It would be an understatement to say that 2020 has been anything short from a disaster. First, there was COVID-19 and the lockdowns that started in March. Around that time, I noticed that I was experiencing recurring hives, or chronic idiopathic urticaria. Unfortunately, even though I wanted to see a doctor, I chose to live with it due to the pandemic and shortage of toilet paper.
The following month, my dad ended up in the hospital due to an injury. I expected to pick him up and take him home, but that didn’t happen. Due to the tightening COVID restrictions, my family and I could barely contact him for two weeks. When it was realized there was nothing further the doctors could do, we were able to at least take him home. He passed away early the next morning.
While grieving for my dad and trying to comfort my family, I found myself embroiled in thick of the Damned Mask Wars. Yes, I said “Damned Mask Wars” because of the all the damn stupid things to fight about, it had to be about the damn, stupid masks. What’s next? Protests against seat belts?
Later this year, I got to finally see a doctor about my hives. I took a blood test and discovered I was highly sensitive* to dairy, gluten and other things like “meat glue”, or transglutaminase. Food sensitivity is not new to us. My wife and daughters have known about their food sensitivities for a long time, and figured I probably had them too. But my years of denial came to an end. Too bad I still act like a three-year old when I remember I can’t eat almond croissants.
On the bright side, some good things did happen this year:
- I started a new job doing web development in WordPress with a great team.
- I’m no longer in denial of my diet and have learned to live with it.
- After six long months, I was able to take my family to church again.
“In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him.”
Ecclesiastes 6:14
*Food sensitivity and food allergies are related but different. I’m not a doctor, but my understanding is that a food allergy is something that could seriously harm or kill someone, like eating peanuts if you’re allergic to them. Food sensitivity is where the food won’t kill you (at least not right away), but would likely lead to a bad reaction. Both are bad, but food allergy is worse.