Celiac Disease, the life-changing diagnosis we received only ten days before my daughter’s 9th birthday. Now we learn, one day at a time. “May you always serve cake in the face of great change.” My social media sentiments to my daughter on her recent birthday, ten days after a surprise, life-changing diagnosis. I will start by saying I know how lucky we are. Not only did we catch this early, but in terms of lifelong diseases, Celiac Disease is not the worst diagnosis she could have received. We can do this, we just have to make sure she doesn’t eat any gluten. As we process this part of the diagnosis and begin to picture her new life – our family’s new life – the world suddenly begins to shrink. It feels so much smaller than it did before that phone call. The grocery store has fewer items to take home, there are fewer restaurants that are safe to eat in, even visiting the houses of friends and family holds risk. To truly empathize, you need to understand celiac disease. When you have celiac disease, removing gluten from her diet is not a choice, it is a requirement. Every crumb matters. […]

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