(Age:
85 years, female)
I will make this brief.
I believe I have probably always been a Celiac, especially since my teens for I had frequent bouts of diarrhoea and abdominal pain.
However, at 28 years of age I gave birth to my second child. Five months later, my husband came close to death with polio (He made a reasonable recovery but never was whole again).
Six weeks later I developed continuous diarrhoea.
For 16 years I fought this with many remedies and weeks in hospital while doctors tried to learn what was the cause.
My husband had an engagement in Europe. I hesitantly accompanied him.
Two weeks later I was dreadfully ill, was flown to London, UK where after two weeks they determined that I had gluten intolerance. I was then 45.
Gastroenterologists were only beginning to realize that celiac disease was not only an infant problem.
I am now within months of my 85 th birthday. I am very strict with my diet for I am also lactose intolerant.
I am small, 5 feet tall and at most 95 lbs.
I feel I have done very well though still frequently have very loose bowel, often with pain. But I feel quite well most of the time.
