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My Nightmare Came True Tonight

sandsurfgirl

By sandsurfgirl
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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sandsurfgirl Collaborator
sandsurfgirl
Posted

I'm VERY sensitive. Even crumbs get me sick. Whole house had to go gluten free.

So... I went to Outback tonight for my birthday dinner. Food was awesome. I told the waiter how sensitive I am, etc. like I always do.

They have a gluten free dessert even. So excited to order dessert out! They even said that they would throw it in for free for my birthday.

But... I didn't read the menu carefully. Just remembered it was some sort of chocolatey cake thingy. So the waiter brings me a beautiful piece of chocolate layer cake and assures me it's gluten free. I asked are you sure this is the right one and he said yes, no problem. The cake had a TON of frosting so it was pretty hard to tell. I mean good gluten free stuff tastes great so I figured wow they made a great cake.

And then... I remembered "Didn't the gluten free menu say brownie?"

My husband grabbed it and handed it to me while he checked the regular menu. Yes. The gluten-free menu said brownie and they regular menu had the chocolate layer cake. I had just eaten half a piece of gluten filled flour filled chocolate cake.

I started sobbing and ran to the bathroom. I threw up for 45 minutes. Sometimes on my own, sometimes forcing myself to vomit to rid my body of as much gluten as possible. I was crying hysterically the entire time because my neuro symptoms, namely anxiety had now set in and I started to hyperventilate.

The female manager stayed with me the whole time and she even cried!!!!

The waiter was almost crying. He felt awful and it was just a mess. And the main manager was freaking out because HE is a CELIAC and just got diagnosed. They showed the waiter which dessert to bring and he still grabbed the wrong one.

Happy birthday to me!!! I will NEVER eat dessert out again unless it's at a dedicated gluten free bakery.

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sandsurfgirl Collaborator
sandsurfgirl
Posted
  • Author

Oh there is an upshot. They gave us $90 in gift certificates and .... the waiter just graduated with a marketing degree. Somehow got to talking to my husband while they were waiting for me. He offered to give me free marketing advice for my business to make up for it because he felt so bad.

luvs2eat Collaborator
luvs2eat
Posted

I'm SO sorry this happened to you!!! On the positive side... you gave an education to Outback that no one ever wants but will stay w/ them for a LONG time. I'm betting that particular Outback will take their gluten-free customers VERY seriously from now on!

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

I hope you don't get too sick. It sounds like the restaurant felt really awful about it. The waiter will likely have his own nightmares tonight.

Hopefully the rest of your birthday was nice. Wishing you a great coming year and a mild reaction.

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

I'm SO sorry this happened to you!!! On the positive side... you gave an education to Outback that no one ever wants but will stay w/ them for a LONG time. I'm betting that particular Outback will take their gluten-free customers VERY seriously from now on!

This is exactly what I was thinking. Hope you're better today!

GFreeMO Proficient
GFreeMO
Posted

I'm so sorry that you got sick at your Birthday dinner. Thats just awful! I hope you feel better soon.

Mama Melissa Enthusiast
Mama Melissa
Posted

aww im sorry sweetie!Hope you dont react too bad xoxoxo Happy Birthday!

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Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

What a nightmare! I really hope you're feeling better today and Happy Birthday. ((( hug )))

Judy3 Contributor
Judy3
Posted

Happy Birthday and sorry you got sick... but in the end you will get better and several people have learned a valuable lesson. Get better soon :)

K8ling Enthusiast
K8ling
Posted

Oh honey!! I am so so sorry and I hope it isn't as bad as it could be!!!!!!!!!! Happy birthday lol I am so so so sorry for you. Feel better!!!

Charlie's Girl Apprentice
Charlie's Girl
Posted

I am so sorry this happened to you. Hope this glutening passes quickly.

Me thinks you get to pick another day for a birthday do-over!

Feel better...... happy birthday(?)

sandsurfgirl Collaborator
sandsurfgirl
Posted
  • Author

Well, this is really gross and TMI, but because I stayed in the bathroom and forced myself to throw up everything in my tummy, my glutening wasn't as bad as it could have been. But it's been no picnic. I thought I would be bedridden today but I was able to go shop for a few hours. And out to dinner somewhere else tonight.

Last night was BAD. I had shakes and felt like I was crawling out of my skin. Bad anxiety. Bad pain in my gut.

Today very nauseous and dehydrated all day and still pain.

Thanks for the well wishes and happy birthdays!

Marz Enthusiast
Marz
Posted

Aw man, that's awful :( I feel like crying for you - what a bad experience :(

It sucks always being so careful, and then getting glutened by the carelessness of others...

I've had a similar mistake where waiter assured me their Indian Naan bread was wheat free. Turned out later it wasn't gluten free :( Nausea and D the rest of the night ruined the last day of our holiday. Being sick away from home sucks big time.

Hope you feel better soon!

lynnelise Apprentice
lynnelise
Posted

Poor thing! That is a nightmare come true for sure! Even worse to have been on your birthday. Hope you recover quick and have an awesome birthday regardless!

sandsurfgirl Collaborator
sandsurfgirl
Posted
  • Author

Aw man, that's awful :( I feel like crying for you - what a bad experience :(

It sucks always being so careful, and then getting glutened by the carelessness of others...

I've had a similar mistake where waiter assured me their Indian Naan bread was wheat free. Turned out later it wasn't gluten free :( Nausea and D the rest of the night ruined the last day of our holiday. Being sick away from home sucks big time.

Hope you feel better soon!

I know! If I had done it to myself then I could blame myself for it but I live my life in fear of eating gluten when I eat out. I cannot for one second comprehend the people who cheat on the diet and gluten themselves on purpose. I would never ever purposely ingest gluten. I mean if I was a prisoner of war they could use gluten as my torture device. It's my Kryptonite. It's poison to me. The thought of eating gluten is as if I were to eat poison on purpose. Just not going to happen.

It may sound weird, but I feel sort of defiled. Like I was clean and not I'm not. My poor body has to cleanse itself again from that poison I ingested.

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