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Hi,
   I am a celiac living in Delaware. I look forward to being involved in
this list. I have not listened in yet, since this is my first day on the
list. I am 39, married with five children (none showing signs or symptoms
of celiac-sprue), and work as a critical care nurse in the  surgical/
shock-trauma ICU of our local hospital. Out of sixty nurses who staff our
unit, there are two of us with gluten induced enteropathy. My cohort with
celiac has just been diagnosed with MS. Is anyone aware of an increased
tendency to aquire other diseases, such as MS?

   My interests include camping (email me for some one-pot trail recipes
that are GF), sailing, gardening, bicycling, and computers. Before
entering the profession of nursing I have owned bicycle shops, operated a
small tree care service, and have done carpentry, cabinetmaking, and welding.

   I attended a conference put on by the American Celiac Society a number
of years ago. I recall that there were speakers from NIH and a principle
investigator from California (I think). There were also two sisters from
Atlanta, who were asking directions at the hotel lobby when I arrived.
When I said I was there for the same conference, they both turned around
wide-eyed and said, "You mean there are male celiacs?!" This story points
out for me how alone one can feel out there, facing the daunting task of
diet and sometimes singlehandedly educating the world around you, and how
this on-line community can bridge the gaps between us and assist in our
increasing knowledge base.

   If I can be of assistance to anyone out there, don't hesitate to ask.
I'm learning as I go (aren't we all?),but also have available to me a
ready resource in the health care community.

   Wishing you all good health,

                                Pat

    Patrick G. Wisniewski, RN
    604 Apple Road
    Newark, DE 19711-5122
    (302) 737-6440

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