With the physical and mental stress of being a lab rat intensifying, I tripped. Took a trip…to Chattanooga, Tennessee. Below is a picture of the sunset over the Tennessee River from the top deck of the Southern Belle Riverboat. Breathtaking. …
The Gluten Free Gift Horse
It’s all about the numbers. I remember that admonition from my days in retail sales. From late summer through Thanksgiving of my senior year in high school I sold produce in a tent that sprawled across the parking lot of …
Do You Ever Cheat?
I get asked this a lot. It makes me wonder if I have a scarlet A or G on my apron. I’ve stopped being so defensive when someone asks me this because I’ve realized they aren’t asking me if I …
You’ve Experienced an Event
Those were the words the study coordinator used when she called me yesterday afternoon to tell me I’ve qualified to move to the next step in the clinical research study. An event. When I use the word “event” I usually …
The Pain of Progress
Whew. I’m two weeks into the baseline phase, which consists of not being too careful about keeping gluten far, far away from me and the effects are starting to take their toll. It’s one of the tougher aspects of this …
The Frustrations of Phone Six
I know I shouldn’t even talk about it, let alone complain about it. I’m incredibly lucky to get it at all. I can call anytime I want after 7 pm and there it is, or, rather, there she is, that …
The Lab Rat Time Warp
When I made today’s appointment on Monday, the coordinator cheerfully assured me the session would take thirty minutes, max. “Sounds good to me!” I cheerfully replied. Today I discovered a secret power of the telephone. Maybe you already knew. Maybe …
Passed The Tests for Certified Lab Rat
What wonderful news on a Monday morning: “Your blood tests showed you are diseased enough to continue in the clinical trial. When do you want to come in for visit two?” Hooray! Of course, this means the gluten free diet …
Waiting Gluten Freely
I am waiting to hear what I hope will be good news from the research tech: “Congratulations! You’re labs show your guts likely are still being chewed up because you have high levels of all the celiac antibodies in your …
