Cross-Contamination At Home

[Chama-tan]

Hey dudes!

I've been having problems with another food intolerance lately so it's hard to really say how much this is affecting me. I'm worried that I'm getting a LOT of cross-contamination from my kitchen here at home.

I moved back in with my family about 6 months ago, and while we've moved to still another house (I moved home, then my family moved and I with them, 3 months later) they just don't seem to get it.

The house we moved into is a MAJOR renovation job, and the kitchen is going to be one of the last things. So, it's pretty disorganized, and everyone except for me has gotten into the habit of just... leaving things out. Not dirty dishes, etc, but just... stuff. Loaves of bread get wrapped back up and left on the counter instead of put in the drawer. Sandwiches are made and the counter is never cleaned. I find crumbs in the silverware drawer EVERY DAY. Every time I want to eat, I feel like I have to clean the entire kitchen AND wash a load of dishtowels. I have my own sponge separated (on a small dish on the windowsill) and labelled but I can tell people keep using it anyway. I feel like they almost don't believe in cross-contamination, or don't care, or ... I don't know!

I've gotten SO tired of nagging at them but if I stop it gets worse. Nearly my entire cooking set has been contaminated since I've been home and I just gave up on it. I hardly cook anymore and I'm living off of soups, yogurts and breakfast meats.

I have my own two small cupboards but it's really not enough space, anyway. But it didn't even matter, because somehow my dishes and my fruit strainer and everything end up mysteriously in the sink waiting to be washed, even though I didn't use them.

Sorry this is so disjointed. It's so many small things upsetting me that I feel confused. I don't understand what they're thinking, because they don't doubt my allergies and intolerances. But I feel like they've just decided it's too much of a bother for them and they're going to pretend that my diet doesn't matter where their actions are involved.

Yesterday, ON MY BIRTHDAY, I got really sick in the middle of dinner. I figured out it was from the gluten-free/LF corn dog I was eating. I had looked forward to that thing for so long, too, I forget the brand but it was really expensive and delicious. I ended up feeling SO heavy and lethargic all of a sudden, then came the confusion and the dizziness and the heart pounding. I tried to ignore it, but once everyone was done eating I brought it up to my mom and she rolled her eyes at me and said, "Don't complain about that right now. Do you have to complain on your BIRTHDAY?" In my corn-induced stupor, I threw myself onto the nearest bed (my brother's) and laid there unblinking for half an hour.

What should I do? I feel like... the did support me, but then over time they decided to just nevermind. I'm pretty positive about my diet changes. It's been 2 1/2 years and I never complain about what I can't eat, even when I have to take out new foods. The only thing I'm ever found complaining about is if I'm having a reaction.

I don't have the option to move out at this point in my life, so while getting my own kitchen sounds amazing, it's not feasible.

Has anyone else had trouble with their family, where they were semi-supportive on the surface, where it was easy, then flaked out on the real support? Help meeeee. :[

[ravenwoodglass]

Sounds like you need to keep your cooking stuff in a sealed container in your bedroom. If needed put the stuff in something that locks or put it someplace inconvient to get to.

There is also another issue that I do hesitate to bring up but if there is major remodeling going on and that involves drywall work you need to be really careful to be sure the rooms they are working on are blocked off with closed doors or plastic sheeting. All the drywall compound dust is going to be an issue as far as airborne gluten goes.

[kareng]

If you aren't going to move out, you will continue to live in this war zone. Get some locking boxes or a lock for your room if you have a room to your self. Keep all your food & cooking stuff locked up. Just saw plastic " camp" boxes at Walmart. You can put a padlock on them. Might need a mini fridge you can lock, too. Nice big one $87 at Walmart.

With renovations, the drywall may have wheat parts in it. So watch out for the dust.

If you think it would help, go to the websites for Celiac centers like Univ of Chicago, Univ of Maryland, Columbia Univ or Mayo Clinic. Print off the info about even a small amount or crumb can make you sick.

Get a second job delivering pizzas or mowing lawns or pet sitting. You need to get out of that house.

[Diane-in-FL]

That's awful! That house is toxic for you. So is your family apparently. I don't understand why some families are like that......seems to be quite a few similar stories on here lately. Is there any other more understanding family member you can move in with? I feel so bad for you.

[Bubba's Mom]

I'm facing cc issues too! My hubby made himself a couple of burgers on the grill. I came into the kitchen a few minutes later and found crumbs/sesame seeds on the stove top and counter. I told him that he contaminated the kitchen and he came storming in and brushed the crumbs onto the floor. I was barefoot..just standing there and told him now he's just contaminated the floor and I can't even get out of the kitchen without getting glutened. He went and got the broom and yelled maybe he should just move out of the house!

[Blue Heron]

Hi - life is definitely a challenge with the celiac diet, then add food intolerance/allergies adding another layer that friends/family may have difficulty with. I also have severe reactions to chemicals and all scented products -my home has to be not only gluten free but fragrance and chemical free too - talk about the poor family not knowing what to do.

My throat closes up if I am around scented things so they cannot bring anything fragrant into the home Oh how they huff and puff about all the restrictions - I politely remind them I Did not ask for this anymore than they did. Yup there are days with lots of attitude, sarcastic comments, - I feel it is worth taking care of myself - no one else is gonna.... they don't mean to be disrespectful - people are funny with things they don't understand.

I feel bad for the complexity of living with me - but I didn't choose this and I would willingly make changes for them. Actually we had to make more diet changes for my hubby - he had open heart surgery in April. People are more accepting of heart surgery, heart attacks, high blood pressure, diabetes, migraines (to name a few) than they are to being celiac!

Wishing everyone good health and lots of understanding supportive friends and family