Been sick as a dog for a few days now, it’s 3:30am, my mind is racing, and I can’t sleep. Let’s do a stream of consciousness blog.
1. Why do they say “sick as a dog”? My dogs are never sick.
2. It’s snowing outside…again. My kids will have no school…again. As the Dudette said recently…”going to school five days a week is so 2013.”
3. Yesterday was a tough day to be an advocate. Got a lot of sh*t for my blog post. And once in a while I ask myself, is all the time and effort I put in, when I intentionally don’t make a penny off this blog, worth it? Then I go to this page and I simply smile. Yes, it’s worth every damn second.
4. No seriously…this is the year I’m really going to start playing guitar more.
5. When I was a kid, I watched the Olympics every single night.
6. The older I get, the less drawn I am to them. Not sure if that says more about what they’ve become or who I’ve become.
7. My blog has officially passed 1 million visitors. Not bad for a two year old blog that was pretty much a ghost town the first six months.
8. And if you’re curious what that big spike is in the chart to the right, that was the day we got Disney to axe the episode of Jessie that was about to air. Ah….sweet victory.
9. Just finished the Bruce (Springsteen) bio last night. When I grow up…I want to be just like him.
10. By the way, he’s 64 years old. And he’s still doing stuff like this.
I repeat…he’s 64. When my dad was 64, he had one foot in the grave. Just goes to show how exercise and a strong passion for something can keep you going strong.
11. Mrs. Dude is amazing. Just wanted to put that out there.
12. It’s now 4:00 in the morning.
13. I’m heading down to the Gluten Free Living Conference in Orlando in early April. Anybody up for a road trip? Would love to see you there.
14. Do you follow me on Facebook?
15. Twitter?
16. Instagram?
17. I started P90X this past weekend. Only 86 more days to go. Was getting in an exercise rut and from what I hear, this will certainly shake me out of it.
18. I’m looking for a good movie for the Dudette and I to see this Saturday. Any recommendations?
19. Yes…it’s still snowing.
20. I think it’s time to give GlutenDude.com a face lift. Change is good.
21. I have a daughter going to college next year. How did THAT happen?
22. Big things happening with Jennifer Esposito and her Jennifer’s Way bakery. Can’t wait to share it all with you.
23. Cherish the time with your kids folks. It goes by way too fast.
24. I had the following exchange with someone on Twitter yesterday:
Me: You mean you were diagnosed celiac and now you eat gluten?
Him: Me and 3 others were healed last year. We have all eaten gluten for the past year without a single celiac symptom!
Me: I have no words…
Him: How about Praise God?!
Me: I was thinking more along the lines of “lymphoma” but ok.
25. My mom continually put her happiness in God’s hands. My mom was never happy.
26. My point? Faith is a good thing. Over-reliance on Faith can be a dangerous thing.
27. Guess who else will be in Orlando in April? Irish Heart! Yep…we finally get to meet.
28. Do I go back to bed when I’m done with this or just start my work day??
29. This season of Walking Dead has been quite the disappointment. (Really? You brought the Governor back??) But last Sunday’s episode gave me some hope.
30. Like I always say…hope is a good thing.
31. The TTB just ruled that Omission Beer and other beers made with barley cannot label themselves as gluten-free. That makes me happy.
32. Thanks for hanging with me.
33. I’m outta here.
Thanks Dude!
As for #24 above, I spoke with Dr. Evan Newnham (a leading celiac expert) about a potential cure for the condition and he believes the link between celiac and lymphoma has been overstated and exaggerated in the literature.
Hey Dude – Just found your website yesterday and really appreciate your hard work & all of the great info. I’m very grateful for all of the online celiac info from your and other dedicated websites.
I’ve never participated in online chatting or whatever I’m doing here, but I needed to comment on a couple of things, defend The GlutenDude and start the process of properly thanking Jennifer Esposito.
Although he probably means well because it may be rare, Dr. Evan Newnham, if correctly referenced above, simply does not have enough info if he is doubting the connection between celiac & lymphoma, which is neither overstated nor exaggerated.
Also, I know it’s semantics and it was a sick sleepless 3:30 am for you; however, I can’t “over rely” on my faith. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. I agree that the “misapplication” of one’s faith “can be dangerous”, but, as they said in law school, it is a distinction with an important difference.
