8/13/07   I experience "sticker shock" every time I purchase gluten free food! The stuff is expensive. I also resent the fact that I have to practice "defensive dining" every time I enter a restaurant, have a meal at a friend's home, or even attend a pot-luck supper at church. When I try to share my situation with a non-celiac, I am pleased and relieved when they have any idea what I am talking about. That's the bad news.

The good news is that since my diagnosis in 1999 I have not had a celiac-related doctor bill. I have a chronic disease, but I have never needed pills or rquired surgery. Eight years has taken its toll, of course, but I feel better and have more energy than I did when I retired and probably think more clearly.

More good news. I knew within a week of my diagnosis that the gluten free diet worked —my diagnosis had been correct! I retired on my 60th birthday, the first day I was eligible to do so. An as-yet-undiagnosed case of celiac disease was tearing my body apart and I sensed that I had better enjoy retirement while I could. Six months later I was making inquires about getting my old job back.

Is my cup half full or half empty? A good question for all of us. Celiacs sometimes think of themselves as nothing more than stomachs that need to be filled with gluten free food. We are much more than that. We are people who have shared a life-changing experience. I hope we can dialog about that. Please leave a comment at the end the end of this article or e-mail me at gfceliac@gmail.com