I did the vegetarian diet all the way through Lent in 2011. At the end of Lent meat tasted like ash to me. I was eating a lot more eggs to make up for not having meat and realized I had an intolerance to that as well. In June 2011 I went completely Vegan. I've made lots of new Vegan friends online and have seen and read enough that I will most likely never eat meat again. Going Vegan was a big step and I thought it out for a long time. It was a direction I choose because I felt at the time I was the only person it affected. That wasn't completely true.
My father who loves to cook has completely stopped cooking. He and my mother only had a Thanksgiving dinner after my mom put her foot down. Not only is my father not cooking, he's barely eating. And since he isn't cooking my mother (who is likely Celiac as well) is living off Chicken and Dumplins and Shells and Cheese. Neither of them will eat my food so there is no point suggesting I cook for them. Now I pretty much accepted that this was their prerogative and not all my fault but....now I have a man in my life.
And his family bent over backwards to accommodate me at Thanksgiving. I know how hard it is to find food for someone like me so I truly appreciate all they did and tried to do. And now I'm finding there is a part of me that really wants to be able to add back the dairy and eggs to make things easier. I've not touched either in over a year now. I know my Vegan friends would be so very upset and let down by this. The fact is I didn't give up dairy and eggs out of choice but necessity. Sure the things my Vegan friends have told/shown me about the industry are very upsetting, but if everyone was Vegetarian those problems would (assuming logic holds and supply and demand act out the way I expect) take care of themselves. I don't really want to be able to drink a glass of milk and eat scrambled eggs, I just want to be able to eat gluten free bread and similar items that most folks would assume were fine and safe for me.
All that said last time I was exposed to dairy I could not make it to the bathroom even when I was only 15 feet away but that was awhile back now. Eggs on the other hand gave me very lose stool just like Irish Moss is doing now.
So friends any thoughts? Am I being weak wanting to add these two back? By weak I mean both wanting to please others and missing some of the treats I could once more enjoy if I could add these back. Am I being ridiculous even thinking I could add them back? If I do try what would be the best way to go about it?
PS In my defense, the only "Vegan" I know in person, the only one I've actually spent time with, the one I learned what it was to be Vegan from, is my life long BFF and though she has been "Vegan" since age 18 she still consumes dairy, honey, and doesn't pay attention to eggs in products.
PSPS Vegans please don't eat me alive for this, feel free to be as critical as you want but don't get angry.
