Celiac Disease

I put off blogging for a long time, and I think it's because I didn't want to have to write this post.

Back in January Emma started to have a really bloated tummy. I thought it was because of all the juice she was drinking. One weekend my parents came to visit and my Dad was concerned because her veins were beginning to poke out in her stomach. The day they left I took Emma to see the pediatrician. I thought he would say I was overly concerned, but I was shocked when he told me to take Emma immediately to Mercy Hospital. He was worried that she could has something like liver disease, a blood disorder, etc.

I dropped Jackson off at a friend's house and headed to the hospital for the longest 4 hours of my entire life. I remember sitting in the hospital and praying over and over again that my sweet little girl would be healthy. Fortunately for us, Emma's blood work and catscan came back normal. The next two months were followed by several visits to our pediatrician and Arkansas Children's Hospital.

I will always remember the day that Emma was diagnosed will Celiac Disease. She had been running a fever the Friday before and we went back to the doctor. They said she had a bacterial infection and sent us home. The next Monday her fever was worse and she was becoming lethargic, so we went back to the doctor again and after more testing learned she had pneumonia. That afternoon the gi specialist at Children's Hospital called and said that Emma's blood work came back and she had tested positive for Celiac Disease. It was a hard day.

Six weeks later Emma had her biopsy to confirm the diagnosis and we started her new diet. For a while we called it "silly-yuck" so she could understand it better. It was a really hard adjustment, but now things are going great. Emma has gained 3 pounds in the last two months (before she hadn't gained even an ounce in over a year). She is eating so much better and overall is a happier little girl.

I would never have chosen this experience for Emma, but I am so grateful that she was diagnosed so young, and that it wasn't something worse.