For about 3 years she had been sickly, feeling ill, just plain unwell. All during that long three year span she had worsened. She had been to first her family doctor and from there was sent to a series of specialists. Her symptoms were many and seemingly contradictory. There was pain in her muscles and bones, rashes, extreme weight loss, blisters, bouts of depression from the multiple symptoms. All the doctors came up with different ideas and a pharmacy of prescriptions, each one hopefully to be the one to cure all this. It didn’t happen. The drugs did some onerous things sometimes, at one point she puffed up like a little chipmunk, but didn’t gain any weight. They operated on her, keeping her in hospital for a long time for more searching. Still, she was sick.
With all these doctors doing various things, none of them talked to the others, they didn’t share their knowledge, or at least if they did, they weren’t able to put it all together. Until one day, one doctor did see everything collectively in one explosive conclusive picture and said “You have Celiac Disease”. She was put on a strict, wheat-free diet and almost immediately started on her way to recovery. Now, having adjusted to her diet and her body responding like it had been given a new lease on life, which it has, she is healthy and happy and oh so grateful, which is what led to the title of this little story.
Talking to her on the phone the other morning she sounded particularly buoyant and I asked her what she was doing. She laughed and said “Ironing”. I said “Well, that’s exciting and she said “Actually, I feel so well I’m dancing with my ironing board”! Kathleen, June 30,2008
The power of one! Communication. Perseverance. Hope. Thanks for sharing this story with us. Nicole