Explanation of the last post ;)

Ok, ok...here's the latest drama with me and my silly "medical issues"...
I had 2 blood tests when I went in to see Dr. DeWeert (of Digestive Disease Consultants here in Bloomington) about 2 weeks ago...the genetic test for the 2 genes that predispose one to Celiac Disease (basically if you DON'T have those genes, there is no way you have Celiac...but if you DO have the genes, it doesn't necessarily mean you have Celiac for certain...it just means you have a higher likelihood of developing it at some point in your lifetime) and the one looking for antibodies in the blood stream. He decided to do both even though I have been GF for nearly 7 months now and the antibody one might be negative since I haven't had gluten for a long time. He said that recent studies have shown that some celiacs still have antibodies in their blood for 6-12 months after going GF. So, I said to heck with it and just had both tests done ;)....which may or may not have been the right decision on my part, but he really made it sound as if that was the way to go. It will probably cost a butt load, but oh well I guess....that is what my flex spending account is for, right?! ;) Honestly, though, I am kind of irritated....ok, very irritated, with the somewhat shoddy service I've gotten from that office. I called on Tuesday (one week after I got the blood tests...I fully recognize that this was a bit early to be calling, only one week after having the tests...but the girl in the lab actually told me that I could start calling on Monday. So, I did wait a whole day after she told me to start calling ;). With my OC personality, that was definitely practicing restraint! ;)) to see if they had the results yet, and the nurse called me back on Wednesday saying they had the results. She told me "the results do not confirm the diagnosis of celiac disease"....not you don't have it (I was/am pretty certain I won't be hearing that), just that the tests didn't confirm the diagnosis. Ok, so I tried to get the nurse to explain this to me better...for example, what did each test specifically say (in my mind I was thinking, based on the way she worded the results, that the genetic test showed I had the genes that predispose you to Celiac, but the antibody test didn't show the high level of antibodies that would indicate Celiac...since I've been GF for so long)...but she just repeated "the results do not confirm the diagnosis of celiac disease" and told me I could talk to the dr. more about that on the 19th when I go back for my follow-up appointment. Naturally, I wasn't satisfied with that...I called my primary care physician's office (who always gets me in right away, which is great) and got an appt. for last friday, then called DeWeert's office back after hanging up with her and tried to get a hold of someone in the medical records department to get those results sent to my primary care physician....but was just forwarded to a voice mail box that told me to allow 5-7 business days. WHAT?! So, I called the front desk hoping to figure out a way to get expedited service (i.e., going in myself to get the records and simply bringing them with me to my dr. appoint at my primary care physician...)....but they were of zero help. I am not trying to be unnecessarily mean here ;)...I KNOW a receptionist doesn't necessarily know what goes on in the medical records office or whatnot, but I thought she might at least be able to transfer me to an actual person instead of just the voicemail again. Ha, I probably sound like one of those psycho-patients that dr. offices really hate ;). I promise, I am really not that way at all...I am just trying to be proactive. Oh, and I haven't heard back yet from the records office even though I left a voice mail in the early afternoon Wednesday. ARGH! Ok, ok....I know it hasn't been 5-7 business days like the voicemail box said ;)...it's only been 2 (since it's the weekend)...but still! I thought I'd at least hear back so they could tell me what to expect...and I think I need to probably go in and sign something giving them permission to share medical records, etc. Who knows. I'll wait til I hear I guess...I shouldn't be this dramatic about everything. In the grand scheme of things, what does it change?! In all actuality, I guess I am over it ;)...I mean, clearly "celiac disease"explained ALL of my crazy symptoms...and they subsided within a month of going GF...so even if I don't actually have celiac, I am probably "gluten intolerant" or whathaveyou....but this merry-go-round this past week kind of drove me crazy! HA! Sorry for that long rant!
So, there you have it...where my mind has been this past week!

In other news, Biaggi's in Bloomington has GF pizza now...and it's fantastic! We had Jeremy's family over here for mother's day tonight...and ordered Biaggi's take out. I made a fruit salad and a dessert and we got pasta, bread, and salad (my fav. messina salad!) and GF pizza for me. YUM!

Have a great week, all!

~Rachel