I Am So Angry

[Di2011]

I work in a kitchen that feeds school camp groups.

Pretty much every week there is at least one student/teacher that is gluten free. On average there are about 4-5 special diets in every 100 and this kitchen often feeds up to 200 at a meal.

This week there has been one gluten-free guy. So tonight I arrive at work and, as I usually do, ask the chef (qualified .. apparently) what the vegetarian and gluten-free are having for dinner. "Stirfry"

And there with the rice noodle (good start), sliced veg (yum.. lucky for them I think) is the soy sauce.

He turns away and I stand there staring at the soy sauce.

He is very aware that I am also gluten-free so makes every attempt to avoid me for the next 10-15 minutes.

I kept a wary eye on his activity cause I just couldn't ((didn't want to?)) believe that he was going to serve soy sauce to this young lad.

Knowing what this chef is like and how worked up I was getting I went for this approach:

"Roderick do you have wheat free soysauce ? I've got some at home that I could get for you." ((I live literally across the road. It would have taken about 60 seconds to get it from my fridge and be back))

"No I'm okay thanks"

And then he proceeds to serve this guy stirfry with soysauce.

Well... it was one crazy night at work. The boss and he had a massive fight before all this about him putting gravy over the entire 102 peoples worth of roast beef ("Do you think the gluten free boy wants to be vegetarian????") And when the soysauce happened I lost it too.

This guy isn't ignorant or ill informed.

I just want you Mums&Dads to know just how completely arrogant they can be. Not all of them but one is too many.

[mushroom]

Yeah, sure, he's okay thanks What an A$$hole.

[Di2011]

Yeah, sure, he's okay thanks What an A$$hole.

Soon to be unemployed A$$hole

[domesticactivist]

Did you say something to warn the boy? I think the chef must be reported up the chain of command, in writing, and the boy's parents need to be informed of what happened. This is completely unacceptable. It is also the reason I don't trust other people to feed my family.

[StephanieL]

There was a man here in the states who went to jail for selling knowingly gluten containing foods to people as gluten free.

I would not have let that food go out to that poor kid. I agree that this is why I don't trust others to cook for my family. It's one thing to slip up or accidentally have cross contamination but to KNOWINGLY do it is criminal in my mind!

[IrishHeart]

I hope this SOB was fired, pronto!!!

[beebs]

I think you should make a complaint to the powers that be, food safety Australia or something. I could possibly die if I eat gluten (because I get intussusception)-gluten-free is not something to mess around with (as you know ) and hearing that stuff is terrifying.

PS - I used to work at a place that sounds very similar to that in Canberra - I wonder was it the same place? Was it a Motel on the federal highway that does alot of school tours??

[Di2011]

If it had been within my control it wouldn't have been served. The meal was delivered when I was in a separate area & when I went by the table the guy had eaten most of it already. To top it off the #*$&^*#&$ spent the rest of the shift looking for ways to get back at me. I had a word to the boss when we'd finished.

My reality is that educating staff has been a slow process. I'm glad that my skin is so obviously affected the past six mths - keeps their attention. A very effective teaching tool. Hard to tell people who "know" that they actually may not know.

So.. a very uncomfortable breakfast at work this morning!

Boss and I spoke again this morning and turns out the guy can tolerate some. He had regular pizza for lunch yesterday(lunch isn't our job and gluten-free options always available).

I didn't think pizza would qualify as "some" but not for me to judge.

My boss agreed with me that if someone comes as GlutenFree they must get GlutenFree regardless. And I asked for him to stock Gluten-Free soysauce etc to do it.

Anyways.. just when I thought I could lighten up the researching and reading today I am going after the legalities(thanks for the tip Stephanie&IrishHeart). Almost as good an education tool as my bumps and lumps.

[Juliebove]

Wow! What a mess. I know a girl who has IgG food allergies like my daughter does but she is allergic to many things. So many that she has to use a rotation diet. So even though she is allergic to gluten she can eat it a couple of times a week. I don't know how she is doing with it now but it was very upsetting and confusing to her when she was young.

My daughter and I outgrew some food allergies and we were told that it was okay to eat these things twice a week but not on subsequent days. Dairy is one of those things. However we have been cheating on this and eating it more frequently and it doesn't seem to make us sick like it once did.

As far as dining out though... We have a few places where we eat dairy. In the others we do not eat dairy at all. It would be too confusing for them if we said we wanted no cheese one day and then cheese on an other day.

I just don't see how one could tolerate a little gluten. Either you can or you can't.

[Di2011]

I just don't see how one could tolerate a little gluten. Either you can or you can't.