Gluten was killing me slowly at first but surely and much more rapidly by Nov 19, 2012. Even though I’ve not had the opportunity to contact Jennifer, I need to properly thank Jennifer Esposito (sounds like you may have a direct connection with her) & her show that aired on Fox on 11/19/2012 for being the first step in saving my and my Mom’s lives. If we ever get the chance, I’ll tell you the whole story; however, long, long story short as possible, Jennifer’s show, to which I awoke during a gluten filled stupor (my wife’s great homemade whole wheat crust pizza 6 hrs before) at 12:30 am was how I first starting putting the pieces together about the disease that was killing me and my Mom.
Twenty years from this April 2014, my Mom has endured 3 brain aneurysms, 2 brain surgeries & Stage 4, B cell, mantle cell Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma three separate times since 1998. As Mom says, “for the shape she’s in, she’s still in pretty good shape!”
As I was fighting my battle to understand celiac, gluten, dermatitis herpetiformis, GERD, skin cancer, precancerous esophogeal lesions, etc., from which I was miserably suffering, my Mom started her next bout of lymphoma and chemo again in April 2013. By Nov 2013, she was experiencing skin reactions from the chemo like 2nd & 3rd degree burns over her entire body such that she couldn’t finish the scheduled chemo treatments each month along with other severe but unusual side effects.
As a result of my research (skills gained from 30 years of law practice) trying to learn as well as help our doctors (who are very caring but simply not fully informed because of the developing nature of and literature concerning this disease), I convinced my Mom to go “gluten free” in Nov 2013, which was not easy for a 77 yr old woman after 2 brain surgeries, chemo & lymphoma. The results are astounding! Her cancer doctor, rather mystified but at least not rolling her eyes as much as before, prematurely stopped Mom’s chemo in Feb 2014 after Mom’s red, white & platelet blood levels were all NORMAL. We do another CT scan in May and go from there. The tumors are currently “melting” for lack of a more descriptive medical term.
As they say, the proof is in the puddin’, or as they should say in our case, “in the lack of gluten!”
I’ll be happily gluten free for 15 months on Feb 19th (thanks to God for answering my specific prayers to either heal me or kill me by using Jennifer’s voice at 12:30 in the morning, regardless of what atheists and/or unbelievers choose to believe – some events are too unbelievably designed to simply be coincidence), but not out of the cancer woods just yet. My wife says it is the perfect disease for me because I don’t have to take medication – just eat healthy foods and exercise!
It is absolutely wonderful how much healthier I am simply by not ingesting gluten while continuing to “over rely” on my faith and remain “delusionally optimistic”, as my friends call me. My Mom is the original “delusional optimist.” Gluten took me from walking 85 miles during 13 rounds of golf in 6 consecutive days in June 2010 to not being able to get out of bed for 3 weeks in Dec 2012. I walked 5 miles again this past Sunday afternoon (2/16/2014), which was not possible a few weeks ago. Who knew wheat could kill you?!?
Thanks again for all of your hard work encouraging fellow gluten sufferers and letting them know they are not alone with this brutal but currently misunderstood disease. Sorry for the long post, but, like you, if I can encourage another gluten sufferer, I try to these days. My doctors are more informed believers now, one of which is a fellow golfing buddy who saw me go from being a low handicap able to hit long drives to trying not to fall down during my swing, all because of gluten!
See you around around, Gluten Dude.
Hey Hap…understood about the “over-rely” verbiage.
I appreciate your comments, glad you found what was ailing you and your Mom and will definitely let Jen E. know.
My best to you…
Thanks Dude!
Please tell Jen that I really mean it.
Three doctors & I had been searching for 2 years and couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me as I got sicker & sicker, but her comments put everything in perspective and led to a correct diagnosis $15,000 worth of tests later.
On my way to good health again and I will be forever grateful to Jen for speaking out.
Your website is now one I’ll check everyday as regularly as the news and financial.
Please keep up the great work!
