This Gluten Free Love Story was lovingly submitted by Tiffany
It never failed. My entire life, no matter what she ate, she always complained of a stomach ache.
She is my sister, Camille.
Camille is 4 years older than me, Tiffany. We grew up with a pretty normal sisterly relationship. Aside from me getting mad and throwing the occasional hair brush at he,r we got along and loved each other. Love has a way of growing and changing and evolving. Even between two sisters.
Thanksgiving was always a real hangover for Camille in regards to her stomach. She LOVED the dressing made from homemade biscuits and cornbread my Grandmother B. made and don’t even mention the homemade chocolate cake.
These were some good times!! Until they weren’t. Until the stomach ache.
We always enjoyed sugar cookies and homemade macaroni and cheese. She always said, “Doesn’t your stomach hurt?” after each time we both seemed to eat 5 or 6 cookies? But no–mine never hurt.
We got older, we had kids, and life takes over. Until a few years ago when she started complaining about not having enough energy or not feeling “right”. Then the weight loss and still more stomach aches.
We should have listened, but food issues run in our family. So what’s a stomach ache now and then for some real sugar-aholics?? Besides she has a stressful career, she has a daughter and a husband she gives all of her time and energy to. The lack of energy is normal in a crazy life!
Camille found out she has Celiac Disease almost two years ago.
We were lucky she found a doctor that helped her. We were lucky we get to keep her. I am lucky to have her.
She has taught me more about true love than any man could ever have. She accepts my faults, she encourages my heart, she makes me feel BRAVE, she feeds my soul, she loves me, she loves her family, and she gets up every day WITHOUT A STOMACH ACHE.
You know what she does now? She tries to spread the word about Celiac Disease to everyone she knows. And so do I.
She may not have wanted Celiac, but she has it. She gives power to the weak when she talks about it.
Love is something you cherish and she cherishes us all—-by talking about Celiac Disease.
SHE is my SISTER–Camille McBride.
I am just the sister that loves her.
Happy Valentines Day!
Gluten Dude–my sister is in the SMU shirt and I am in the Baylor shirt in the first picture. Thank you for your awareness about a disease that I never knew existed.
I love this! I feel lucky myself to have a caring sister like Tiffany. (Actually, my whole family, and all of my friends and acquaintances I’ve told, have been fantastic. So far, this hasn’t at all been the socially isolating diagnosis I feared it would.)
Also, I can relate to Camille asking people after every meal if their stomachs hurt! That’s me 100 percent. For now, anyway.
Thanks for another great GF love story. ๐
Thank YOU for reading them ๐
Oooooohhhhh!!!! I LOVE this one Dude! After I was diagnosed I talked my brother into getting checked as well. His symptoms were not EXACTLY the same as mine as I would vomit after every meal unless it was yogurt, watermelon or soup. He had severe joint pain, the big D or constipation, what he thought was “heart burn”. This coming from a man that eats THREE sandwiches for lunch every single day!!!!!! Still does, but ALL gf of course because all of his tests came back positive for Celiac!!!!!!!! Oh God…enough about me!!!! LOL!
Camilles sister….thanks so much for sharing this story!
This is a great story. I can totally relate…My sister and I were diagnosed within the same two month period and she has been an amazing support. Thanks Dude for highlighting how the love between siblings often runs deep!
I’m like Tammy – my sister was diagnosed within one month of my diagnosis. This has made us even closer and it is wonderful to have an advocate that totally understands every complaint or thought regarding celiac disease. We gab away to spare others and share information and every break through.
This is a really touching story as the stories so far. I am as romantic as the Grumpy Cat, but this stuff is very heartwarming. Its totally awesome that there are supportive people for us Celiac folk. We are not our disease, but it greatly impacts on our lives. June 22, 2012 is the day my life changed forever. Having family that understands is the best anyone can hope for.
Shortly after I was diagnosed, 11/28/11, I was very LUCKY and found Gluten Dude and friends. I called my sister,Tiffany, and said if you want to understand CD and me a little better then READ this blog. SHE DID and does!
She is amazing. She even laughs with me now when our extended family/friends say things that are only comical to a celiac or to someone who is gluten intolerant.
Happy Friday!
Camille
Awesome Camille. Glad you found us!
Thanks for sharing your story with us!
I have an awesome older sister and I wish I could get her to be tested. She has told her doctor I have celiac and that’s as far as it got. I can’t “make” her do it, I know (or my brother, either) but because they do not have overt gastro symptoms and they have never been as deathly ill as I was, they simply do not believe they could possibly have it. (and yes, they do have autoimmune diseases)
I love them both so much, but I cannot press it any further.