I still have so much to learn.. IgG?! Rotation allergy diets???!!! More googles!

If anyone has any advice or info like this I would greatly appreciate it. My mum was in the food business (cafes and catering) for 20 years and she taught me basics and she was really on the ball with special diets. Whilst working in a bakery/kitchen I thought myself well informed about needs of customers, hygiene (I'm usually the kitchen cop) but my last 6 months has shown me just how much I didn't know.

New goals:

1. try to get office manager to get specific and more detailed information from parents (how much, how often, how intolerant etc etc)

2. Local legal requirements / consequences

[StephanieL]

I still have so much to learn.. IgG?! Rotation allergy diets???!!! More googles!

New goals:

1. try to get office manager to get specific and more detailed information from parents (how much, how often, how intolerant etc etc)

2. Local legal requirements / consequences

IgE- What is referred to often as a "true" allergy meaning it can cause an anaphylactic reaction. That is a reaction including 2 or moray body systems (skin, GI, respiratory and a few others I can't think of right now...it's early...I have a 7 week old who was up all night, forgive me )

IgG- Often said to be an intolerance. Not often diagnosed by a typical allergy Dr. (often by chiropractors or naturopaths). These typically cause "only" GI issues but they can be bad! A rotation diet is often suggested for this type of intolerance. The though being that the body can handle X amount of an item. This is the big difference between and IgG and IgE allergy. IgE, the "just a little" doesn't fly. It is also why I get bent out of shape when people call intolerances allergies. It's dangerous in my mind.

I think working with the office manager is a great idea to get a new info shed made up for the parents. I know as a parent of a kid with both food allergies and Celiac, I am willing to provide as much information as I can to keep my kid safe!

[IrishHeart]

Part of the problem with getting people to understand why feeding someone even a "little bit of gluten" is "OKAY" is because there is technically no such thing as a gluten allergy

Saying we have an allergy seriously underestimates the tragic consequences of this disease. So, if the guy ate the gluteny soy sauce and he did not immediately keel over with anaphylaxis, the chef thinks, "See, it's no big deal! Meanwhile, the guy has just started up the autoimmune response all over again and will certainly pay for it later.

Yes, it is easier to say allergy to people rather than explain it all, but it undercuts the seriousness of what one morsel of gluten will do if the person in the long term.

There is a WHEAT allergy. There is gluten intolerance. There is Celiac Disease. It is a potentially fatal autoimmune disease and gluten is not to be consumed EVER.

Can people with the first two conditions "get away" with having pizza once and while? Maybe so. It depends. But, can I? NO!!!!!!!!!

If you have celiac and you ingest gluten on a rotation diet, you remain ILL. I know. A grossly ill-informed ND AND a "functional Med" MD both told me I should do this rotation diet and take supplements and heal my leaky gut and all would be well. NO one tested me for Celiac. I tried it for nearly 2 years and it nearly freakin killed me. I finally figured it out myself.Celiac is NOT cured by homeopathy and rotation diets. It is put into remission by avoiding gluten. Period.

Perhaps if the people involved in preparing the meals were made to understand all this, they would take it more seriously. DON'T they--by law--have to be careful for all people with various serious allergies??? Why not for gluten intolerance, too??

Then again, maybe not. Idiots abound everywhere.

[StephanieL]

Saying we have an "allergy" seriously underestimates the tragic consequences of this disease.

I have to disagree with you on that one. Yes, gluon for a person with Celiac is bad but you are not going to die from one exposure. The use of quotes in "allergy" is just as offensive to someone with a true allergy as saying Celiac is a allergy to someone with Celiac. Rotation diets dare NOT for people with Celiac OR allergies!

[sariesue]

I still have so much to learn.. IgG?! Rotation allergy diets???!!! More googles!

If anyone has any advice or info like this I would greatly appreciate it. My mum was in the food business (cafes and catering) for 20 years and she taught me basics and she was really on the ball with special diets. Whilst working in a bakery/kitchen I thought myself well informed about needs of customers, hygiene (I'm usually the kitchen cop) but my last 6 months has shown me just how much I didn't know.

New goals:

1. try to get office manager to get specific and more detailed information from parents (how much, how often, how intolerant etc etc)

2. Local legal requirements / consequences

You may find it difficult to get detailed information on their allergy from the parent. Parents are not always the best people to fill out forms you will get parents who say that the child will die if they have any lactose when in reality they get milk occasionally at home and you'll get parents who underestimate their child's allergy.

