Crappy Roommate Rage

[melmak5]

I live with two gluten eating adults (in their thirties).

I have been gluten free for 1.33 years now (yes, I am like a child and count the fractions of a year).

I have separate pots, pans, spoons, bakeware, etc... WHICH IS ALL LABELED.

I store this in a SEPARATE, MARKED bin.

I come home this morning to a few items I had left atop the bin, drying, that are now covered in glutenous cake crumbs.

(glutenous cake sitting on counter above bin + inconsiderate cutting/transporting of cake = gluten free items not gluten free)

While yes, I understand that the whole point of my gluten free bin is so that nothing gets in/on my things... I AM SO F---ING SICK AND TIRED OF HAVING TO BE THE ONE THAT HAS TO DO ALL THE WORK.

YOU ARE A GROWN MAN, STOP ACTING LIKE AN INCONSIDERATE JACKASS.

I am just pissed off, that I now have to go re-wash everything because of his desire for cake.

I WANT TO LIVE IN A HOUSE WHERE THE GLUTEN IS KEPT UNDER LOCK AND KEY!

[Mango04]

I keep all my stuff in my room and try to remember that most non celiacs are absolutely incapable of understanding that a breadcrumb could be dangerous. But yeah, I know shared kitchens are annoying.

[DarkIvy]

Oh man, you just said how I feel about my boyfriend in the kitchen.

Word for word, exactly what goes through my mind.

I can't count the number of times I've had to remind him to clean up his gluten crap and wipe the counters down so I don't get sick. Or put the utensil that the cat was just chewing on into the dishwasher and NOT back into the clean utensil holder because the cats' food has gluten in it. Or to throw away the cat food tins that he always leaves around on the counter, because the cat food tins are full of gluten. Or to please not get ramen spices scattered near my GLUTEN FREE TOASTER OVEN. Ugh.

And then when I'm cooking, he'll be like "oh, what are you putting in that? Are you sure that soy sauce gluten free??"

Seriously, does he really think I'd be dumb enough to buy regular soy sauce for my own personal use????

It helps that I only live with one other person who is for the most part understanding about these things, but I know what you mean. I hate all the gluten that comes into the house, it drives me nuts. I don't feel like he's careful enough sometimes, and it scares me!

[*lee-lee*]

i sympathize with you. my boyfriend is very happy consuming his gluten and leaving messes all over the kitchen when he's done cooking. he understands about gluten and all but doesn't have much patience for it.

i also get irritated with my grandma - she has celiac but only follows the "rules" when it's convenient for her. and then she gets all mad at me when i say i can't have something that she eats. grrrrr.

why can't the whole world be gluten-free???

[melmak5]

I second the need for a gluten free world... perhaps someplace where it never rains, and is permanently 72 degrees. I would be fine with a gluten free island, I am not unwilling to compromise.

[MollyBeth]

I second the need for a gluten free world... perhaps someplace where it never rains, and is permanently 72 degrees. I would be fine with a gluten free island, I am not unwilling to compromise.

I'm completely with you guys on the gluten free world!!! I'm just days into my diet and am already banging my head against the wall! I live alone so thankfully I don't have to put up with others polluting my kitchen but I can't believe some of the stuff tht has gluten! I've run across so many things and I'm like why the hell is there gluten in this?!

[JNBunnie1]

I second the need for a gluten free world... perhaps someplace where it never rains, and is permanently 72 degrees. I would be fine with a gluten free island, I am not unwilling to compromise.

No, about 75, a bit humid, not too humid. Rain twice a week, for a few hours, and every morning before the sun comes up for 1/2 an hour for the gluten free crops!

And a dune buggy course.

[DarkIvy]

Can we add a Neiman Marcus to the gluten-free island?

If so... when can I move in??

[MollyBeth]

Can we add a Neiman Marcus to the gluten-free island?

If so... when can I move in??

For sure! We will all need to be stylin in our new place!

