due to a very smart internet pal of mine, and a sweet message left to me about my tummy woes, I’ve come to the conclusion that I may perhaps have this problem.
Celiac disease is a digestive condition triggered by consumption of the protein gluten, which is found in bread, pasta, cookies, pizza crust and many other foods containing wheat, barley or rye. If you have celiac disease and eat foods containing gluten, an immune reaction occurs in your small intestine, causing damage to the surface of your small intestine and an inability to absorb certain nutrients.
Eventually, the decreased absorption of nutrients (malabsorption) that occurs with celiac disease can cause vitamin deficiencies that deprive your brain, peripheral nervous system, bones, liver and other organs of vital nourishment. This can lead to other illnesses and stunted growth in children.
No treatment can cure celiac disease. However, you can effectively manage celiac disease through changing your diet.
There are no typical signs and symptoms of celiac disease. Most people with the disease have general complaints, such as:
- Intermittent diarrhea(check)
- Abdominal pain(check)
- Bloating(check)
Sometimes people with celiac disease may have no gastrointestinal symptoms at all. Celiac disease symptoms can also mimic those of other conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome, gastric ulcers, Crohn’s disease, parasite infections, anemia, skin disorders or a nervous condition.
Celiac disease may also present itself in less obvious ways, including:
- Irritability or depression(check)
- Stomach upset(check)
- Joint pain(check)
- Muscle cramps(check)
- Skin rash
- Mouth sores
- Dental and bone disorders (such as osteoporosis)
- Tingling in the legs and feet (neuropathy)(check-and hands for me too)
Some indications of malabsorption that may result from celiac disease include:
- Weight loss (check)
- Diarrhea (check)
- Abdominal cramps, gas and bloating (check)
- General weakness and fatigue (check)
- Foul-smelling or grayish stools that may be fatty or oily (almost ashamed to say on this)
- Stunted growth (in children) (I’m barely 5′0″ tall, would that count? LOL)
- Osteoporosis
- Anemia (check)
and I have so many things to check off of this list it’s not even funny
I’m at the very least going to try a gluten free diet next week to see how it goes for me. *tear* I’m tired of this. I’ve had enough.
for as long as I can remember, I’ve had tummy problems. They’ve come and gone (as my weight as added & subtracted) and right now is no exception…
the past 3 or 4 months have been torture to me, tummy wise. I can’t remember the last time I’ve hurt this badly…I’ve lost more sleep than I can ever get back, and I’ve honestly become ‘agitated’ at times because of how badly I’ve hurt.
my FIL is a retired pharmacist and suffers from IBS himself. He has suggested this may be my problem & has offered suggestions (he & his lovely wife, my MIL) to help me. Since following their advice, the past (almost) week has been better….but my tummy has still been so sore.
I have a huge list of things I can’t have (but love)…among them coffee, dr. peppers, cheese, milk, whey, bread (other than sourdough)…and the list goes on and on.
well, last evening, my daughter (who is a TERRIFIC BAKER by the way) baked a bunt cake. Not just any bunt cake……yellow cake with chocolate frosting drizzled upon it, not in it’s normal state, but she had MELTED it on it….I’m telling you the cake looked like something out of a bakery….and I had a small slice with one cup of coffee. I hoped just that would be okay…I mean do I not get to eat normal things I love anymore?
apparently not. My tummy is in full detest mode. It hates me this AM. I will spare you the details, but let me just say I’m going to miss chocolate. I hate that is one thing yet again that I have to add to my list of foods I can’t have. And I can’t even have one single cup of coffee……and no…decaf doesn’t count. Decaf is like taking a bath with your socks on….it’s an oxymoron blah. I just don’t like it very much. Caffeine how I miss you. blah.
sometimes I wonder why my tummy hates me so much.
I have several quilts made by my Sugar Momma, and several made by her Mother, my Maw Maw, and my Dad’s Mother, my Granny. I wouldn’t take a million bucks for any of them. Even the ones that have been used so much they are falling apart.
there’s this one quilt that I remember my Sugar Momma making. She called it her “Headache” quilt. There’s all kind of desgins on this quilt & any time I’m feeling down, or a little blue, I remember that quilt & it makes me smile.
there’s never been anyone in my life that could take me from desperate sad to complete happy (except for my children) like she could. There’s just something about her Sugar Momma hugs that made the world seem better…..like everything was going to be okay.
it’s pouring rain here, and the chill has set in for the night. We’ve still not turned our heat on because we’ve so many quilts. Made by my Granny, Maw Maw, Sugar Momma, and yes even me. These quilts not only keeps us warm on the outside, but warm on the inside as well. Thank you ladies for making them for us.
