Saz's Gluten Free Alienation

by Sarah
(NSW, Australia)

I am 26yrs of age with 2 boys & just been diagnosed with coeliac disease. I am slightly under weight & have found it difficult to increase my body fat for ages. So with all the fatty food I had been consuming I thought it would be justifiable to get my cholesterol checked then the Dr sprung the coeliac test on me. I instinctively knew it would come back positive even though I thought nothing of the flatulence & uncomfortable dragging pains I had been suffering from. lol

The 1st few days after diagnoses I found it hard & quite dissapointing even now sometimes
Never have I felt alienated by been somewhere but for the first time in my life I felt a huge sense of aleination as I walked & sat with a friend at an eatery/fast food area in the local shopping centre just looking around at all the hot food stores, Aportos... how I loved it.

Now a permanent memory!! A few days before I was whinging that I didn't feel like Macca's... Boy, did I take that for granted!! I still haven't come to terms with it entirely!

It's been over a wk now & I've discovered a list of foods that I can eat & with every new discovery comes a small celebration. My two latest ones are the fact I can eat whittakers chocolate, some of cadbury's range & weis ice creams too woo hoo!! I gave up smoking 5 months ago & feel it paved the way to ease me into this situation.

I refuse to let this affect my non coeliac family & friends. I've said to my boyfriend that if I don't see him eating restaurant/fast food I will buy it for him & my family =)