I cried so much when Arianna was born. Happy tears. My water filled eyes couldn't focus on the pink squeaky infant in front of me.  I had to ask my hubby if she had all her fingers and toes. She had all her digits, she had dimples, she had a little temper, and she had Celiacs disease. She also had a doctor , parents, and a grandmother -ME, who didn't know she had Celiacs disease. The years went by and I had two more grandchildren and a busy life.  Arianna inherited my asthma but was on the whole a healthy little girl. I wondered why, at eight years old , her  fairly new, permanent teeth were so yellow. My daughter (Arianna's mother) and I asked her pediatric dentist to explain these very yellow chompers.  Arianna doesn't brush enough. But mother and daughter testified to the fact they were brushed and flossed regularly.

 "Well, some people just have yellow teeth." said the dentist

." But Dr.",said I , " neither her brother nor sister have yellow teeth . I've never seen a kid with bright yellow teeth like this. She doesn't drink coffee or smoke.  I feel there must be a cause." He was NOT interested.  I can remember my own childhood dentist calling my mother's attention to my sinus problems, sugar intake, tonsils,ect.  Many things can be diagnosed by the teeth and gums but Dr. Pediatric Dentist was NOT interested.  I'll bet Arianna's extremely yellow teeth would have been more interesting  if she were HIS child.
 A new symptom began worsening. Arianna had dark circles under her eyes.  At first intermittently, and then all the time, getting deeper and darker. Her pediatrician said allergies, hayfever,and  asthma were the cause."  I have all of these conditions , even worse than Arianna , yet I have never had dark deep circles under my eyes.  Arianna didn't either until the last year or so and it is worsening," said I.

 "Well, some people just have dark circles under their eyes."replied the Dr. Pediatrician.

Arianna was thinner than her siblings but that didn't bother me. What began worrying me was her lethargic nature.Back to the Dr. Pediatrician for more blood tests.

"Well, some people go to sleep to late."said the Dr.

 Some symptoms come on so very slowly that they are not recognized. Arianna would get easily frustrated if she did not learn or achieve something  immediately because when you are truly tired, it is a great effort to do anything. One Saturday she laid on the couch all day and could not be persuaded to get up.  My beautiful, curious, intelligent granddaughter did NOT want to be bothered.  This is so unlike the little girl of a few years ago who didn't have enough hours in the day to acomplish all her ideas, her games, her art, her reading, her piano practicing. I sat on the couch with her and laid her head on my lap.What was wrong with her hair, I thought.  It was no longer shiny.  It had always been silky and shiny. I ran my fingers through her  brown hair and my hand came away with strands of brittle hair. I sat quietly the tears streaming down my face.Something is wrong with Arianna and I don't know what to do! My daughter had complete confidence in Dr. Pediatrician.  I am to shut up about dry hair and leave them all alone.
Months went by and Arianna's stomach aches grew worse. My daughter is a good mother and always sees that her children are cared for so back to Dr. Pediatrician we go. I had told my husband, Arianna's parents and anyone who would listen that somthing was WRONG with the child.  My daughter mostly agreed but what was to be done when Dr. Pediatrician says nothing is wrong?
Another check-up loomed and  I wanted  to know why Arianna's siblings grew but she didn't seem to be getting any taller. Dr. Pediatrician was finally convinced something was afoot.  Arianna had NOT GROWN in a year and stomach aches had begun and progressed.
Thank God for a dailey, painful, cramping in the stomach. Arianna was sent to an abdominal pediatric specialist who ran a blood test.  She has an immune disorder called Celiac's Disease. She had a telescopic type test to see what damage has been caused by her intake of gluten. Dead celia in the intestines and we can only guess at the damage to her other organs.
Her parents along with her grandparents (me and hubby) voraciously read and learned everything we could about this disease.
The disease reminds me of an arsenic test that was administered in the 1800's as a cure for syphillus. Slowly the arsenic would kill off the spiroketes that caused syphillus along with cells in organs and intestines. The trick was to kill off more spiroketes than cells in the body. Sometimes this didn"twork and the patient died  before the spiroketes could be killed off. Every time I gave that sweet baby a cracker, cereal, or toast I was sprinkling a little arsenic down her throat. Even a bite of her birthday cake which I lovingly made was poisoning this bright eyed, dimpled angel God had given to me to mentor and just plain have fun with.
Two years had gone by since the yellow teeth appointment.  Years of damage to her little body and of growth she will never have.  Today she is growing and has energy and shiny hair.