I will never forget the way the hands of my Sugar Momma looked while she was sewing. I wonder if my kids look at me that way? Oh to know that someday, after all that is of me is gone, my kids will fondly remember my hands forever knitting something for them, whether they needed it or not.
yesterday, we had a bit of a scare with Supergirl. She didn’t get off the bus. I immediately went into panic mode. I took out all the books from the school to call, and my groom drove the short distance to her school no sign of her.
I kept praying, and I felt in my heart God was taking care of her, and then I kept thinking ,wondering……how would I want my Sugar Momma to react if I missed the bus for whatever reason?
a few minutes later, my groom arrived with our 15 year old daughter. She was shaking uncontrollably & crying like you wouldn’t believe. She was scared to death..afraid we’d be upset because she missed the bus, and also scared because she had decided to walk the short distance home. She was so afraid to cross the streets *BUSY!!! BUSY STREETS!!* that she was taking the long way home to stay safe.
the minute I saw her, and saw how scared she obviously had been, I opened my arms wide…..she stepped inside the door, took one look at me, and my open arms & cried cried cried…she had missed being home…she had missed me.
she said “I know it’s okay now. I’m in your arms.” wow. I know that I’m no Sugar Momma…..but knowing that my arms make her & her brother feel safe means so much to me.
I just love being a Mother. Thank you GOD!
just when I think that God has blessed me to the gills, God goes and outdoes Himself.
today, I logged onto my blog here & noticed that I had 3 comments from my big brother. I can not tell you how this thrilled me to the gills! I don’t know how he found me here, I’m just thankful that he did. All I can say is that it was GOD. God knew that I needed to hear from him & know that he is okay..I mean I knew he was okay….but, it was nice to hear from him. I hope that it’s the start of anew with us.
this time of year is bittersweet. I keep remembering 19 years ago when I was pregnant with my Corey & how life led us apart due to him being adopted by others. I can not describe the pain that I feel or how my heart hurts to know that this is Gods will. I miss Corey & Emily more than my feeble words can say. What makes this Christmas bittersweet especially is I get to finally mail my details to Corey. I know know how receiving he will be, but I have to try. I love him. I love all my kids. I just thank God that 19 years is finally here. It’s been forever since I’ve had Corey & Emily in my life at all, and I hope that someday I will have all 4 of my children in my life. I won’t push them. I will await upon the Lord…I will wait upon them.
I am always reminded of the story in the Bible of the Prodical son & his return home……and how like the story my life is on so many levels. I forgive. Because I was forgiven, and no one can ever sin as much against me as I did against He who saved me. I hope someday that my son will return, just as my daughter, so that I can at least be complete. And you know what, I finally feel like this will happen. I fnally have enough hope to have this.
after all, if my brother contacted me so sweetly with such nice words…all is possible. All is possible for those that love Him. And I love the Lord with all my heart. He is all I know. HE is all I am.
I just didn’t expect the blessing of hearing from my brother today. I’m glad I did, because it’s his b’day HAPPY B’DAY YOU! And you know what? We’ve both lost enough people..we both already have people that aren’t in our lives (my kids & his neices/nephews) and life is really too short to be anything less than happy. And I just want you to know, my brother, you made today like my b’day by contacting me. I just love you to the sky and back. You have never been out of my heart, nor have you been out of my prayers.
I made Sugar Momma a promise about you, and I hope you allow me to do that for you. She wanted me to keep talking to you about the Lord. I know that I’m not perfect, and I’m sure that the devil points that out to you clear enough, but if nothing else you believe about me, please believe I”m saved & I’m going to Heaven, and I want everyone else to go too. I know that God loves us all, He loves you too, brother. I just want you to know that. Life is too short to not go to Heaven….I hope you are ready.
I miss you brother, more than you ever know. You have blessed the buttons off me by contacting me. Especially now. Like you knew I needed to hear from a friend.
love to you all,
me
it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas
or at least it is in our home! ☺
I can’t believe it’s December already! Where did the time go? Oh my! Time flies when you are busy being happy, lol.
this week found me busy as usual, but I still didn’t find time to block what I needed to get done today knitwise, I admit I was lazy dear ladybug friends…..it was just too nice snuggling there with my Boo to move very much. lol. We just laid in the bed & snuggled until almost 11am this morn, and then he took me out on a quick date. The weather wasn’t co-operating with us today, and schools let out early, so we all ended up being snug little bugs in a rug for the rest of the day. ☺ Supergirl baked….man that child can bake!! She baked the best chocolate cake with vanilla frosting I’ve ever tasted & man I’ve tasted some good cakes! yumm-o!
well, it’s time to go knit some more…I hope that you all are warm & happy wherever you are!
