Although my last few posts have had nothing to talk about except Cardinals baseball, I am happy to say that I survived the Springfield Cardinals Baseball Junior Associate Internship. I can't even begin to explain how blessed I am to have been given that opportunity and the people that it led me to meet. To my cardinals family, if you're reading this (not likely but still), I love you all and miss you on a daily basis. I was so incredibly blessed to have these people in my life.
I am also happy to report that for the NINTH month in a row, Keith's MRI has come back as the magic word of...STABLE. The joy that that brings me literally gives me goosebumps as I sit here and type this. We live in what we like to call a new normal. Sure he's tired, sure he doesn't feel great every single day, but he is here, with us and living each day to the fullest. I can't begin to explain how much strength and hope this man has. He is truly an inspiration to all of us and I am so lucky to have him in my life.
On a not so happy note, I have recently been on a roller coaster of events regarding my own health. In the past three months, I began working towards a healthier lifestyle. Working out on a continuous regular schedule, eating less fast food, eating healthier, getting enough sleep, all the right things. Yet, regardless of how much sleep I got or how many veggies I ate, I still felt terrible on a regular basis. Every single day I battled fatigue, muscle aches, stomach pains and just overall crappy health and was just lost as to what could possibly be wrong with me. Why was I doing all this work to be healthy if it just made me feel like crap?!? So after much discussion with my mom on my eating habits I decided to visit my doctor. After a various conversations, blood work, and tests, I was diagnosed with gluten intolerance or a disease known as celiac
Now many people are not even familiar with what gluten intolerance is. Well let me explain. Celiac Disease is a condition that damages your small intestine and prevents your body from absorbing necessary nutrients due to a toxic reaction to gluten. Gluten is found in everything from pasta to bread to beer to crackers to chips to cookies, well practically everything. Now to be properly diagnosed with Celiac, one must keep a thorough food journal and embark on a gluten-free lifestyle. If this resolves your symptoms, well Celiac is the cause to the misery. There is no known cause for Celiac or any medicine to treat it, just a gluten-free diet. So even though I was eating healthy and doing everything right, my body wasn't able to absorb the nutrients from it. WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT?
I have been gluten-free for the last two weeks and even though I am not at 100% yet, I am unhappily happy to report I am feeling better. Now don't get me wrong I am ecstatic to be feeling better but this is no easy task. It involves completely revamping the way that I eat. It's been quite the adventure and not always easy. It also includes taking out all of my favorite foods (pasta, pizza, BEER) out of my diet. Although, if it makes me feel better I will make the effort. Lucky for me, these days they have virtually gluten-free everything which most iof it tastes pretty darn good. Good luck to me.
Now if by chance you're still reading this, I'm going to say like every other person from STL on the web
GO CARDS! RALLY SQUIRREL!!
Okay, got that out of my system. I am going to go finish watching the Cardinals play the Rangers in Game 2 of the 2011 World Series. Even have a rally squirrel shirt for support. GO CARDS. Hope all is well with whomever is reading this. Love you all. xox