Hap
Dude, you play guitar? I knew I liked you for a reason! 😉
“Play” is being very generous 😉
I ‘m really comfortable with the list approach. This way I don’t have to have cohesive sentences:
1. Winter sucks. February is a hard-on-the-head month.
2. April comes bringing Orlando and IH your way!
3. After being diagnosed 4 years ago (to the day), the first Celiac I met had prayed her Celiac away…..
4. My husband and I had the very conversation about the Olympics as you observed. We couldn’t pinpoint our reason for not being as excited. Surely we’re not jaded.
5. I still remember hearing Bruce for the first time. It was 1980 on FM radio in Nova Scotia. Go Bruce
6. I really hope you’ve gone back to bed cos you’ve got a date with a shovel later to day.
1. Been brutal.
2. Yes!
3. Is she still alive?
4. Yeah…seems too packaged these days.
5. Bruuuuuuuce!
6. Mrs. Dude took care of shoveling duties today. Bless her little heart.
#34
Never let someone’s snotty email (filled with erroneous information like corn is harmful to celiacs blah blah blah) make you give up your passion.
#35
You should come down here right now. It’s going to be 80 today.
(Down here, 64 is the new 44. )
Rock on, my friend. 🙂
You’ll have to wait until April to give me a big old hug 🙂
I too am going to Florida in April but to Sarasota. I have never been before but my daughter moved there. She wants me to follow, and after this winter in Illinois I might think about it.
1. Sorry you’re sick 🙁
2. P90X is intense.
3. Don’t let the sh*t-throwers get you down.
4. Did you go back to sleep?
1. Thanks (cough…cough).
2. I’m loving it…so far.
3. Thanks for the encouragement.
4. I did indeed 🙂
1. Hope you sleep better tonight!!!
2. Hope you know that if someone doesn’t want to eat Pasta off of shared machines it is not a condemnation of you, just their personal preference 🙂
3. I appreciate all you do!
4. We had snow and closed schools again yesterday in WI as well. . .suddenly Florida sounds pretty darn good.
Take care!
Monuments Men was good 🙂
I got up at 4:30 with a sick weenie dog (he got into the bird food the day before) So I was not sick as a dog, just holding the head of a sick dog, so to speak.
I joined Facebook celiac chat rooms. I felt a calling that as a dietitian, cooking fanatic and 2 decade celiac I could help people and answer some questions. But stupid people pissed me off. I would drop a chat room and join another. Amazingly another stupid person would piss me off and I would drop. Hmmm..Gloria…you can’t change stupid. But I could change myself. Block the stupid person, ignore some stupid comments, continue to help people who needed and wanted help. Change my tone and let some things roll off my back. It is the key to longevity.
P.S. I knew a woman once who said she was healed and then said she didn’t have celiac. Two years later when she was very sick she tried to go back on the GF diet and it didn’t work. She had to go on TPN (fed nutrition through a port in her artery) for the rest of her life which was about 2-3 years.
That is unbelievably sad.
To anyone reading my comment who goes on and off the diet…there is no guarantee that it will continue to work. Sometimes the villi won’t come back enough to keep you alive. It is so not worth it.
I’ve gotten more solid information from you and Irish Heart here, than anywhere else. Well, I also listen to my doctor… I have a good one.
I appreciate a forum where facts and humor take center stage.
If you ever want to give it up, I understand- you’ve already done more than your share. Just, uh, don’t yet. Please.
AGREE, AGREE, AGREE!!! 🙂
Heck…I’m just getting started 🙂
Ken, Camille
He can’t quit. If he quits, I quit and I can’t quit.
I made a promise to my doctor to keep shouting from the rooftops
until “celiac awafreness” is not something we have to fight for.
Plus, I simply cannot run my own blog. I am a techno doofus. lol
sorry for the typo…I have a cat who tries to help me type…lol
Just wanted to leave a note to let you know that this blog is helpful. I have recommended it 4 times over the last two weeks to acquaintances newly diagnosed with gluten-Intolerance and feeling low.
Much appreciated Laura…
Gluten Dude, just wanted to say I love your blog and the community you’ve helped create. Keep on doing what you do. The stupid ones are out there, and sadly they can’t be eliminated. Seems they pop up and jab in just the right spots to sting, but remember that there is a lot more good out there in the world and in our community.