Honestly, if I was sending my kid or my self on a trip and the chef at the venue asked how much gluten I could tolerate I would be afraid of eating there. Like you want to know how lazy you can be with watching for CC or looking at ingredients.It makes it seem like you are trying to cut corners and if I say I'm only mildly intolerant you might feed me a meal that has a little wheat in it because on paper I should be able to tolerant it. Which could be a problem if I am talking about CC and the chefs take it as in general.

If someone comes with a special diet you really should act like any amount is too much. It's the safest way of doing things.

[SilverSlipper]

My step-mother has celiac disease (DH). She tells others that she can have some gluten, but if she eats it too much, her skin really bothers her. I know another Mom who has celiac disease who states that she can have small amounts of it occasionally (for example - rice krispy treats).

In my humble opinion, I think that they have over-simplified the situation. I think any amount for someone with celiac disease damages the body. I believe that many people think that the damage doesn't occur unless they can see or feel it. For example - the foundation of a house may crack, but sometimes people won't bother with it until the whole stupid thing crashes to the ground. Again, just my opinion.

My daughter can't get away with occasional pizza, soy, etc. My guess is that the child in question in the OP's post doesn't show outward symptoms unless they have moderate to heavier amounts of gluten.

[IrishHeart]

I have to disagree with you on that one. Yes, gluon for a person with Celiac is bad but you are not going to die from one exposure. The use of quotes in "allergy" is just as offensive to someone with a true allergy as saying Celiac is a allergy to someone with Celiac. Rotation diets dare NOT for people with Celiac OR allergies!

Gosh, I did not mean to be offensive at all, honest. My husband suffers from serious allergies and it is not to be taken lightly. I'll remove the italics. It was done purely for emphasis, not to be disrespectful. If you know me --or have read any of my posts at all--you would know that I would never intentionally say something disrespectful. Sorry if you saw it that way.

What I was trying to say is an ALLERGY CAN KILL someone, too. But this chef disregards the gluten intolerance issue simply because the man did not go into anaphylaxis upon eating it. He cannot grasp the two concepts because he did not see an IMMEDIATE reaction. That is all I meant.

No, I may not drop dead from one exposure but I am horribly affected. You do not know what I went through. I almost died from this thing and that is all I was trying to say.

No, rotation diets are not for either condition. I agree completely!!

[IrishHeart]

My step-mother has celiac disease (DH). She tells others that she can have some gluten, but if she eats it too much, her skin really bothers her. I know another Mom who has celiac disease who states that she can have small amounts of it occasionally (for example - rice krispy treats).

In my humble opinion, I think that they have over-simplified the situation. I think any amount for someone with celiac disease damages the body. I believe that many people think that the damage doesn't occur unless they can see or feel it. For example - the foundation of a house may crack, but sometimes people won't bother with it until the whole stupid thing crashes to the ground. Again, just my opinion.

My daughter can't get away with occasional pizza, soy, etc. My guess is that the child in question in the OP's post doesn't show outward symptoms unless they have moderate to heavier amounts of gluten.

Thanks, this is all I was trying to say.

Anyone with celiac who continues to ingest gluten is reversing the healing they have done and starting the autoimmune response once more. That is like playing with fire. Why anyone would do that to themselves is beyond me.(To each his/her own, I guess.)

[StephanieL]

IrishHeart,

I am so not trying to start anything and I appreciate your understanding. I SOOOOOO see both sides of this! I do understand and I think most people here do, really!

I think ALL food issues are so tough to deal with. People just don't get it. THEY can eat anything they want and can't even believe someone can get sick or die from just one little bite of something. Food is such a big part of life too. Celebrations are usually about eating a meal together it seems.

I know I am more touchy than many. My DS deals with both Celiac and life threatening food allergies as well as another condition called FPIES that can also cause shock and death from eating bananas of all things. I would appreciate it if anyone cooking for him would take ALL these very seriously but I would never compare his Celiac to his egg/dairy/peanut/tree nut allergies or his FPIES. That said, I know how sick he gets from exposure to gluten and would hope no one would take the hours of crying in pain to mean he can have "a little" gluten. It's the "can have a little" or "rotation diet" people that cause so many issues for people like us who take this very seriously!

Again, I am was not overly offended, just pointing out that it could be taken that way. As I said, I think it's the people who sling the allergy word around that creates the problems.

[IrishHeart]

IrishHeart,

I am so not trying to start anything and I appreciate your understanding. I SOOOOOO see both sides of this! I do understand and I think most people here do, really!

I think ALL food issues are so tough to deal with. People just don't get it. THEY can eat anything they want and can't even believe someone can get sick or die from just one little bite of something. Food is such a big part of life too. Celebrations are usually about eating a meal together it seems.

