“In a way, being diagnosed with Celiac Disease has both limited my food options and expanded my palate.”

What would your deathbed meal be? Most people would probably have to think about this for a while and really ponder their options. But I don’t need to think about it because, in a way, I’ve already eaten mine: Panera mac and cheese, Auntie Anne’s cinnamon pretzel bites, and stir fry from what used to be my favorite restaurant - the Empire Buffet. These were some of the last foods I ate before I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, and I swear I can still remember the taste.

Although going gluten free was not the end of the world, it certainly felt like it at the time, and still feels like it occasionally. Every time I remember that I can’t have donuts, or cheesecake, or fried chicken, it feels like salt in the wound.

However, in some ways, being diagnosed with Celiac was an unexpected positive. I was an incredibly picky kid when I was little. I pretty much exclusively ate pasta, cheese, and fruit. Having limited options has forced me out of my comfort zone. I had to try new foods, and I’ve found that I like a lot more variety than I thought I did! I’ve fallen in love with salads. You’d think I might have grown to resent them because at many restaurants, they are the only gluten-free option, but they are so versatile that I constantly enjoy them. I’ve also tried seafood, something I never would have considered before I was diagnosed. I now like shrimp and crab. I don’t like fish, but at least I’ve tried it.

In a way, being diagnosed with Celiac Disease has both limited my food options and expanded my palate. It has been a blessing and a curse to be gluten free, but at the end of the day, I’m just glad to be healthy.

I was a tiny kid, very short and skinny for my age, and once I went gluten free, I remember every adult in my life commenting on how much I was growing. It was never something I noticed, but I suddenly started to look my age and be the same size as my classmates. While I’m always going to miss soft pretzels and birthday cakes, I am hopeful that with time, more gluten free options will become available.

And if I ever do have a deathbed meal, I know it will be similar to my first “deathbed” meal, because despite how long it’s been, I think I am always going to love all the foods I can’t eat anymore.

- Quinn