Last week our little Brookie Broo turned 5 years old! I just can't believe how fast those 5 years have gone on by.
So we started the day out the way any good birthday should start.
Decorations and a special candy bar card.
And the day was filled with other fun birthday celebrations as well.
A Halloween Manicure, bowling with friends and pizza for dinner.
But then there were the not so fun, should never have to happen on anyone's birthday, parts of the day.
Brooklyn has been having stomach aches for about a good 2 months now, like knock her to the floor, curl up in a ball and cry kind of stomach aches. We've been trying very hard to pinpoint the cause. After multiple visits to the doctors office and an x-ray, they determined her problem was that she was completely backed up. So we started treating her accordingly. Only after 2 weeks her symptoms were still not improving. After chatting with a friend about her problem she planted the idea in my head that I needed to get her blood tested so that we could once and for all (hopefully) figure this thing out. We went in for her tests a few days before her birthday and had hoped to hear something before Thursday but we never did.
And then on her birthday I got a call from the lab asking us to come back in because they failed to draw enough blood to do all the tests the doctor had requested. What a great birthday present right? Hey come on in and let us stick a needle in your arm!
By this point we were all going crazy waiting for the results so we figured we better hurry in and get the last test over with so we could once and for all know if there was actually something causing her so much pain.
We got a phone call a few hours later informing us that the test results came back and Brooklyn tested positive for Celiac Disease.
My heart sank.
(although I already suspected this might be the case)
How can this be possible?
She's only five years old!
For those who are unaware, "Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disorder that can occur in genetically predisposed people where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine. When people with celiac disease eat gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye and barley), their body mounts an immune response that attacks the small intestine. These attacks lead to damage on the villi, small fingerlike projections that line the small intestine, that promote nutrient absorption. When the villi get damaged, nutrients cannot be absorbed properly into the body. Celiac disease is hereditary and people with a first degree relative (parent, child, sibling) have a 1 in 10 chance of developing celiac disease as well."
"Celiac disease can develop at any age after people start eating foods or medicines that contain gluten. Left untreated, it can lead to additional serious health problems."
"Currently, the only treatment for celiac disease is lifelong adherence to a strict gluten-free diet. People living gluten-free must avoid foods with wheat, rye and barley. Ingesting small amounts of gluten, like crumbs from a cutting board or toaster, can trigger small intestine damage."
So what does this mean for us?
Basically a complete lifestyle change for our entire family.
With cross contamination being such an issue, we either have to cook two entirely separate meals all the time, designating specific utensils, pans and cupboards for gluten and gluten-free foods or we just make the whole family switch to a mostly gluten-free diet. At this point in time we have chosen to try the mostly gluten-free diet for the rest of us. We figure we can eat gluten when we are away from home but at home we've decided it will be easier to just keep it out of our house. And remember the part about us all having a 1 in 10 chance of ending up with the same problem? Yeah, it's just not worth the risk.
And eating out has basically become practically impossible.
Even those restaurants offering gluten-free menus usually fail to devise a plan to avoid cross contamination making the gluten-free food no longer gluten-free...
We also have to read every label before serving any food of any kind to Brooklyn. It's amazing how many foods you would never suspect contain gluten. Taco seasoning, soy sauce, spaghetti sauce... and the list goes on. Even some meats are infused with gluten. Not only can she not eat foods that contain gluten, she also cannot eat foods that are processed in a facility that also processes anything wheat due to the cross contamination issue. Seriously it's such a chore just trying to determine whether a product is safe to eat or not.
Although reading labels is a daunting chore and not eating out as often is kind of depressing, I think the hardest part of all is giving up the homemade breads, pancakes and crepes. These foods were always such a major staple in our house. But I'm happy to report that withing just a weeks time, we are already making huge progress towards finding the perfect solution to our problem. So many of our friends and family have reached out and offered helpful solutions and shared delicious recipes. Seriously, we truly are blessed. But that information will all have to come at a later date and time because it is already 3 in the morning and I need to get myself some sleep.
But until then, thank you all for the love, support and prayers you have offered in our behalf this past week. We sure do love you all.
