Please...not a soy allergy!!!

So...for years I have been living with this soy allergy and had no idea that it was the reason why I was having so many gastrointestinal issues along with some other issues. I was diagnosed with it in 2007 but did not realize how serious it was for me to avoid soy, so I just shrugged it off and continued having these issues, thinking that if the label said "soy", I would just avoid it. Well, my symptoms stayed the same and within the past two years have escalated to the point of me not being well, pretty much 98% of the time. I have gone to countless doctors and not once could they explain why I wasn't getting any better. I finally started doing some research and realized that SOY is everywhere and is in everything! I was literally putting this poison in my body day after day and continued to be sick. Soy comes under many different names and is even in non-food items like newspaper ink/dyes, cardboard, soaps, shampoos etc...it's just crazy! What is a poor southern lady to do without her fried chicken and chicken and dumplings? I can't even eat conveniently without running into soy..all frozen dinners, canned soups, cookies, chocolate (Oh for the love of GOD!!! NOT CHOCOLATE!) My brain is just hurting thinking of all of the wonderful food I am used to eating being gone for good:( This isn't fair! I am angry because they used to never use soy like they do now. This weekend I went to the health food store and started my hunt for soy-free foods for my new soy-free lifestyle and was mad and kind of glad at the same time. I am an overweight female so the food limitation is going to be good for me in the long run and I will be on the road to better, healhier life. So far I have been doing great, miss alot of foods and drinks I used to eat, but my stomach and rearend are happier for sure!:) If anyone else has a soy allergy, I would love to hear how you cope and if you have any good recipes, found any good foods and such to share with me and everyone. I will also post up any good finds here throughout the week along with my free sample blog..which is coming soon!