I am truly so thankful that I’m to this part of my life that I’m (to). This road I’ve traveled has not been an easy one and there were times that I feared I wouldn’t make it….looking back upon it, I know that it was Jesus & His grace (even while I was still a sinner) that He sheltered me & cared for me even when the rest of the world didn’t.
there’s something spectacular about the feeling in knowing that when Jesus was climbing up on that hill to die for my sins that I more than crossed His mind. If not for His grace and His love I would be in a completely different place…..a sinners made Hell.
Has salvation made me perfect? No, far from it……it made forgiven. amen. Forgiven.
I think back to all those lonely Thanksgivings and all those Christmas’ that I felt unloved and unwanted..there was this one particular that I was alone raising the kids…….
it was a really cold December & it was just a few weeks before Christmas & my car kept tearing up on me, and even with my multiple jobs & selling even my most precious material belongings had very little for Supergirl & Wonderboy under the tree. It was a very depressing time for me and I cried myself to sleep more than once.
this one particular late evening, I loaded up the kids & turned the heat on full blast & off we go to the store to get our weekly groceries…..about a mile up the road the car tore up again. It was the days before everyone having a cell phone, and even if others had one I certainly couldn’t have one……so the only choice we had was to walk home so that we wouldn’t freeze to death before the morning.
I had no clue how to tell the kids we had to walk again back to the house, and how to not have them be scared to walk down that ‘busy’ road….I made the executive decision to let them ‘believe’ we were walking & looking at lights…..
we walked past a big house on the hill & looking at the beautiful lights on the house, and all the peoples cars outside you could tell they were having a party. Futher looking you could see everyone laughing & surrounding the table, making toasts and being merry. It was the pure meaning of celebration & happiness…….and I had never felt more outside than I did at that moment.
I told the kids to look at the beautiful lights & that someday we too would have a housefull of people to love us & share Christmas with us, and they both were so excited! I made the promise to myself that someday they, and myself as well, would be on the other side of that glass.
fast forward many years & trials later and while I don’t have the big house (I never even thought to try to want that), I am…as are they……on the other side of that glass…..outside we are no more……cold we are no more. We are happy, and we are loved…..and I am so thankful. Thank you Jesus for bringing me out of the cold in more ways the one.
I have had a rather long week….to say the least……
it all started the other day, when the diamond fell out of my engagment ring…….yep. I lost the set out of my ring. I have cried myself to sleep more than once, and it led to an even worse day on Friday *which I won’t go into here*…..
I have had more ups and downs with the feelings I’ve been feeling this week…and there were times I didn’t know if I could make it, but somehow God helped me……
it hit me as I was driving home from my MIL’s tonight….I am home. I truly belong here. The skies were so beautiful & the breeze that was blowing about just enough to make you feel the winter coming in the air. The traffic wasn’t too light, but light enough that I could drive about with ease & soak in the beautiful scenery that at that moment in time felt like God created a masterpiece just for me……sigh….contented sigh.
I stopped by the nearby Kroger & I was able to purchase what I needed. I didn’t have to worry about funds, it was only a light supper…..chili dogs. It’s finally cold enough for me to want one or two.
As I walked out of the store & tossed my coins into the bucket outside where the obviously cold guy was ringing the bell & said my prayer of thanks that this year we are here, and I prayed that next year would be an even better one for us all, especially those in need of said coins.
I was hurrying out to my auto & took a deep breath in. I swear I don’t think I will ever get use to the faint smell of ocean. I think I will always notice it in the distance….like a gentle calling……you are so close to the beach….you are so close to the beach…I can hear it calling to me over & over……..soon my dear friend…….soon….
as I pulled up into my parking spot, I thought about the friends I’ve made since moving here & how they are becoming some of the most special friends I’ve had since highschool….and that’s saying a lot. I can’t help but think God placed them all in my life to brighten life, and to allow me to show HIM to them……at least I hope I show them a good side of He who lives in my heart.
I hate that I’ve been too busy to blog. I hope to blog again sometimes this weekend….
peace
I went from being a highschooler to wife/Mother rather quickly, and one of my most favorite Thanksgiving memories was the firs time I was Mommie at Thanksgiving.
My oldest was almost 1 & could eat anyone out of house and home! LOL. I remember the crying of wanting to eat this and that as I was trying to stand in our itty bitty kitchen trying to get things ready…
The memories of being Mommie is something that nothing can take from me. No matter where my children are, or what they are doing, I am still their Mommie….and I always will be.
Every single time I fix Mac-n-cheese for Thanksgiving I am reminded that one day I will have 4 children at my table. Yes, I have faith that I will get to be Mommie to all 4 of my children, even if they are grown….I will…..
but I’m getting ahead of myself….
