This Gluten Free Love Story was lovingly submitted by Darla
Dear L,
When I met you, you had recently been diagnosed with celiac disease. You hadn’t started removing glutenous foods from your life yet, and we were both going through dietary changes. I had just ended nine years of voluntary vegetarianism with a sandwich of organic cold-cuts for reasons of personal health and well-being.
I understand how dietary choices and restrictions frame parts of our identity. The food we eat and don’t eat can make us feel at home in our bodies, or like we’re on an alien planet.
You and I became new kinds of eaters together. I already knew a lot about gluten, because my best friend had been diagnosed with celiac a year earlier. I was already a support network for you, with medical and nutritional knowledge, as well as with the experience of witnessing the tougher social changes of adjusting to a new gluten free life.
It’s been a struggle towards health ever since I met you, but it’s the most rewarding struggle of my life. I see us growing better, together, healthier all the time. Two years ago when we met, you were incapacitated by celiac disease, underweight, and there were times I thought you might not live through it.
I was there with you in the ER.
I was there at the restaurant when you decided you’d rather not eat than send back the plate which accidentally contained gluten.
I was there when you turned down the pot brownies at the party.
I was there when you cried about it later.
I’m here because I love you! The struggle is worth it because you are 110% supportive in all of my struggles, and it is unfathomable that I would treat you with any less love and support than you do me.
Living gluten free is not scary anymore. It’s hard sometimes, but really, it’s not that bad when we have each other.
You are the strongest person I know. You can overcome anything – especially a measly little protein molecule.
Happy Valentines Day!
Love,
D.
What a great story (and you two are an adorable couple, if I may say so)!
Getting all broken up over not being able to have a pot brownie at a party is so understandable—you wind up getting left out of the food part AND the getting high part; what a bummer! (Kinda like going to a bar where all anyone’s ordering are pitchers of beer…)
🙂
Haven’t tried it, but I bet the gf Betty Crocker brownie mix would work! 🙂
Yes! Maybe we should all start carrying our own shrinkwrapped GF pot brownies around with us at all times so we’re ready in case of social emergencies! 🙂
And if we get caught, we can just start sobbing about celiac disease and I’m sure the cops will let us off easy.
Celiac qualifies for a Medical Marijuana Card in those states.
….in those states that have them.
Wow, that’s great! New York, get it together…
…OR you can all move here to Denver where its legal to have in your purse just as long as you don’t offer the cops any. Though I do have this info strictly from the westword because I’m not just celiac, pot could kill me 🙁 though so will bread, beer, most vodka served in local bars
Aw hell it sucks here, nevermind stay where you are!!! 😛
“I bet the gf Betty Crocker brownie mix would work!”
Then they would be Betty Crockpot Brownies. Yeah…I know.
sillypants
I LOL’d.
You’re a lovely couple! If you guys can overcome the “sickness” part together, you’ll have the “health” part nailed. Best wishes to you!
P.S. so funny, but I just said to GD offline that I was resisting to urge to suggest this, but those brownies can easily be made GF and vegan, but now, I see the community members are already all over that suggestion!
…..such a helpful bunch we are. 🙂
We all must do our part to increase awareness! Ha!
You are such a cute couple! I love your story~~(and I thought the same things as above, gluten free brownies..LOL) Best of luck to you both! Sue
Such a sweet story! (not to mention the your super-cute almost-matching glasses).
It’s been so amazing to me to see all of the great Celiac love stories come in from partners, fiancés, etc – I know that my sweetie has helped me through this more than I could have ever imagined, and it’s so great to hear from other people who are in his position.
Here’s to love, health, and the new-to-me knowledge that if I can ever move back to CA, a celiac diagnosis would come with a distinct upside. 🙂
Loved the brownie story! What a wonderful story of you two. You made me smile. 🙂
Cute story & cute couple. Loving that tattoo by the way…
I love this story, it made me cry . . . in a wonderful way 🙂 thank you 🙂