my close-up
marci. gluten free since 11.26.2010
throughout the first twenty three years of my life my daily routine had always revolved around my next meal. the countless social events, family gatherings, time with friends, laughter and happiness; all involving amazing and succulent food. as a second year masters student living in New York City I was constantly on the run! like most New Yorkers, picking up a quick bite at the local salad bar or deli, meeting a girlfriend for a dinner and a cocktail, scrambling to decide what seamless web should deliver or embracing a Saturday night date at a new trendy restaurant, life eats, sleeps and breathes all revolving around the next meal.
the stress of an intensive full-time master's degree could make anyone sick. little did I know that I would be that person. countless hours in the library and class in addition to debilitating migranes and stomach aches later led me to a diagnosis I was not expecting.
"you've tested positive for Celiac Disease, it may be beneficial for you to consult with a nutritionist."
the exact words a doctor left on my voicemail. YES, my voicemail!
fortunately, as I recieved this voice message I was walking into the office of a new physician who welcomed me with open arms and changed my life.
it has been 4 years since my initial diagnosis of celiac diease, it has been 4 years since I started my gluten free diet, it has been 4 years since I started down the road of navigating a gluten free lifestyle and it has been 4 years that my life has changed for the better.
living with celiac disease, embracing my gluten free life and doing it instyle has made this not only a journey but a destination worth traveling.
upon my initial diagnosis I read, researched and gathered all of the important information I could find on celiac disease. learning the ropes and navigating through all of this new information quickly became a passion. ultimately, one that I knew I would one day be sharing with those who are also working to navigate down a similar path.
smile, take a deep breath and remember, you are smart, you are strong, you are beautiful. you are in the right place. stick around and you will find that calm after the storm, and hopefully learn a few new things along the way.
xo,
marci.
gratefully gluten free
my mother always says "it takes a community of support in order to succeed".
without that community I would not be where I am today and continue to grow daily.
I raise my glass to my family. my mom, dad, sister and brother in-law. you are my biggest fans, supporters and gluten free advocates. you are my strength, support and backbone on a daily basis. without your love and support I would not be living the positive gluten free life I lead today.
I raise my glass to my friends, my besties, you know who you are. you are my voice on friday nights at dinner, you were there to pick-up my slack when I was too sick to present in class, you are there to hold my gluten free snacks in our designer pocket-books and to grab my hand with care and curiousity before I put something in my mouth that maybe shouldn't be there.
I raise my glass to my extended family members and my colleagues, your generosity and support has helped tremendously. you have all demonstrated a willingness to learn and adapt to including and incorporating some fabulous gluten free additions into your routines. for that I am grateful.
I raise my glass to my community.
my people, some of my friends joke that I have a "person" for everything, without these "people" my community would not be whole.
to my pharmacist (s) who will not let a perscription go unchecked, to my glam squad (s) & (m) and my fabulous photographer (j) who have worked to make me look and feel beautiful through all of the up's and downs.
to my regular wait staff, servers and restaurant managers who listen to my speech and who work to make eating out a safe and positive experience for me.
to my fellow celiacs. you have been on this journey with me and will continue to travel along side of me.
cheers to continuing to learn, grow and posper together.
to my family, my friends, my community, new and old.
without you and the help that we can provide each other daily I would not have come this far.
without the strength of this community in which I have immersed myself, I would not be able to give back to the ever growing
celiac community.
