My New Blog

So after checking out My cousins Blog for months and months I've decided that blogging looks way more fun than work. So it's Friday, and after a REALLY long week of dealing with one difficult account I've decided to "take the day off" and sit here to create a blog. Just don't let anyone at work have my blog address and I'll be fine.

My Hopes are that this blog will allow me to run into all kinds of people who can whine with me about Celiac Disease and how wonderful it is. For those of you who don't know what celiac disease is (which you all do because probably only three people are reading this, and they are all family) "Celiac Disease (CD) is a lifelong, digestive disorder affecting children and adults. When people with CD eat foods that contain gluten, it creates an immune-mediated toxic reaction that causes damage to the small intestine and does not allow food to be properly absorbed. Even small amounts of gluten in foods can affect those with CD and cause health problems. Damage can occur to the small bowel even when there are no symptoms present. Gluten is the common name for the proteins in specific grains that are harmful to persons with celiac disease. These proteins are found in ALL forms of wheat (including durum, semolina, spelt, kamut, einkorn and faro) and related grains rye, barley and triticale and MUST be eliminated." http://www.celiac.org/

Some long-term conditions that can result from untreated CD:

Iron deficiency anemia
Early onset osteoporosis or osteopenia
Vitamin K deficiency associated with risk for hemorrhaging
Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
Central and peripheral nervous system disorders - usually due to unsuspected nutrient deficiencies
Pancreatic insufficiency
Intestinal lymphomas and other GI cancers (malignancies)
Neurological manifestations
Gall bladder malfunction

Other associated autoimmune disorders:
Dermatitis Herpetiformis (DH)
Insulin-dependent Type I Diabetes Mellitus
Thyroid Disease
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Liver Diseases

So, as you can see, Celiac isn't fun. I have an Iron Deficiency and no matter how hard I try to keep away from gluten I still get it Somewhere!! I'm positive I have lots of other vitamin deficiencies but I hate taking vitamins so I don't really have room to complain. A week ago last Wednesday I was diagnosed with Hypoglycemia too so that's another thing I have to look forward too, it's not too bad though, just more regulations to my ever shrinking diet.

On a positive note I'd like to give you a few pictures form Mine and Sean's wedding on June 7, 2008 and our honeymoon in Aruba.

As you can see we had quite a time. The picture of the rock stack is what all the tourist do for good luck in love and fertility. Sean refused to build one, so I did while he wasn't paying attention.

We had a blast except when Sean disappeared for a couple hours and I thought he was dead. I even went as far as trying to file a missing person's report with the hotel, but they wouldn't let me until 24 hours had passed. (I guess these things happen a lot) Apparently After the Casino Closed at 4 am Sean tried to comeback to the room but didn't have a key and I was already asleep in the room and never heard him. He decided he would go down to the beach and sleep on one of the comfortable hammocks. I woke up around 5 am and couldn't find him. I went to search the beach around 7 am, and around that same time, Sean decided to check to room and of course, we missed each other. So he decides I'm probably still asleep and that he would walk across the street to McDonalds and get a egg McMuffin. At this point I'm hysterical and frantically asking everyone I see if they've seen him. I decided that He either drowned while taking a midnight swim, or got mugged while trying to walk next door to another casino. around 9 am I called my parents and just cried and cried. I hadn't even been married a week and Sean was dead. As I'm on the phone with my parents, Sean walks in and can't figure out what is so wrong. He apologized and felt really bad and we decided we would just stick together for the rest of the week. (the next week I checked my debit card statement and found an 87 dollar charge from the hotel for calling the USA for about a 15 min. phone call)--thanks Sean. Other than that we had a wonderful time Snorkeling, Deep Sea Fishing, Sightseeing, Swimming, Para sailing, Gambling, Drinking, Eating, & Getting Massages. But after 8 days of gambling, swimming, fishing, and looking for Natalie Holloway (and Sean) , we had to come back to reality.

Right after we arrived home, Sean bought us a Wedding present....Banjo.

I've been in love with him ever since. He's now almost one and tomorrow he will have a new baby sister. We will pick her up in Conway and I Cannot Wait for him to have someone to play with!!

This is Banjo at 8 months old. (just so you know I will be using this blog as other mothers do, posting blogs about what their child did today, or how much they are growing. I consider Banjo my child and you will be updated on how much he is growing and what his daily activities are.)

So until the next post...

Jenna