The results are in...

And I do NOT have Celiac disease.  Weird - because I was 100% certain that I have it, too - with all the stomach troubles I've had all my life. Sooo...now for Michael to be tested.  If he doesn't have it, then I guess we both carry the recessive Celiac gene?  Who knows?  Doctor said there's no reason to not eat gluten-free, so in support of my son, I will carry-on.  To be honest, sometimes (but only sometimes) I enjoy the challenge. 

As for thanksgiving, we did well.  My mother-in-law has decided that we will create a tradition of eating at Truluck's.  What a wonderful experience that was - I contacted them well ahead of time to find out if they offered gluten-free foods.  And, they do!  The chef came out to our table and reviewed our choices.  And it was delicious!  I've got to try to make their mixed vegetable dish - it was YUMMY!  Big thanks to Chef Manny and Chef Jason for all their help.  Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving, as we did .

We're Everywhere!!!

Tonight I volunteered at my son's school Gala - I was gratefully given a chance to eat dinner at the Gala and it looked delicious!!! The Mom sitting right next to me declined a plate.  So I leaned over and asked in a whisper, "Are you gluten-intolerant?" And she was (is)!  She special-ordered a gluten-free vegan plate.  And it also looked delicious!!!! Needless to say, she and I had lots to talk about during dinner.  I, on the other hand, picked around my plate hoping I was getting things that were gluten-free.  So far, so good - no real stomach issues to speak of.  A long night, but reinforcing that we GFers are growing in number! 

It happened again...

My son and I both must have had something that wasn't completely Gluten Free - we both ended up with stomach pains and the bathroom at the same time! (Don't go there...I do mean two separate bathrooms).  I was so careful - went to Chik-Fil-A instead of McDonalds - got the grilled sandwich without the bread...the waffle fries are supposed to be ok...so what was it???  So this IS going to be tricky!

On the other side...note

yesterday michael was having stomach pains.  thankfully he went to urgent care and then to the ER. Diagnosis: appendicitis.  Needless to say. he is now appendix-free. I tried to get the ER physician to tell him the appendix problems were due to NOT being gluten-free. He said it, through lots of laughter. Oh well. I tried

On a Side Note...

Since some  (ok most of you) are here just to check in on our family...thought I'd share this late-breaking news:  The first tooth has come out!!!  He lost it while eating an apple this afternoon...but swallowed it. 

Not the best pic - he came running out to meet me in the garage as I was getting out of the car.  I grabbed my phone and clicked!  

GF Pumpkin Pie

I did it!!!! I made a GF pumpkin pie - from scratch!  The ingredients cost me a small fortune, but it turned out as it should - and tastes yummy!!!!  Onto more GF Thanksgiving recipes since we are hosting this year.  I'll let you know how it turns out.  :)

Thanks to Karina - the GF Goddess for the recipe. 

A little "kink" in the Gluten-Free plan

So you all know by now that I'm a speech therapist.  Well, one of my (many) jobs is to do feeding therapy.  I haven't had too many feeding kids lately - but I started one today. 

I'm trying to teach him how to move food with his tongue - from the middle to his teeth for chewing.  I gave him one of the staples we have in our clinic - a graham cracker.  We're working, and I realize that I need to model and demonstrate some of this for him.  Oops - can't do that - the graham cracker isn't gluten free.  :(

Thankfully, the mom of this kiddo I have known for a while, and she knows about the gluten-free thing.  I quickly ask if we can switch the crunching to a raw apple, and she agrees.  Whew. Thank goodness for this particular Mom - she's awesome, so understanding, and so very flexible!  She is definitely among the top 5 mom's I've ever had the honor to work with.  (I know you know who you are!)

So - I guess I've got to stock my own gluten-free crackers and feeding items from here on out.  Yet another lesson learned.  

First Party Gluten Free

At our son's school they had an All Saint's Day party.  I asked the room mother in charge to NOT put cookies or baked goods on our son's plate.  She didn't.  Here's a pic (a bad hair day for all of us - so don't judge) of us at the party.  No gluten on his plate.  :)

Wow - they weren't kidding

So today I brought a frozen entree that stated "no gluten ingredients", cooked it in the microwave and then read the back of the box.  It stated something like, "Produced using machines that also process nuts, milk and wheat".  I KNEW the dietician said this was an no-no.  But I ate it anyway.  And was I ever sorry!!  I've had stomach cramps and other pain all afternoon.  Could it have been something else in the ingredients?  Maybe. Probably. But I'm not doing that again.