“I switched to eating completely gluten free the same day my tests came back, and after a few months all of the symptoms went away.“

Having a gastrointestinal disease wasn't something I always knew. I spent my youth riddled with a variety of ailments as we treated symptoms but went undiagnosed for most of my life.

I was frequently sick with a runny nose and cold-like symptoms, ear infections (which may have also caused my unilateral hearing loss), bowel issues, was in a low percentile for body weight, and didn’t know why I was so tired I needed 10 hours of sleep to make it through the next day.

With the nature of Celiac Disease, and the lack of nutrients absorbed in my body, sports and everyday activities were challenging and gave me a lot of challenges as a growing kid and teenager. My doctor prescribed antibiotics for the ear infections (and even had me go to an ENT for tubes put in),treated me for anemia, asked my family to increase my calorie intake, tested me for Lyme Disease, gave me topical treatment for eczema rashes, suggested Claritin for what he figured was seasonal allergies, and I had to consume Miralax and eventually go to see a specialist for my bowel issues.

My journey navigating life as a celiac individual has been difficult and has made me miss out on social opportunities. Because I struggled with bowel issues, and the embarrassment of having Miralax as a kid, I didn’t go over to friends’ houses like normal kids do for sleepovers. I didn’t go to sleep-away camp. I didn’t make those lasting friendships a lot of kids make in middle school which has impacted me even to this day.

My academics also took a hit in the first two years of high school. I was so exhausted that I didn’t have the energy for homework at night. Some of my grades reflected that, and the missed learning and the lower GPA also have a lasting impact.

These struggles were just a part of my life and I had no idea that life could be less painful. When my pediatrician retired, we brought up my health history to my new doctor and explained how sick I was of being sick. Right away he suggested I get checked for Celiac Disease. After bloodwork, my levels of antibodies were so high they concluded that I didn’t need an endoscopy. I was 16 years old. I switched to eating completely gluten free the same day my tests came back, and after a few months all of the symptoms went away. I grew taller and fitter. I have energy for school, sports and friends.

Now living as a gluten free person, I am grateful that this discovery was made, but there is a change my family and I weren’t entirely ready for. The cost of eating gluten free is much higher and is putting additional financial strain on my family. With the expenses of college upcoming, and knowing that I’ll be also having to eat strictly gluten free, any amount of support or scholarship will help us offset those costs.

- Anonymous