The Road to Recovery

I've been holding off posting about this, because I was afraid it was temporary, but given that I'm now at 4 weeks, I am going to share my news: I am feeling well!

It sounds so simple, and yet the difference between how I'm feeling today vs. how I've been feeling for the past few years is so radical that it defies description.

What does a well person do that an ill person can't?

• decide to walk the dogs, come home and realize the cat could use a walk too!
• travel to Amsterdam, come home, have a miserable cold followed by a sinus infection and still have enough energy to cook a meal, go for a walk, study...
• plan two trips in the next month and have some vague confidence that they will actually work out.
• start working on literature review for comprehensive examinations
• wake up and get out of bed, every single day!!
• go for a walk and burst into a light run (only for a minute, but it felt SO GOOD).
  

I wish I knew what triggered my recovery. Here are my top theories:

• Gluten-free diet (followed strictly since mid-January)
  
• Longer days with more sun exposure (valid perhaps, but happens every year without this kind of impact)
  
• Husband finishing thesis?
• Illness spontaneously in remission?

My vote right now is on diet, I'm sure that is simplistic, but it is the only factor that has truly changed in my life.

Whatever is responsible, I cannot begin to describe the joy that comes with feeling 'normal' again. Trust me, normal does not equal boring!

Holiday

After our whirlwind month of March (DH successfully defended his thesis), I accompanied my brilliant husband on a short trip to Holland, where he was launching his new book.

What an amazing trip. I spent my days wandering the streets and canals, taking pictures and sipping cappuccino at sidewalk cafes.

Being gluten free in Holland is surprisingly easy, the hotel concierge called ahead to book reservations and ensured that there would be GF options available. One restaurant even baked me a little gluten-free cake with a chocolate centre. Delicious!!

I am savouring my health...enjoying every day that I can be out in the world exploring, not locked away in a hotel room sleeping.

From here, my advisor's comments sting less and I feel more alive. What more could I ask for?

My Gluten-Free Adventure

I have a love affair with gluten products: toasty bagels, tasty crumpets, little bundles of mini-wheats are part of what gets me out of bed in the morning.

That's why I cringed when my Internal Medicine Specialist suggested that I try a gluten-free diet. While my blood tests did not indicate Celiac, my physician told me that many of her patients improve on a gluten-free diet, even if their blood tests are negative for the antibodies.

After fighting the idea of a diet overhaul over Christmas (who wants to miss out on cookies! pies! christmas pudding!), I decided last week that it was time to take the suggestion seriously.

I started off at the grocery store. We are fortunate to have a large store nearby that carries a large line of gluten-free products. Along with a mountain of fruits and vegetables, I bought "replacements" for all of the carbs I might miss:

- gluten free bagels

- gluten free crumpets

- gluten free bread

- gluten free pizza

- gluten free brownie mix

- gluten free frozen entrees

There! That wasn't too hard. Until I hit the checkout. My usual mid-week shop for fruit and bread comes to around $50, this week, my bill was $135!

But I'm determined, so I marched my groceries home and prepared to implement my new plan. I was about to put my $6.00 gluten free bread in the toaster when I came across a website telling me that I would risk contamination if I didn't get a toaster of my own. Okayyy, that's a little much, but I'm game. I dutifully wrapped my bread in tin foil and put it in the toaster oven, hoping that no gluten molecules would find their way into my foil packet of rice-flour goodness.

Next was the peanut butter issue. Apparently the gluten-free person cannot share a jar of PB with a gluten-eater in the house either. Alrighty then, good thing there is an extra jar in the cupboard!

My first bowl of gluten free cereal had the distinct aftertaste of sushi - not my idea of the "honey" flavour promised on the package. This might take a while to get used to...maybe after a while I'll forget how good my morning mini-wheats used to taste.

I am now five days into this diet today and - kind of - starting to get into the groove. Now I'm looking for more affordable ways to eat. This means that I am going to have to learn how to cook. My mother will be so proud.

I'm also amazed by how many products contain gluten. Makeup, juice, sauces, yogurt; you name it and it likely has gluten in it. There are whole websites devoted to naming the offending products.

Time will tell if this massive life change will improve my health; but hey, nothing else has worked so far, so - other than bread, cereal, and most everything else that I like to eat - what have I got to lose?