[ang1e0251]

Naturally our gluten-free island must have music and books and television; these will all sing the praises of the gluten-free lifestyle!

Now that our pity party is done, you cannot expect someone without the disease to understand it's serious symptoms. I can hardly understand it all. It's like you trying to truly understand a migraine if you've never had one.

You can either take the attitude that they will never "get it" & don't expect them to, or can spend your life angry and fantisizing about gluten-free Island. I just stopped the expectations and I'm a lot happier. Someone suggested telling the males in your life that you sprinkled female hormones on their food/dishes and they are going to sprout boobs! That would wake them up!

[melmak5]

Thanks to all for your support and humor. I realized today (after putting the pieces of the puzzle together) that I was glutened last week... which explains a lot. Digestively things have been weird, but I thought it was stress from sever IBS and finding out that 2 coworkers have been diagnosed with terminal illnesses atop of a major problem that I had to deal with.

When I started not being able to find words and being exhausted and regurgitating food... well it all finally makes sense.

I do acknowledge that being and staying healthy is my responsibility, but I also acknowledge that I do not go around sprinkling rat poison in my roommates tupperware and he saw me at my worst. The months of being violently ill, s$#&ting blood, 4 hospitals, 11 doctors, loosing 20 pounds, etc.

Yes, I know it is my body, my health, but I also think that we are citizens as well as individuals and the fact that I look out for him and his safety... I don't leave my shoes in the doorway for him to trip and fall and injure himself.

What I am talking about is a level of respect and consideration that should be reciprocated.

Yes, most people don't see it that way and I realize he will never "get it" unless he actually experiences my symptoms, but I do think that he is an educated adult with the capacity to sympathize if he cannot truly empathize.

That said, I have rearranged the kitchen and used plastic bags to cover up all of my items to reduce the risk of additional contamination when he uses flour.

I really do appreciate the support and the idea of the gluten free island was mostly a joke, but also a fun fantasy for now and then.

Thanks again!

[JNBunnie1]

I want Brad Pitt on my island.........

[*lee-lee*]

I want Brad Pitt on my island.........

...and Angelina can stay home with all the kiddies

[JNBunnie1]

...and Angelina can stay home with all the kiddies

Nah, I think she'd be a good conversationalist. That's not what I want Brad for though.....

[MollyBeth]

What I am talking about is a level of respect and consideration that should be reciprocated.

This isn't too much to ask...and I too thought the idea of an island was just a joke and was pretty funny.

[ang1e0251]

Good job changing your kitchen. My whole point was to be proactive.

You are absolutely right about being an adult and respecting you and your needs. I've realized in the last year though that even people close to us often are unwilling to go the levels necesary to respect our total health. I don't want to fall into the old childish habits of mine of blaming others for my problems. For me, I just need to see to my own needs & just take care of me quietly. I don't think others can meet my standards and I don't want to have bad feelings toward family & friends all the time. Those hurt feelings and frustrations hurt my gut too.

BY the way, I would like a young Sean Connery on the island with us!

[debmidge]

Good job changing your kitchen. My whole point was to be proactive.

You are absolutely right about being an adult and respecting you and your needs. I've realized in the last year though that even people close to us often are unwilling to go the levels necesary to respect our total health. I don't want to fall into the old childish habits of mine of blaming others for my problems. For me, I just need to see to my own needs & just take care of me quietly. I don't think others can meet my standards and I don't want to have bad feelings toward family & friends all the time. Those hurt feelings and frustrations hurt my gut too.

I wonder if a "passive/aggressive" thing is going on when room mates are involved.....sometimes when people

behave this way, in a subconscious way, they could be acting out a repressed aggression toward you. When

confronted, they feign ignorance or accuse you of taking it "too personal." or you're "making too much of it" or "you're always difficult" .....

BY the way, I would like a young Sean Connery on the island with us!

Strangely enough, as Sean Connery got OLDER he became more interesting to me.....I'd ask for

Clooney, but I don't think we'd have enough to talk about.