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Mon, 23 Sep 1996 10:24:09 -0400 |
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<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
On this thread of CD unawareness among medical professionals, I have a
sad story.
A lovely man I knew was one of the best pediatricians in our city for
many many years. He died about 2 years ago of lung cancer though he
never smoked a cigarette in his life. I spoke with his widow last
spring and discovered he had celiac disease and was eating a GF diet for
several years (I'm not sure how many). I was amazed at the ignorance of
his wife. She said they had never attended a support group, didn't have
any GF cookbooks and had struggled for years trying to make yet another
plate of mashed potatoes look like something other than a plate of
mashed potatoes. Evidently the doctor didn't take much interest in food
and tried to make good choices from the limited foods he thought were
acceptable. He continued to have nasty GI symptoms until he became so
sick from the cancer he stopped all oral feeding. From what I heard, it
sounds like both of them were grossly under-informed and mis-informed.
Then, I spoke with the doctor's office nurse not too long ago and she
said he never diagnosed CD in a single child during his 30+ year
practice. Little wonder since he didn't seem to be on top of his game
with his own health.
I find it very sad that the doctor didn't have a clue on where to go for
support about CD when it was his own significant health problem.
Perhaps he would have dug a little deeper if the celiac had been one of
his patients or his own children, but I doubt it.
Cathy in CT
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