One way he has loved me so well has been by encouraging me and joining my quest for understanding, education, and answers. After a lot of research, identifying puzzle pieces and placing them together, and the concurrence of two of my doctors, I believe God has led us to the culprit of the two miscarriages we've experienced in the last six months:
Celiac Disease.
Over the past several years I have exhibited multiple (chronic) symptoms of gluten intolerance/celiac disease. Yet, my blood work has always came back as not having the full-blown disease. Because gluten-free living is such a drastic life style change, we changed some things, but not all. Honestly, after several negative tests I convinced myself the symptoms were thanks to stress; so I dealt with side effects and tried to push it to the back of my mind.
After a pretty dramatic pricking of my finger to take an at home blood type test, we discovered my blood type is O+, which (according to the research we've done) is the type that is highly susceptible to gluten intolerance. We also discovered it's not good for people with my blood type to be vegetarians (yeah, depressing I know. Ray and I are going to celebrate my leaving vegetarianville on Friday with his family at a nice dinner).
The more we dug the more we discovered, and then the flood gates opened as we found thousands of articles reporting story after story on women who did not know they were gluten intolerant/celiacs and had (in some cases) dozens of miscarriages or struggled with infertility before realizing the gruesome and deadly effects gluten was having on them and their unborn children. When you are intolerant to gluten, your immune system and body as a whole is so focused on fighting off gluten, it doesn't have nutrients or protection to give to the baby.
Although we are still not 100% sure and there are sill other blood tests to run, the signs and common sense point to gluten.
We have a long way to go on our healing journey and have been deeply thankful for the nearness of God, especially through the people who have been praying for us and contacting us often with words of love and encouragement. Even though I know rough days are still ahead, God helping us put the pieces together has filled me with peace, and hope I was not sure would resurface for a while.
Thank you for your prayers, please continue to pray for Ray and I as we journey with God on this new, completely gluten-free life. Please God, let this be the answer.
After a pretty dramatic pricking of my finger to take an at home blood type test, we discovered my blood type is O+, which (according to the research we've done) is the type that is highly susceptible to gluten intolerance. We also discovered it's not good for people with my blood type to be vegetarians (yeah, depressing I know. Ray and I are going to celebrate my leaving vegetarianville on Friday with his family at a nice dinner).
The more we dug the more we discovered, and then the flood gates opened as we found thousands of articles reporting story after story on women who did not know they were gluten intolerant/celiacs and had (in some cases) dozens of miscarriages or struggled with infertility before realizing the gruesome and deadly effects gluten was having on them and their unborn children. When you are intolerant to gluten, your immune system and body as a whole is so focused on fighting off gluten, it doesn't have nutrients or protection to give to the baby.
Although we are still not 100% sure and there are sill other blood tests to run, the signs and common sense point to gluten.
We have a long way to go on our healing journey and have been deeply thankful for the nearness of God, especially through the people who have been praying for us and contacting us often with words of love and encouragement. Even though I know rough days are still ahead, God helping us put the pieces together has filled me with peace, and hope I was not sure would resurface for a while.
Thank you for your prayers, please continue to pray for Ray and I as we journey with God on this new, completely gluten-free life. Please God, let this be the answer.
5 comments:
I am so happy to read that you are feeling hopeful.
I echo your prayer. Please Lord let gluten be the reason. You helped me so much as I delved into gluten free life and now that I am going on 7 months of completely gluten free I feel 100% better and have gotten totally used to this new lifestyle. I'll email you some discoveries Ive made along the way. And I will continue to pray as you heal in more ways than one.
This post gave me chills. God is so good! I know there are still pieces of the puzzle that are missing, but I praise God along with you that some of the pieces seem to be falling into place. I pray with you that God would continue to heal your body, soul and mind as you seek Him and the answers He is bringing. You and Ray are in our hearts and our prayers.
Praying for you, Sarah! I hope you discover the rest of the answers you need and feel peace.
Sarah, sounds like quite a journey you are on. I hope you have found the reason for what is happening in your body. Hang in there girl!
Asking God to bless you and Ray,
Candice
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