Happenings - Celiac Disease

As many of you know I have Celiac disease.  I was diagnosed 3 years ago this month.  It has been a definite trial, though not a devastating one.  When I first was diagnosed, it seemed that there was nothing I could eat.  Everything I loved, I could no longer eat.  That was until I really started looking at what I could eat and that's where the change took place.  I started to look at the other side of the coin and concentrate on the things that I could eat.  And there are many. 

When I was sixteen, my father was diagnosed with Celiac disease.  At that time, there weren't many foods on the market that were gluten-free.  My poor mom had to try and create her own.  She did a wonderful job and really took good care of us.  My dad started a different eating regimen and he began to heal.  He was under a study at the UofU and has been since that time.  About six months ago, his doctor contacted him and asked if they could have a unit of blood.  He consented and they took his blood to study.  It seems that he is one of a handful of people that have healed themselves of the Celiac disease.  They have made several breakthroughs with his blood and hopefully it will bless the lives of many.

My dear parents in their concern for me talked with their doctor at the UofU to see if there was a way that I could benefit from my father's healing.  They talked about me having a blood transfusion of my father's blood to see if the antibodies in his blood would heal my Celiac disease.  It has been several months and meetings for this doctor, but he has gotten approval for this to happen. 

We had to make sure that I had the same blood type as my father and it had to go before the ethics committee at the University Research Department.  They have approved it and now I am just waiting for the phone call to come down.  They will have to take my blood and my father's blood and cross-type and match it and if all goes well, I can have the transfusion then and there.  We are hoping and praying that this happens soon.  I know it's a long shot, but if this can happen it would be such a miracle in my life.  I will let you know what happens when this happens.  Keep your fingers crossed and say a prayer that this works.