Today, I Am Angry.

[jnifred]

Just pick the chicken out!!!! THat cracks me up!!!

[glutenfreeheather]

I have been to many social gatherings and felt like the outcast in the room because I couldn't eat what everyone else was eating. It's a very lonely and depressing feeling, but it's even worse when some ignorant person adds to what you're already dealing with inside by making some comment about your situation.

SOCIAL EATING EVENT HORROR STORY...

My very first social gathering I attended was only a week after I was diagnosed so I had NO clue what I could eat. I had found some microwave popcorn that I knew was safe so I took it to the event and casually popped and ate my popcorn in the kitchen, minding my own business and I was talking with some of the other ladies that were involved in the preparation of the meal (who were not eating at the time). Then this woman came in there KNOWING MY SITUATION and that I'd JUST found this out.... she offered me (more like tried to force upon me) some of her homemade chili that I had no idea if I could have, but I was pretty confident that I couldn't have it. I kindly said, "no thank you" and she proceeded to become offended saying "Well I know what's in MY chili, so just tell me what you can't have and I'll tell you if it's in there or not". I kindly said "I appreciate that, but I'm fine eating my popcorn, really!" I even went on to say how it's not that I didn't want to try her chili, but that in doing so I'd risk getting sick. Then she said "Well how long do you have to eat this way before you can go back to normal?" and I told her that I'd have to eat this way for life. She then proceeded to say "For LIFE?! How can they expect you to do that...I couldn't do it...I'd just have to kill myself" I thought....hmmm....what an encouraging thing to say to me during one of the most difficult times in my life. On the way home, I cried to my husband telling him how absolutely devastated I was due to this encounter. He reassured me and eventually I learned to get over it....I mean this is the same woman who came up to me and point blank asked me if I was pregnant right before I got diagnosed (because I'd been so sick and not myself) and wouldn't accept no for an answer.

Biggest lesson I've learned....people who say ignorant things are exactly that...ignorant. (This morning on CNN news Soledad was pronouncing celiac "cheliac"). Sigh!

[floridanative]

Heather - I'm so sorry that you endured such a....... okay I'll call her an unenlightened friend....to be nice. If that were me I guess I'd have to leave her behind as life's too short to deal with people like that.

I didn't even know Soledad was talking about Celiac on CNN so I'm going to their site now and I'll try and e-mail her as to how to pronounce it correctly.............gosh, getting the word out about this condition is a never ending job. But together we can make a difference!

[tarnalberry]

  glutenfreeheather said:

She then proceeded to say "For LIFE?! How can they expect you to do that...I couldn't do it...I'd just have to kill myself" I thought....hmmm....what an encouraging thing to say to me during one of the most difficult times in my life.

oh my... a horribly mean image came to mind...

after she says that, since you're in the kitchen, find one of the sharp cutting knives, take a really deep breath, pretend to emotionally collapse, start crying, and say "you know, I suppose you're right. no pizza? no bagels? death is nothing. I'm sorry to make a mess of the kitchen, but you're right, I may as well kill myself" and then take the knife, slowly, towards your wrist. (of course, not going through with it.)

ok, I'm sure someone in the group would be offended, probably to the point of not getting it, but maybe it'd be the smack over the head someone needs? stupid, stupid people.

[debmidge]

Until Celiac disease is "outed" these are the kinds of comments that celiacs will continue to hear, unfortunately. People have no brains on regular subjects, they have less when it comes to medical & health conditions they can't see (like would they ridicule someone in a wheelchair? No, because it's visual).

About 8 years ago while my husband was still misdiagnosed we went to our County's Dept. that helped people with medical problems (handicapped if we can still use this word) to find work from home. They turned him down saying that he had no physical handicapp. So the world is selective in what they perceive as a "real" disease - until they or their loved ones have it.

[glutenfreeheather]

  tarnalberry said:

oh my... a horribly mean image came to mind...

after she says that, since you're in the kitchen, find one of the sharp cutting knives, take a really deep breath, pretend to emotionally collapse, start crying, and say "you know, I suppose you're right. no pizza? no bagels? death is nothing. I'm sorry to make a mess of the kitchen, but you're right, I may as well kill myself" and then take the knife, slowly, towards your wrist. (of course, not going through with it.)

ok, I'm sure someone in the group would be offended, probably to the point of not getting it, but maybe it'd be the smack over the head someone needs? stupid, stupid people.

LOL.....considering who this person was, that would have been CLASSIC...too bad I didn't think of that at the time

Thanks for the laugh

  floridanative said:

Heather - I'm so sorry that you endured such a....... okay I'll call her an unenlightened friend....to be nice. If that were me I guess I'd have to leave her behind as life's too short to deal with people like that.

I didn't even know Soledad was talking about Celiac on CNN so I'm going to their site now and I'll try and e-mail her as to how to pronounce it correctly.............gosh, getting the word out about this condition is a never ending job. But together we can make a difference!

Yeah, it was frustrating...I don't know if anyone else caught it but Soledad was talking to a nutritionist about celiac in regards to the glutened McDonald's french fries issue. I was so frustrated every single time she said celiac b/c it seriously sounded like she was saying "CHILI-ac". My husband said...."I guess she thinks you are all chili intolerant" LOL.

[Canadian Karen]

Cheliac?

I can understand (maybe) people mistaking it for Keliac instead of Seliac (the same as some say Keltic instead of Seltic), but Cheliac? Sheesh!

Karen

[floridanative]

Sorry to go off subject but I did e-mail CNN last night and told them to tell Soledad and everyone else there how to say Celiac and that there was no H in the word.

[Judyin Philly]

  floridanative said:

Sorry to go off subject but I did e-mail CNN last night and told them to tell Soledad and everyone else there how to say Celiac and that there was no H in the word.

Great--were you able to find a link?

I ck'd the videos section and it wasn't there.

Guess i just missed it.

Judy

[floridanative]

No I couldn't find a link so I just told them Soledad had mispronounced Celiac that morning. I never said I actually saw her do it.

[Guest Robbin]

  Rusla said:

I want to slap that twit. What an ignorant bimbo. I am sorry, I am a terribly blunt person. I would have asked her if she had a genetic disease that renders her as stupid as she has shown herself to be. I would have said I was sorry for my disease which I can control. But that I feel more sorry for her because unfortunately she can't find a way to control her stupidity disease.

Rusla, You crack me up--your reply has had me chuckling all day!! I always like your responses! I just want to add -Tell these unbelievable people it's highly contagious-you only have to breathe the same air--and stand really close to them as you say it.