My Vocation Discernment is Probably Over

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Just wanted to say that I had to go to the ER last night. The ER doctor said I most likely have Celiac disease, but he couldn’t confirm it in the ER. I will be going to the gastroenterologist today and I will probably get the diagnosis of Celiac disease today, so my discernment for a vowed contemplative cloistered vocation will probably be coming to an end. 😦 I just cannot imagine being in a community with this disease, and I don’t like the idea of being a burden on a community as far as a special diet, medications and medical bills, etc.
I want to thank everyone for their prayers and support for me during this difficult time.
I continue to pray about this, and for everyone discerning their vocation here at CAF.

Sincerely in Christ,
Helen
 
Oh Helen, you don’t need special medication or special doctor’s help if you have Celiac disease. The initial tests that confirm the diagnosis and a couple of follow-ups are about all you need.

I’m Celiac. Once you’re on a gluten-free diet you’re okay. If you’re in a contemplative cloister then you are most likely to be living largely on fresh fruit and vegetables, and whether the community you join is meat-abstaining or not makes no difference, as it’s only grains except for rice and corn that you must avoid. You’d be fine with cornbread.

I know that here in Australia research is well-funded and tests are being trialed to counteract the problem of absorbing gluten foods.

All is not lost. Please do wait and have hope that things won’t be as bad as feared. It seems awful at first but you settle down and it’s not as bad as you feared.

Keeping you very much in prayer, Helen.

A hug. Trishie
 
Thanks, Trishie. I’m not completely giving up yet, just letting it simmer on the back burner so to speak. The big deciding factor is finding out if it is Celiac, and not Crohn’s. I’ll find out this week for sure, hopefully.
Thanks for your prayers. I really appreciate them, and they are much needed as I have been very sick for a long time. But I’ve prayed to Blessed Father Frances Xavier Seelos, and maybe this is an answer to my prayers if it is Celiac Disease, and a diet change is all that’s needed.
If it is Celiac, I will have to talk to my priest about Communion, to see if there is a solution for that problem. 🤷

My prayers are ascending for all those discerning,
Helen
 
If you attend the Novus Ordo Mass, wouldn’t receiving only the species of Our Lord’s Blood solve the issue for you?

In prayerful hope for you and your vocation.
Stephen
 
It Ain’t over until the fat lady sings! I don’t hear any fat ladies singing…:flowers: just surrender to God’s will & you will be fine.:console:
 
The Fat Lady is not singing. Hasn’t even warmed up yet. 👍

There are many Catholic’s that have Celiac. A diet change is all that is needed. But don’t start the diet until you have been tested. The goal of every person with Celiac is to test negative. That means we have eliminated all gluten from our diet. If you eliminate gluten before you are tested, you may mess up the test.

I know Trishie told you about studies being done for a pill. That is also happening here in the US. Last I heard they were on second stage trials. If all goes well, we will have a pill in 3 - 5 years. Wouldn’t that be cool?
 
Yes, that would be cool! 👍
Off to the doctor I go.
Thanks, everyone. I’m not so scared now! 🙂
 
Having tests tomorrow. Currently on 4 medications, still very sick and in much pain. Hopefully the results will come back and then get the biopsy done, and after all that I can make some changes and start to feel better. Sorry if I sounded down or over dramatic, I’ve just been sick for so long and no one could tell me what was wrong with me.:confused: But I was praying to Blessed Father Frances Xavier Seelos, and within 4 days I was in the ER with a nurse that not only had Celiac, but founded the Gluten Intolerance Group of North Alabama. :gopray: I do believe there was an intercession on my behalf. 🙂
And as far as Communion goes, there is a lot entailed in that for Celiacs. Usually part of the host is in the Species of Our Lord’s Blood, not to mention possible contamination by the priest himself from handling the hosts and well as other communicants may have on lip products that are not gluten-free. Here’s a thread for that here: forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=297236. Sorry I can’t seem to make those pretty links today. 😦
Thanks everyone. I don’t hear any singing, either! 👍

Helen

Prayers ascending for those discerning. :gopray2:
 
In case of an MD diagnosed Celiac disease, you have two options:
  1. You may ask for low-gluten hosts. (Many persons with celiacs cannot take the minimal gluten present within these hosts but a doctor should give his opinion on whether there is danger to you specifically in using low-gluten hosts.) Permission from your bishop is necessary for this option.
  2. You may ask to recieve under the species of wine only. I understand those with Celiac ask for it to be consecrated in a separate chalice so that no fragments of the host are placed inside.
Hope this helps.
 
I am so glad you found a group. There is nothing like walking into a room full of people and knowing that they are all in the same boat as you.

If you do end up having Celiac, try to get to those meetings. They will have lots of information about what to eat, where to eat and what to avoid.

About the low gluten hosts. I have read on this forum that I needed a doctor’s note and permission to receive it from the Bishop. I have to say, all I did was tell my priest. I have never asked for a note from my doctor. There was never anything official with the Bishop, at least not that I know of. It really came down to an email and a conversation.🤷
 
Seek the intercession of St. Pimen the Sickly of the Kievan Caves Monastery.

He spent his entire novitiate in the infirmary–and then one night the very angels came down to tonsure him, leaving various tokens of this miracle behind.
 
The tests cost over $300, so it will be a few weeks before I can be tested. In the meanwhile, I’m just continuing to educate myself and deepen my prayer life.

maryjk, I read the same thing on some threads here, too. I’ll call my priest and see what he says.

Cluny, I will definitely be checking out St. Pimen the Sickly. Thanks for that! I need all the intercession I can get! 🙂
 
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