Our Own World

This past Friday I had the pleasure of meeting up with another fellow Celiac in Florida for a GFF meet up. These by far are my favorite since I love meeting others just like me and we all know I love getting to know you via blog, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram or Facebook but meeting in person is the icing on the cake!

Pam lives in St. Augustine Florida, one of my favorite places here in Florida of course aside from the Keys. I looked forward to the little drive I had ahead of me,  I didn't mind at all. It was a girls day and a kid-free day for me. To drive in the car in silence or blasting my music rarely happens, so it was just me and the open road with my music!

When I have met other GFF's there is a instant connection. With "norms" it just doesn't happen that way. It is hard to explain unless you have met other gluten free peeps, then you understand what I mean. I literally wanted to hop out of my car and run to Pam to give her a huge hug but knowing me I would have tripped and fell, not so glam graceful over here. But when I did see her I said "Come here and give me a hug".

Both Pam and I were super excited so both of us were chatting and just so excited to finally meet and talk. I tell you what, I was diagnosed with Celiac when I was 24, Pam on the other hand was diagnosed when she was 7! She is now 23, you do that math, it's too early for me to do it and my coffee hasn't kicked in yet. Her story is an amazing one and what she has overcome not only as a Celiac but as a person is truly amazing.

I got to meet her adorable dog Lilu {she was named after Milla Jovovichs character  LeeLoo in The 5th Element one of my all time FAV movies as well as Pams} and her two little cats. Let me tell you Lilu is 2 years old and acts just like a toddler. But you forget all that when you look into those beautiful little brown eyes. The best part was her cat Grizzly who doesn't drink water like a normal cat. He puts his paw into the water bowl and licks it off his paw. I was literally laughing out loud and couldn't stop it was the most hilarious thing I have ever seen.

After two hours of girl talk we decided to hit downtown in search of macaroons. I see so many pictures on Instagram about these glam gluten free goodies I wanted some! Yes I know it's not on the Insanity "diet plan" but it's not all about all work out and no play. What kind of foodie would I be if I didn't go to a new city and NOT try out a new food? I would be a rudie foodie! {Yup just made up a word - go with it}. We said to glam hell with lunch and went right for dessert, why because we can.

Both of us bought a dozen macaroons. The flavors were : salted caramel, honey lavender, key lime, mocha, and peanut butter. My favorite was the salted caramel. The mocha tasted like a fresh expresso! There was also cookie dough but it wasn't GF. I didn't try the peanut butter with the flipping peanut allergy I have now. They smelled really good though.

We decided to walk around town. While we were walking both of us decided to open up our boxes and taste these little things everyone is ranting an raving over. Pam took a little bite of hers, me on the other hand I shoved the salted caramel in my mouth , don't act like you have never done such a thing, cause I know you have. Yup, I am talking to YOU! ;) I can't even put into words how amazing that macaroon tasted. It was worth ALL of the calories and sugar.

Our Florida winters are the best. It was a breezy 84 degrees out and it felt beautiful. It was a perfect GFF "first date" we sat right along the river and just talked about everything. I think we both talked so fast that we covered every single topic possible. We sat right next to the old fort in St. Augustine which is made out of coquina rock, it's just amazing how it's still standing and the history behind it. Heck we even got to see the fake cannons fired off and a man dressed in some serious old school war gear. Then as we we walked to get a drink there was a man preaching in the road and I was laughing so hard I was crying, mostly because he said pigs were about to fly.....I lost it.

If you have Celiac, you know that at any given time our body does what it wants. There is no rhyme or reason, it just does. This is the reality of living with a auto immune disease. A lifelong one at that. For those that think Celiac is not a disease, pound sand, because what Pam dealt with Friday afternoon is REAL. This isn't something we freaking make up because we have nothing better to do.

Pam gave the bug eyed and "I have to get to the bathroom now" look. I know when I go anywhere I look for the restroom first before anything else just in case. I sat outside enjoying the quiet time and beautiful weather while she kept running back and forth to the bathroom. She not only has the diarrhea from the Celiac but the vomiting part of Celiac when something isn't going right inside. Each trip she took I saw how she went from looking normal to the feeling of pain in her gut. It killed me because I couldn't help her. After that we called it a day, I understand 100% how it is to feel that way. You just want to be in the comfort of your own home. I know you all have been there are some point in time with Celiac.

We had to make some pit stops on the way back to her house so she could pull over and literally toss her gluten free cookies. She apologized , I said no worries.  I am a Mother and I worked in the medical field and to see someone vomit doesn't bother me. I offered to drive home the rest of the way since she was in too much pain. I did the best I could to try to help calm her down, relax her, and just let her know I was there for her. It sucks ass big time when we feel like that. This is what others do not see about living with Celiac. They think were just being picky, were prissy or just pain in the asses. I beg to differ. Walk in our shoes for a week, then well shall talk. Until then, zip it.

I felt so bad driving her car because I had never driven it before and it was super touchy so I was a little heavy on the gas and breaks. I felt horrible. I'm like awesome this poor girl feels like udder shit and I am making it worse driving like I have never driven before. Best part of the car ride?  I got in and said  "wow this car smells brand new". Before Pam could say anything, I look up & start laughing hysterially she had the "New Car Scent" air freshener hanging from the rear view mirror. Way to go Glam!

What she said while she was driving {before I took over} was that she was "used to this". Which is something no Celiac should EVER have to say. We get diagnosed, we got gluten free, but there is a small portion of us that our bodies say screw you this isn't enough and deal with extra issues on a daily basis. Why is there not something better for us. For people like Pam. She wants to get out of the house, she wants to be social. But this part of Celiac is still crippling to her and it breaks my heart. It makes me wonder if doctors truly care since there is no cure for us by medication and is only managed by eating a strict gluten free diet, which most of us to adhere too to the tee! If Pam feels that way, I KNOW there are others like her, and it just sucks that we have to live this way. When we shouldn't have too!

Not having help when we are sick is the worst. I took Pam's pup out to go potty, because at her apartment you have to walk up & down 3 flights of stairs and I know that was not something she needed nor could do. So little miss Lilu and I took a little walk downstairs. Then Lilu took me up 3 flights of stairs, literally, she pulled so hard I tripped twice and was laughing so hard because the dog looked back like "oh you fell so sorry...LET'S GO". I said I wanted to walk off the calories but good glam this dog had ME gasping for air when we were done!

Pam and I then said our good-byes and I gave her the Glam Without Gluten shirt in purple {which imagine that was her favorite color} and I left her to rest knowing a local friend would be over soon to help her out should she need it.

Despite Celiac acting up & being a total jerk to Pam, we had a great afternoon. Full of laughs, jokes and just an all around awesome girls day out. As we were walking the streets, wait that sounded wrong, as we walked around downtown St. Augustine we were in our own world. Oblivious to others , in our own little Celiac world. Because when your around someone just like you that understands, you don't have to have your guard up, you feel comfortable and you feel like you belong. It is the same feeling I had when I met Wendy & Christy, like you are family or friends that you have known your entire life, but you just met in person 5 minutes before...best. feeling. ever.