My stomach ached and throbbed with
crippling pain, leaving me immobilized.
I wondered if my life
would ever go back to McDonald’s kids meals,
birthday cakes, and smiley-faced tater tots.

“We are very concerned with Sarah’s height,”
said one monotone doctor.
“She hasn’t grown in over a year,”
said another.
As a frantic team of white coats hastily came to a decision:

an endoscopy.
On my gurney, wearing little blue hospital socks,
I waived goodbye to my parents
as six of nurses wheeled me to the OR.
Waking up,

as I peered at the lengthy list of foods, I noticed
chicken nuggets, pizza, french fries, and donuts...
did not make the list.

Waiters in restaurants glared at me as if I was speaking
another language when I asked them what was gluten free on the menu—

even though I knew a Caesar salad was my only option.
And McDonald’s kids meals, birthday cakes,
and smiley-faced tater tots never made their way back into my diet.
I am no longer in crippling, immobilizing pain,
only the remainder of my painful past.