 11 doctors over a 10-year period before receiving a correct diagnosis. We were truly blessed to get an accurate diagnosis while Kristen was still in her formative years and had time to reverse the disease's damage.
Inititally, following a gluten-free diet was a challenge. It required reading labels, calling 800 numbers, finding new recipes, and packing food around for social events and trips. After a few year however, it became second nature. As a result of the changed diet, Kristen's symptoms disappeared and she has since thrived. By the time Kristen graduated from high school, she had blossomed into a beautiful young woman, inside and out. She finally started to feel good about herself and her ability to manage her life.
Kristen is now in college and doing very well. College life has its own unique challenges, but Kristen has learned that eating gluten-free is not that difficult with the right mind-set and the availablity of reliable, tested gluten-free products, such as those offered on "Kristen's Gluten Free Pantry". For the most part, Kristen doesn't have to think to much about her gluten-free diet and Celiac Disease. Her focus is on her future, where it should be.