And following on the list:
1) Sorry you are sick!
2) This winter has to end – and could it have happened yesterday? I am so tired of being constantly cold and having the snow coming what seems like every other day.
3) P90X is intense! Good for you for starting something so challenging.
4) I’ve heard good things about Monuments Men – thinking of seeing it myself but can’t get a free weekend to do so. Sigh.
Thanks GF. Yeah…we’re thinking about Monuments Men. Not convinced we’re gonna like it.
I think Jennifer E is amazing and I wish we had more celebrity advocates like her. Not that i wish others Celiac, just that we had more spokes people.
GD-
Love you, love the blog. Keep rocking and kicking ass.
XO-
Jersey Girl
————————————-
“When they built you brother
they broke the mold.”
Bruce Springsteen
Love ya right back JG. And love that line from Terry’s Song.
I’ve been eating gluten free for about 18 months. It’s awesome that we have people like you out there for us.
I quit eating gluten before getting tested for Celiac and regret that now but still feel so much better. My brain fog, sore knees and some digestive issues have disappeared.
Thanks for all you do Dude.
1) Olympics, for me, it was when it stopped being any semblance of a sporting event and just a human interest story. On the West Coast, we’re watching yesterday’s events while today’s events are going on. I understand timezones jack everything up, but at least try to have some live events. And your kids have 100 other things to watch, who wants to watch biathlon when the last Good Luck Charlie episode EVER is on?
2) Movies, Dallas Buyer’s Club. It’s about a guy who gets pissed off at the American health care system, and works to beat the system. Not sure if anyone here can relate.
3) Springsteen, always phenomenal.
4) P90X – getting older and dieting not working like it used to, so maybe something new. It just seems sooooo informercially-cheesy.
5) Can’t believe you and Irish Heart have never met.
6) Walking Dead, have you ever thought about what to eat after the zombie apocalypse? My daughter, the one with Celiac (and somehow is just a few years from college, also mystified how that happens), has read every dystopian tween/teen novel out there and has asked me about what she could eat after world ends. Might be easier in the long term, short term could be problematic. Might be a whole blog post in there.
7) Victories (and defeats): as awesome as Jessie was, and Disney doing the story right on gluten free, I still want to throw a brick at the TV every time I see that PoS Jimmy Fallon on there. Is it worth crapping all over his coming out party and Facebook page, and reminding people about what a jerk he is, or do I just need to let it go? (Celiac daughter has, papa bear still a little pissed.)
1. Exactly.
2. Hmmm…I’m intrigued.
3. The man.
4. I’m on day 6…not cheesy…but not easy.
5. I know…right.
6. I need to think about this one.
7. I think we let it go…until he does it again.
One other thought on the Olympics, I think at some point, they switched the coverage and became a lot more reliant on the judged sports, figure skating, x-games skiing, (gymnastics, diving), etc. Personally, I just don’t care for them as much, you should get a medal because you ski harder, or skate faster, not just because the Romanian judge thinks your tuck was a little straighter than the other guy. And I too remember Jim McKay, maybe I was just younger, but it seemed more like a sporting event then. Just my personal observation and preference.
Jim McKay was a class act.
I am showing my age here, but I recall the famous Wide World of Sports opening that included…”the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat” clips from when I was little. (but that was before ESPN and long before athletes were paid salaries that could feed entire countries…. and dinosaurs still roamed the earth…..). 🙂
I hate to say it, but I have definitely thought of what I will eat if the world suddenly went to hell. I’m reading too many apocalyptic novels.
Your blog & especially the comments keeps me encouraged to stick with it for me, my 3 kids & brothers with obvious symptoms. One is finally sick & tired of being sick & tired, keeping hope is a good thing.
Just like Andy Dufresne says…
I would love to meet you and Jennifer Esposito one day. I have always wondered about the phrase “sick as a dog” because my dogs don’t get sick either. “Happy as a clam” is another one. My thought for the day for you is thank you for all you do for the Celiac community.
Thanks Claudia. Maybe some day. I’d like to personally meet everybody in this community.
