I have to put a disclaimer here ... even though I'm not sure if it was a photoshop job or a science project that created those color chicks from yesterday's picture, it was Hubby's surprising response of "oh that's too cute" that made me choose that picture as part of my Easter wishes. He never says anything as I'm cruising the web, not even when I preface it with "this is the funniest/cutest/grossest thing I've ev-ah seen." Usually he impatiently views whatever I'm putting out there and makes some sort of grunting noise before he walks away. Kind of like ... Get your mind of the gutter ... and drag mine out too. Thanks.
I'm a bit pissy today. I polluted my system over the weekend. Not on purpose and not with candy. We went to dinner with two other couples on Saturday night at our favorite Asian place. I have eaten the chips they set on the table pre-dinner with no flour/gluten consequences. The waitstaff was wonderfully considerate to give the boys' side of the table their own pail-full and we girls our own. Unfortunately, one of the couples was an hour and twenty minutes late which meant much chitchat and even more munch, munch. I happened to say something to the waitress about being gluten sensitive (undiagnosed celiac disease) and she said I could eat these chips because they used rice flour. I believed her because she looked convincing and she kept the crack chips coming.
Sadly, Dr. Waitress was W-R-O-N-G. Right after midnight my eyes and mouth sprang open but no sound was made because the contraction in my stomach knocked the wind right out of me. Oh, how well I remember being so sick, so often before I realized gluten was the enemy. I had to live through all the pain and further consequences for the next few hours. When I finally settled back in bed it was nearly 6:00 AM. I had just closed my eyes when the dogs started yapping to start their day. Hubby usually gets up around 5:30 to lift and let them out but he decided this was to be the morning he wanted to sleep. He asked me to get up, which he almost never does. To be fair, he didn't know I had been up ALL night in pain and sick but that didn't stop the silent tears from seeping out of my eyes as I left the warm bed to prowl around the cold house with my pooches until he got up.
I ended up crying for no known reason five or six times yesterday. And my skin's nerve endings are still electric. All due to the gluten consumption. I am amazed at the dramatic effects it has on my body and how I ever lived through these attacks for, literally, years. I saw doctor after doctor and no one suggested a food allergy. They were more willing to send me to a therapist than an allergist. In fact, when I did go to the allergist, on my own, he never checked for food allergies. He really didn't buy my story because he had "a problem" with (anyone claiming) fibromyalgia. When I went back for my skin test results he said I was "sensitive" to a number of things but "nothing that would cause the dramatic symptoms you claimed." I thought, "bite me," and said, "Thank you for your time," and walked out determined to figure it out myself.
I already knew some foods made me feel crappy almost immediately after consumption so I decided to start with diet. I figured out what I ate the most of, bread and pasta, and decided I would eliminate them. It wasn't long before I stopped having these attacks and then my nerve and bone pain started lessening. I still have other triggers but in the year and a half since I've done my best to stay away from gluten/flour I've felt better than I have in years. Until the other night.
It is possible I can tolerate a little taste of something with flour in it. I allow myself a macaroon when I make them with no later discomfort but I cannot even have one piece of regular bread. I found a grain based bread that I use for my two pieces of morning toast but I don't care for many of the other available products. I'd just rather do without.
Saturday night's slip up was a great reminder of how far I've come. Too bad I'm still feeling the consequences - crampy-pulled abdomonal muscles, electric skin, unnecessary sadness and extreme fatigue. However, I am so lucky I discovered this trigger. I have worked really hard to eliminate it from my life. My other two triggers are chemical exposure (i.e. window and bathroom cleaners) which causes headaches, burning skin with a raised rash, pulmonary complications, sudden fatigue, wrapping up in days of extended nerve pain; and stress - which can only be managed, not eliminated.
The best thing about feeling crappy yesterday? I had no problem resisting the chocolate, sweets and big meal that came along with the holiday. Listen to the lemons scream as I squeeze the -ade right out of them!