I was still really new to cooking for our family, and I thought I had done a good job at fixing my first turkey solo, but when it was taken out of the over, my ‘other half’ looked into the inners and pulled out this packing….you all know what it was…….and I can’t believe I didn’t remember to pull it out before….to this day, I can’t stand to have anything in my turkey and I make sure to check it more than once too! Even in the neck, lol…..
I love Thanksgiving and how warm the memories of Thanksgiving are for me…I was thinking about it today & remembering a lot of personal things that I can’t post here, but believe me, Thanksgiving seems to be a milestone for me just about every year……..this year will be no different…..it’s my first as a true Savannah citizen. I am sure excited! yea me!
I am so excited, ladybug friends…I can’t believe I’m living in this place that is Heaven on Earth! God is so good to me!
What kind of memories of Thanksgiving do you all have?
This year seems to be flying by…I can’t believe it’s already Thanksgiving time…….
I remember the Thanksgiving before Sugar Momma passed away & how important it was to her to have everyone there with her. We stuffed her house filled to the gills with people, and she asked me to bring bean juice (because she had already gotten to where she couldn’t eat by mouth)…
she called me back to her bedroom when the house was filled with our family and friends….and told me that this was so important to her because she knew she wouldn’t be here the next Thanksgiving…she was so excited yall! I was sad and didn’t want to believe it, but I made sure that whole day to remember EVERYTHING that went on…I didn’t want to forget anything.
when we were sitting down at her table, she wanted me to share my favorite Thanksgiving memory growing up, and I thought today I would share that memory with you all………
I was about 13 years old, and had spent most of my young life, following Sugar Momma around in the kitchen, not really able to do everything/much of anything myself….but THIS YEAR she said that I was “doing the turkey and trimmins”
she stood by me & let me handle it all, answered all my questions, and to this day I don’t know how she had the patience to allow me to make the mess that I KNOW I made in that kitchen……but she did.
everything was cooked, and our whole table, counters and coffee tables was full of different food. If my Sugar Momma did NOTHING else, she DID Thanksgiving and Christmas, let me tell ya….she did it real right!
normally, we took pictures of Sugar Momma by all the food that she cooked, but this was the first year that I got my picture taken by all the food. It was one of my ONLY times I wanted my picture taken (you have to know me to know how real that is!)
in those days, you sent your pictures “off” to get them developed & by the time they came back & I opened them, a week or so had passed.
my hands were shaking as I opened them……..was my food as pretty in pictures as Sugar Mommas always was? I sure hoped so….
the very last picture in the pile is the one that took my breath, and still does thinking about it today….
My dad had taken the picture, and sure enough, there the food was (awesome!) and there I was grinning ear to ear holding one of my pies…and in the background…there she was….my Sugar Momma beaming at me……smiling and looking at me like I had invented the wheel or something. I never even knew that she looked at me like that…..I never even knew she was in the picture until that moment………..seeing her in the background of that picture…….but there she was & she was smiling at ME.
many Thanksgivings has passed, and even her last Thanksgiving has passed here on Earth but I will never forget those two memories>>>never
www.beentheresawthat.com
as I have posted more times than I dare count, I love my little place in Savannah. I’ve become really close to people here, including a little neighbor family, and I was sadened this week to see this military family go.
Summer is the oldest of 3 children, and sometimes gets ‘lost’ in the shuffle. She became friends with my kiddos and she is 7. She loves to draw with sidewalk chalk on our sidewalks, and honestly shes very talented. One day, her Mom knocked on our door to apologize because Summer had drawn in front of our door sidewalk…I assured her we loved the artwork & wanted to see more…….every few days we’d open our door & have a band new ‘rug’ design in front of our door, and she never forgot to put the ‘fringe’ on the rugs…I loved them.
last night, the family moved away because Dad is going to serve overseas and I’m sad. Sad that I won’t be able to open our front door & see her newest designs, and sad that this family is having to go so far away. We all miss them already.
Times are hard all over, and it’s been an especially hard week on my pal M, who is going thru watching her Grandmother get ready to go home. It’s hard knowing hospice is coming, and knowing you can’t help the person that is getting ready to go be with Jesus. It’s sad. Please pray for my pal, and her little family. She is as close to her grandmother as I am mine….and I can only imagine how hard it is on her……
another friend of mine from Alabama was in an auto accident & is in pretty bad shape. His name is Ronnie. Please pray for him & his wife, Shannon, and their children. It’s a bad situation, and prayers are very much needed.
I was a spoiled lady today……I was off from my job and my groom cooked us some steak & eggs! It was sooooo good! yumm-o!
we are down to only having a few gifts remaining to get the children for Christmas! We’ve never had things this well set up, and God gets all the glory. I am so thankful to you LORD! And thankful to my in-laws who helped us along the way. I am so blessed!!!!
well, I have loads of things to do……gotta jet!
friendly to all