I know I am more touchy than many. My DS deals with both Celiac and life threatening food allergies as well as another condition called FPIES that can also cause shock and death from eating bananas of all things. I would appreciate it if anyone cooking for him would take ALL these very seriously but I would never compare his Celiac to his egg/dairy/peanut/tree nut allergies or his FPIES. That said, I know how sick he gets from exposure to gluten and would hope no one would take the hours of crying in pain to mean he can have "a little" gluten. It's the "can have a little" or "rotation diet" people that cause so many issues for people like us who take this very seriously!

Again, I am was not overly offended, just pointing out that it could be taken that way. As I said, I think it's the people who sling the allergy word around that creates the problems.

Whew. I was so hoping you would see what I was trying to say. I am not into "arguing" on here. (there I go again with the italics ) I just try to help --as I was helped by so many others.

Here's the bottom line about this chef and anyone who does not take this seriously...they have never been sick, so they do NOT get it. I had so many debilitating symptoms that I thought death would be easier. I know all about endless crying from pain and so, I sympathize with what you deal with. I still have serious complications from being UNDXed for so long, so yes, I am justifiably angry when someone doesn't take this monster we deal with seriously. Especially when it is a little kid who is trusting you will not make him sick!

If I ingest gluten, I do have an immediate reaction. I have gluten ataxia. Brain function is impacted and I am fogged and my balance and reflexes are impacted. I walk sideways. And it lasts for several days and it is scary and anxiety and insomnia result and the horrific burning nerve pain I suffer is ramped up to a zillion. It is hell. So, I get VERY upset when someone thinks a little bit of gluten will not matter. It has taken me 10 MONTHS to get out of some of the pain I have lived in for YEARS and I am still not there and won't be for years (so my doctor tells me) and we do not even know if it is reversible.

It could kill me (or someone else) if I am so impaired by a glutening that my reflexes are shot while trying to drive. It is not anaphylaxis, no-- but there is no epipen to counteract it, either and stop the autoimmune attack.

There is no point in arguing what's worse because they both suck--and

we agree there is no room for "a little bit" of poison.

THIS IS WHAT MUST BE STRESSED to all employees who prepare/handle food for people.

[StephanieL]

There is no point in arguing what's worse because they both suck--and

we agree there is no room for "a little bit" of poison.

THIS IS WHAT MUST BE STRESSED to all employees who prepare/handle food for people.

Agreed! While DS *may* outgrow his food allergies, he nor anyone with Celiac will outgrow that!

And yes, there should be a ZERO tolerance policy in food establishments when someone says they can't have something! Any chef worth her/his weight SHOULD be able to cook up something safe and free of cross contamination for people with food issues (as long as they have the raw ingredients to start with).

[IrishHeart]

Agreed! While DS *may* outgrow his food allergies, he nor anyone with Celiac will outgrow that!

And yes, there should be a ZERO tolerance policy in food establishments when someone says they can't have something! Any chef worth her/his weight SHOULD be able to cook up something safe and free of cross contamination for people with food issues (as long as they have the raw ingredients to start with).

I think it should be a law. Maybe it will be, in time. My best friend is a chef/caterer in Florida and she says it is not a big deal to accomodate special diets if you are using fresh ingredients. (wish they were all like her)

I sincerely hope your son does outgrow his food allergies! Many have been able to do this (from all the reading I have done). I can tolerate some soy (in mayo and as lecithin) and dairy now but before, it was as bad as gluten for me.

Best wishes to you and your son! Happy Thanksgiving!

[beebs]

I have to disagree with you on that one. Yes, gluon for a person with Celiac is bad but you are not going to die from one exposure. The use of quotes in "allergy" is just as offensive to someone with a true allergy as saying Celiac is a allergy to someone with Celiac. Rotation diets dare NOT for people with Celiac OR allergies!

I get small bowel intussusception from exposure to gluten which causes me to end up in emergency and so far I have been very lucky that they have resolved on their own. One day it is likely that it will not resolve and I could die from it. It is considered a life threatening medical emergency. It is scary stuff and for me its totally cause by gluten.

[beebs]

Sorry - was that directed at me?

I was just pointing out that Celiac can cause life threatening events even after having it just one time. I wouldn't have mentioned it except it seemed like maybe you didn't realise that?

[StephanieL]

Yes and yes. I also know that is not the typical presentation and a very serious yet uncommon condition.

[beebs]

I'm not saying it isn't rare, but it does happen. And I was just pointing that out