Imelda May

Hunger. Starving. Salivating. Ravenous.

Give me a cheeseburger already, my goodness. Cheeseburger? Hell, I'll take a carrot stick at this rate. My stomach must be eating itself. I have never been this hungry in all my life. The pangs, so deep I feel as though they start in my stomach and are bursting through my spine. Wait. I might throw up. Nope. Just in need of food.

I have never craved anything so badly in all my life.

I now know what Edward Cullen feels like. Christ. How does he stand it.

96 hours. 96 hours I have been gluten-free and I think my body is rebelling. Or it's smart and it's screaming, cheering even, as loud as it can "thank you so much Josslyn! you got rid of that crap!"

My GI doctor has advised me to follow a gluten-free diet and see how I feel. While not having full blown celiac, I may have a gluten-intolerance. Um, hello, does she know who she's talking to? 

This gal? This full fledged Italian? My pasta? My penne? Spaghetti? Linguini? Ravioli? Cannelloni? You have to be kidding! As she said the words, I sighed, took two deep breaths, and I said..."i'm in, as long as it gets this stomach better, i'm all in". 

Who knew that being "all in" could possibly bring "the hunger". A legitimate term that celiac sufferers know all to well. Those moments as your body heals and screams for the nourishment its been lacking for years, maybe even a lifetime. 

The hunger. THE hunger. THE HUNGER. It builds slowly. Maybe subsiding with that carrot, or yogurt, or piece of fruit. But then, it happens all over again. The hunger.

Just make it to 100 hours. Then 125. Then 200, 400, 1,000! Feel better already you stupid body!

Just a gluten-free girl, telling herself, you can take gluten out of the girl, but you can't take her love of all things gluttonous. Double meaning? I think not.