Everyone’s Got Something: My First Year with Celiac Disease

Thirteen-year-old Lexi hasn’t been growing as well as expected. In fact, she basically fell off her growth chart over the course of a year! Blood tests revealed “ABNORMAL, VERY ABNORMAL” results. As far as Lexi was concerned, there wasn’t much normal in her life already–par for the course for a newly minted teenager! Learning she had celiac disease gave her a whole new perspective on what’s normal and what’s not. After some ups and downs, Lexi learns how to make lifelong changes and realizes that although celiac disease is something she has, it does not define who she is. With supportive family and friends, Lexi comes to believe that she can “do this,” and she knows that you can, too!

This book is written by teen sisters, Rayna and Hallie Katzman, and their mother, Lori. They created the fictional character Lexi to describe what life was like for them that first year after being diagnosed with celiac disease. In journal entry form, Rayna and Hallie describe how Lexi handles the many “firsts” she encountered in the doctor’s office and with friends and family. The authors’ intention is that readers feel understood, less alone, and more confident in managing this life change.