January 17, 2010 

 As I pack away all of my holiday decorations for next year I cannot help but reflect on my first holiday with Diabetes and Celiac Disease.  These past 8 months have gone by very quickly with, honestly, little impact on my day-to-day life.  Of course there have been a lot of changes, but I have still been able to do everything I did before. 

But, the holidays were different; they were much more stressful.  There was a lot of attention focused on my health.  I found it frustrating to eat meals that others prepared because I was not sure if they were gluten free.  My blood sugars seemed to be all over the place, so I did not eat some of the holiday treats that everyone else was enjoying.  Family members I had not seen since my diagnosis had a lot of questions to ask and opinions to give.

For the first time since my diagnosis it seemed as though I was wearing a sticker on my forehead that said, “I have Diabetes and Celiac Disease.”  In an effort to help, I am sure, my boyfriend questioned everything everyone cooked to make sure it was gluten free.  This made me stand out even more.  I hated the fact that everyone had to cook for my dietary needs.  

I trust that this will all get easier for everyone over time.  This year the holidays were just very difficult and emotionally taxing because it felt like so much emphasize was put on my health.  But in the end, I am grateful that I have a family that cares enough to make sure I am included.  

Did anyone else, whether newly diagnosed or not, have a hard time coping with Diabetes during the holidays?  I would like to hear your stories and experiences.