Dude
just want to say thank you. I’ve been with you for the last 6 months. I’m a wee irish girl living in germany. After I found out why I had been so ill CD I felt so alone and lost. Living in a foreign country and being ill sucks. I had no one to moan to, or to ask questions about minor (major) things. And then I found you.I Thank you and irish heart from the bottom of my heart. While reading you blog I have laughed and cried many times and I am so greatful that you are just the way you are.
Next week I will have heart surgery the hospital can not provide me with food, I have celiac a fructose and a latose intolerance, I have to bring my own food to hospital and after major heart surgery have to make it myself. The Doc said it would be better as he can’t rule contamination out because they have a large canteen. (This is one of the largest hospitals in Germany, it is also a university Klinik)
So keep up your good work the world needs help with this gluten thing…..
And Dude thanks most of all for making me smile when the going gets tough.
Q: Why was the broom late?
A: It over swept!
Yeah…I know 😉
LORRAINE
I will be sending all good thoughts to you for successful surgery and recovery. Be well. Let us know how you are doing.
Massive hugs and healing thoughts to you!
When I hear that God cured someone of something (that I have), I wonder how come He didn’t cure me? That woman and her friends must be sooo much “better” than me. Sheesh.
I hope you feel better soon. Sleep helps so I hope you can get some tonight!
Oh, no sleep sucksssssss! Been there many times and it’s funny how mind just keeps getting busier:) ignore most of those and get ur ass better, we need you. As a nurse, rest, fluids, and gluten free chicken soup or broth, it really contains ant inflammatory properties. I’m now going to look up sick as dog? One more thing, my husband is an excellent, really, guitar player. It’s a wonderful hobby or outlet or job. He’s taught, plays heavy, light, electric, acoustic, we both took lessons from same guy when kids, the days when one had to learn how to read music! He’ll be thrilled to hear, too bad far away u could jam or relearn, etc……thank you for ALL U DO! Positive energy coming your way, Kim Kuehl
I’m feeling it Kimberly…thank you.
I only have one thing to say…..Jennifer Esposito is the most stunning Celiac I have ever seen. That woman is gorgeous. I was kind of hoping when I healed from near death that I might end up looking like that…… but no dice. I just loved her in “Crash”….one of my favorite movies. Can’t wait to hear the news about her bakery!
I’ll pass along your comment 😉
…ha….and here I thought maybe I was the most stunning celiac you have ever seen….just kidding, dear Gem….I know I’m #2.
love ya and sorry it keeps snowing up there. The guest room is almost ready…
I am OK with the snow, as you well know. I am probably the only one who is but I can live with that. I’ve been snowshoeing in the winter wonderland and call me crazy but I would rather have this than the 100 degree heat we had last July. Yesterday’s snowfall was gorgeous and everything looked like a fairyland, as I drove home from work last night. The roads were empty so it was kind of nice. There are some positives to wintah!
And yes, IrishHeart…..you are #2 stunning Celiac! : )
I like snow, too…I just do not like it for 6 months. 🙂
Make a snow angel for me.
I know you put a lot of time into the blog, and I hope you feel that it certainly IS worth it, and know how much we appreciate it. I feel the same about the Olympics. Maybe its just getting older, I don’t know. Remember Jim McKay? Its not the same without him.
We must be about the same age…I do indeed remember Mr. McKay.
Movie suggestion- don’t know if it’s still running anywhere, but Saving Mr. Banks. Wow, what a surprise that was from Disney. Really heartwarming, after the author of Mary Poppins relives her troubled childhood. Magical without being syrupy.
1. Hi GD
2. Snow here Wednesday, 5-10cm
3. 10-4
7. YES!!
10. Sounds good
22. Good pic of you and Jennifer
32. Thanks for hanging with us.
33. I’m outta here to watch hockey 🙂
Keep up the fight and watch the progress we make everyday.
Team Canada Men’s Hockey – Noon – EST
00-snow everywhere……
1. was up at 3, out to the barn to check on My two horses.
2. still bad dreams of having to put My dog down after xrays showed he had bone cancer thru his body and holding him while his heart stopped. dang theres the tears again.
3. trip to doc for Me who is being “fired” for indifference, malpractice, UGH,.. have to start with a new Doctor YOU know what that means……sighs….
