Celiac Disease Essay

A person does not experience many events that shape their life in a large way, whether it be for better or worse. I have had just one major situation that has sculpted me into the person that I am today. In February of 2008, I was diagnosed with a life changing disease; it would relieve me of the agony I had been experiencing for as long as I could remember, but also restrict my diet for the rest of my life.
Celiac Disease was very unknown in the early 2000’s, making it hard for doctors to diagnose. Most people that develop the disease do so during adulthood, but I was born with it. From birth, my immune system would attack the protein found in wheat, rye, malt, oat, and barley; when attacking the protein, the walls of my stomach and intestines were also being damaged. I would have

This hospital sparked my deep respect and adoration for Peyton Manning, not only because he was the quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts at the time, but because he was a great contributor to the hospital that cared for my well-being. The bi-weekly visits to the hospital were mainly comprised of blood tests and other various activities that seemed like torture to a young child.
Finally, I participated in a very new blood test used to diagnose Celiac Disease. At that point in my life, my immune system had been at war with itself for about eight years. My body was killing itself; my kidneys were beginning to shut down. I was severely malnourished because my body could not absorb the nutrients. Conversely, I was overweight due to my body storing everything I ate as fat instead of breaking it down for energy; because of this, I was very lethargic. The new test that was developed saved my life. It was able to determine that I did, in fact, have Celiac Disease, and I would have to maintain a special diet for the remainder of my