For Life

Our first born was recently diagnosed w/ Celiac Disease.  The diagnosis has many implications for our family and has rocketed me through a variety of emotions.  The events leading up to the diagnosis were a roller coaster of doctors appointments, x-rays, blood tests, and an outpatient procedure at Children's  Hospital.  I'm still processing alot of things, but one thing has really struck me this week.

As a result of the Celiac Disease, our daughter cannot tolerate any gluten - found in wheat, rye, & barely.  We have decided that as a family, our home will be gluten free.  We want our daughter to feel loved, secure, and safe in our home.  This decision has made for alot of changes in our home.  First was the decontamination of our kitchen. Obviously anything with wheat, barley, or rye went out the door.  We gave away flour, pasta, crackers, & cereals.  The less obvious was the removal of anything in our kitchen that might be harboring gluten.  Suspect was anything that was cracked or porous.  Pampered Chef agreed to exchange all my bake ware that was plastic & stone.  I have new spatulas, wooden spoons, and baking pans. 

Next came learning a whole new way of cooking.  Someone gave us a bread machine.  This act of love completely overwhelmed me.  I am learning which flours we like for which recipes.  Who knew there were so many flours out there:  white rice, brown rice, quinoa, amaranth, almond, tapioca, sorghum - - just to name a few.  We've found pasta we like, bagels that are a great substitute, and fish sticks that the girls will devour.  We're finding our way in gluten free living.

Back to what struck me this week . . . . . . this new way of living isn't a fad or just simply a diet.  This is our new way of life.  We won't achieve our desired weight and then return to our old way of eating.  There will be no "cheating" - as that could make her very sick.  Unlike some (but not all) with food allergies, she won't outgrow this - never.  She has a genetic autoimmune disease which she will have for life, and could quite possibly pass on to her children.  I'm still trying to wrap my mind around this.  For life - I know that in light of eternity, it's not really that long . . .just the blink of an eye.  But right now, for life seems like an eternity. 

Speaking of eternity . . . . she recently asked Jesus into her heart, which means she'll spend eternity in Heaven where God has promised her a meal at his banquet table.  I hope there's a big sticky bun waiting for her there!!!!!

This is her after the endoscopy that had to be performed in order to confirm her diagnosis.