Bye-Bye Gluten!

My second oldest son, Tim, has had increasingly serious allergies and stomach aches over the last several years. I tried to talk him into seeing a doctor sooner, but he is your typical male — stubborn — and he hates going to doctors. Even worse, all the male doctors in our area aren't taking new patients, and my doctor happens to be female. Eventually, I just got fed up with Tim's stubbornness and made an appointment for him to see my doctor anyway.

Well, yesterday, the doctor confirmed my suspicions. Tim most likely has Celiac disease. I had begun to suspect this over the last several months because I recognized the symptoms from babysitting a young girl a few years ago who, in addition to her mother, had been diagnosed with Celiac.

After the doctor's appointment, Tim had to have several blood tests, and he is now being referred to an allergist. If he does have Celiac, we will all eventually have to be tested. I am almost certain that my youngest son, Matthew, and I have the disease too, although our symptoms are not yet as severe as Tim's.

Oh well, I guess this means bye-bye gluten and all the foods I love so dearly. No more home-made bread!

I will just have to forget the wonderful taste of it, and, instead, rely on the Living Bread.

"I am the living bread that came from heaven.

Anyone who eats this bread will live forever;

and this bread,

which I will offer so the world may live,

is my flesh."

John 6:51 (NLT)