It saddens me that I can get total strangers on celiac.com and on here to see why family members should be tested, but I can’t get anyone in my own large extended family to see this disease for what it is. Crazy, huh? sigh….
Anyway…so great to see your beautiful smiling faces and hear your story.
Warm hugs to you both!
P.S. Camille–now, are you the same ” TxCami ” we all know and love…or a different Camille? Because the SMU and Baylor shirts are telling me “TX” ๐
Hi Irish,
I was originally TxCami but then decided to go by Camille on this blog. ๐
So yes, it is me! TxCami = Camille
I am in the same boat with you regarding family! I finally dropped the subject. Crazy…
For the record, Tiffany did get tested. ๐ She is negative but reads GD to stay informed.
Big hugs to you!
You’re delightful! Beautiful smile. Continued healing to you, hon!
๐
What a wonderful story! My older sister has been there with me from day 1; yelling for mom when I would start my inevitable puke-fest or come down with one odd ailment after another.
During last fall’s gluten challenge she would ask every day if I was going to make it to the end. I almost didn’t.
Thanks for the smile. ๐
Thanks for this inspiring blog and greetings to everyone here
and all the best to Camilla and her sister
I just started my walk on the gluten free side for a week ago
it seems that i have developed stronger symptoms through the years but my guess is that i stopped handling gluten around the same time as my thyroid went into slumber 13 years ago at the age of 30, the idea just didnt struck me until recently
i have skin problems, dificulty focusing, nausea , fatigue, weird mood swings, bad breath, flatulance, sleeping disorders, astma, and digestive problems and heartburn ,
all these symptoms can be caused by gluten intolerance and/or cd , when i mentioned this to my endocrynolog he wanted to give me depressive medicine and used lot of his power to convince me of his certain diagnosis, needless to say i didn listen
in this one week i feel like i already can mark a difference but one strange thing happend yesterday , i had some liqurice and did the mistake of just beliving it being GF only to realise the oposite by a crasy mood swing followed by puking and that falling asleep in the early day
is it possible that i was experiencing such a dramatic “seisure” just because the body had been totally without it for some days ?
thanks and all the best
Disa
Yes, it’s possible.If you did not have a gluten problem, nothing would happen if you reintroduce it. IMHO, you should pursue this with another doctor or bring your endo some articles on why someone with thyroid disease and the symptoms you are experiencing should absolutely be tested for Celiac disease. Thyroid disease as listed as one of the top 5 conditions associated with it, and if he won’t test you, find someone who will. Do it now, before you continue to be GF much longer, otherwise the test results will be invalid. Good luck!
“Any individual who has a related autoimmune disorder, regardless of celiac symptoms, should be tested for celiac disease and if negative the test should be repeated on a periodic basis. These conditions include insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (requiring insulin therapy), Hashimotoโs thyroiditis, Turnerโs syndrome, Williams syndrome, Graves disease and Sjogrenโs disease” (Univ. of Chicago Celiac Disease Center) .
Disa,
Good luck on your journey – and if you have not gone back and read all the Gluten Dude posts and comments then I urge you to do so. There is excellent information here especially from Irish Heart and Gluten Dude.
Keep fighting!
Camille
I’ve been lovin’ all the love stories! The tale of two sisters, the cake abstaining honey, the wingman… they all warm my heart!
Wow,very encouraging story. Im recently diagnosed.
Wow, I am glad your sister loves you. I wish my sis was like that. Mine almost killed me with airborne flour (& then yelled at *me* for it!). Still feeling the physical effects of it 10 1/2 months later & lucky to be alive.
I’m glad to see there is still some sisterly love in the world. Restores my faith in sisterhood
I meant to say, I am glad *you* love your sister like that. She is lucky to have a sis that cares about her. Family are the ones that *should* be there, & at least be accepting of you, & care whether or not you are healthy. I am glad Camille has you ๐ We should all have a sister like you
Hi Phyllis,
I agree that everyone should have a sister like mine but if you don’t ( and I do and I am still here) then stick around this blog! I have made it through many days with the help of this special place. It is great just to know other people are experiencing the same things you are and that you are not alone! It also keeps me laughing which just makes me feel so much BETTER! This is an extremely supportive community.
DUDE – you are probably sick of hearing this but thank you for starting and maintaining this place!!! ๐
Camille
I will NEVER get sick of hearing that Camille ๐
Thanks, Camille! I agree, this is a very supportive place & I really appreciate the work GD puts into this very special page.
Thanks, so much Gluten Dude!!!