Yay! Appropriate health care!

I had a great appointment with the celiac specialists at Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia yesterday. It was so cool that they answered almost all my questions before I could ask them. They ordered all the blood tests that will determine any nutritional deficiencies I may have from years and years of malabsorption. I've got a bone density scan set for next month. It was so great that they knew to do this stuff and that I didn't have to demand it and have a doctor act like I am trying to tell him his business. I return today to visit with the nutritionist at the celiac center, and it will be interesting to see what more I might be able to learn. I pride myself on being a knowledgeable healthcare consumer and I've done a ton of reading on celiac disease, and I finally feel like I've got a real plan to manage this condition with healthcare partners who really know what they are doing.

One down side -- hyposplenism -- decreased spleen function -- is common in people with celiac, so they gave me a vaccination for pneumococcal bacteria which apparently is pramarily warded off by a healthy spleen. The shot seemed like it was like any other, but man, my arm sure hurts now! I feel like a total wimp.