4 .trip to this site,.. feel a bit better,..people who understand why were talking to each other .
think its been 18 months now clear…of Gluten’s. as well as as every processed food ,still not feeling good yet after tumor out of My neck,..doctors lying to Me,.. saving money ignoring Me pleas for help.
GOOD news: My Son and His Family went gluten free!,. and for the first time in way way too many years My Son Migraines are about GONE,..he was having 2… 3 of them a day setting off. and desprite to help,,, he had imitrex 100 mg s the Migraines so bad he risked heart attack taking them. after the first month clear,. he had two migraines,.. BOTH he knew was from a trip to McDee,s ,. he is a believer and wont risk it again,… Im glad they are GF as the kids will have a chance to grow up with better taste buds and not poisoned all those years.
Hi Gluten Dude,
I’ve been tasked with creating a blog for course I’m taking, Writing for Online and Social Media. I chose a topic that is near and dear to my heart, Celiac, as my son was recently diagnosed. Came across your blog post “33 random thoughts” and really appreciated the tips mixed with the light-heartedness of this post. Sometimes reading blog after blog can get monotonous. Thanks for the pick me up at 3:30 in the afternoon 🙂
Ranae
@newceliacmom
Found your blog a few months ago. At the time I was a few months into my diagnosis, struggling with the social aspect of celiacs and how to keep myself safe in my cramped college kitchen. This community you’ve created has helped me deal with all the stupid sh*t kids my age say and makes me feel so well, “normal” in this gluten filled world. Keeps doing what your doing! I know we all appreciated it!!
I love Dudette’s remark about going to school five days a week is so 2013!
Meanwhile, hang in there. When you put yourself out there for the whole world, you open yourself to ridicule. However, the good you do far outweighs everything else. I think its times like these that make us reflect on the times we spoke out to others and causes us to think twice the next time we do so.
Keep on putting good stuff out there, and I am sure it will come back in spades.
Thanks Shari…
I love random lists.. Can I add mine..in no particular order- your list sparked some random thoughts for me too
1.Our oldest child is about to turn 21 and is getting married in June – where did the time go?? which leads me to #2
2. My husband and I saw a friend’s 2 month old baby the other day- he said awwwwwww I want one!
(that ship sailed for us about 5 years ago). I said be careful what you wish for GRANDPA- seeing as our son is getting married and we could be grandparents before we have a chance to blink..
3. The Olympics – all I watched was the ice skating as a kid.. . the same now . I still love to watch the Ice-skating- all though since seeing the movie “Cool Runnings” I now find bob-sledding kind of cool.
4. Thinking about the Olympics and a being a kid reminds me of that whole debacle with Tonya Harding and Nancy what’s her name-:/
5.Speaking of faith and healing- A family friend told one of my daughters that if she confessed that she was not gluten intolerant and could eat all the gluten she wanted and believed it to be so in her heart that would she be healed and not have to be gluten free any longer- GASP!!!
6,He backed tracked and quickly when he saw me shooting him a “what the heck – are you seriously telling my kid to eat poison? What is the matter with you? Do you realize you could land someone in the hospital spouting that kind of crap/ that is not faith!!!That is stupid and irresponsible!!!!!” look. Yes my look said all of that and then some 🙂 I had to do some major damage control.
7. I believe in healing but I don’t believe in being flakey. I also know for a fact that not everyone who prays for healing gets healed on this side of heaven. Good people die every day still sick in their bodies. If praying and believing were the magic keys to healing, my dear mother and mil would both still be alive.. they prayed- we all prayed we all believed for their healing and the Lord choose to take them home instead. ‘
8. Healing with celiac disease does not mean you can eat gluten ever again! It means the damage done by gluten will heal..eventually.. it takes time!
9. Gluten Free is not the disease- it’s the solution to the disease!
Ok that is it for my randomness
Excellent blog! Thanks for all the celiac support 🙂 So far my oldest and i are the only two in our family with celiac, and a crumb makes us sick for days – FUN! I stopped writing on my blog awhile ago, because my posts would all be rants on foods labeled gf but not actually being gf. Now that my child gets sick, it went to a new level for me. He was diagnosed at 13, and took the news like a champ because his mom knew how to make the diet easy 🙂