Ignorant Grocery Cashier

[Kimbalou]

Will try to make this short. It still amazes me how ignorant some people are about Celiac. I was buying groceries yesterday and had some Amy's frozen dinners for work, which were gluten free of course. The cashier said "oh, those are expensive. Is it because they are gluten-free?" "yes, I have to eat gluten-free" I told her. She then went on to tell me that her daughter has Celiac. I told her I did too and we ended up having a long conversation about it. She told me how her daughter was so sick a few years ago, had to go be in the hospital for IV fluids and she was "pre-cancerous" and had a lot of diarrhea. They diagnosed her with Celiac. She asked me what caused Celiac. I explained the heredity aspect, it's an auto-immune disease...and I explained what autoimmune meant. She then said "Oh, I thought it was caused from eating too much processed food." (ummm...no)

She said she thought maybe she should get tesetd for it...I told her yes it would be a good idea since she told me she was having some IBS symptoms. She asked me what Celiacs have to stay away from..I told her wheat, oats, rye and barley. She then asked me "Does white bread have wheat in it?" OMG, I couldn't believe it. Her daughter has Celiac and she doesn't have a clue! You would think people would educate themsleves just a little bit! I can't believe how people think white bread isn't made from wheat.

So, I finished my conversation and proceeded to go outside and buy Girl Scout cookies from a friend, and let my family eat them. Good thing I bought myself some chocolate I could eat before I bought the cookies.

Ugh...I wish people would educate themsleves especially when a family member is diagnosed!

[ravenwoodglass]

Unless this womans daughter was grown when she was diagnosed and they never talk or visit I would wonder how she could be so unknowing about even the basics of the diet.

[IrishHeart]

That seems incredible, but some people are not educated by their family members with celiac or screened themselves by their doctors or are too dazed on gluten themselves to think straight. It may not be her fault that she seems that "dense" to you. Fortunately, we have internet access and the intelligence to read and figure things out. (And I was pretty messed up on gluten and had comprehension problems because of celiac myself for a while, so I always give folks the benefit of the doubt.) Maybe she is incapable of thinking clearly for some reason? We never know how some folks live or how "smart" they are.

Maybe her daughter never explained it to her. Did she say how old she was when she was DXed? (I mean, she is not still a child and the mother is just ignoring the DX right?) Maybe she and her daughter do not speak anymore for some reason.

Maybe you could print out some info and bring it to her?

This woman may not be able to afford health insurance or a doctor, for all we know. There may be any number of reasons why she is so ill-informed--and not just intentionally "ignorant". Years ago, I did not know what gluten was either. I learned a lot the past few years.

[Kimbalou]

ok, I guess I shouldn't be so judgemental about what people are thinking when they have no clue about Celiac. The statement that surprises me the most is when people ask if white bread has wheat in it. I guess that isn't common sense regardless if people understand Celiac or not? She told me her daughter is 30 years old. that's all I know.

[Bubba's Mom]

I was DXed with Celiac at the end of June, and told my family. Just about a month ago I was talking to my older sister and she asked, "so you can only eat white bread"? I was shocked! I had to explain to her what gluten was and that it's in most flour, bread, pasta, and baked goods. She had no idea.

I hope she never gets Celiac.

[IrishHeart]

ok, I guess I shouldn't be so judgemental about what people are thinking when they have no clue about Celiac. The statement that surprises me the most is when people ask if white bread has wheat in it. I guess that isn't common sense regardless if people understand Celiac or not? She told me her daughter is 30 years old. that's all I know.

Actually, I have heard the "So, white bread is okay because it is not WHOLE WHEAT, right?"----from some very "intelligent", well-educated people--so I am never surprised by that one.

Her daughter might have told her she has celiac, but perhaps she did not inform her about gluten and what foods include it---the way many of us have informed our families.

IMHO

[IrishHeart]

I was DXed with Celiac at the end of June, and told my family. Just about a month ago I was talking to my older sister and she asked, "so you can only eat white bread"? I was shocked! I had to explain to her what gluten was and that it's in most flour, bread, pasta, and baked goods. She had no idea.

I hope she never gets Celiac.

If she does, she has YOU to help her.

We all had to learn this information from the ground up.

I had no clue how many foods contained gluten and learning was often riddled with mistakes.

[ravenwoodglass]

She told me her daughter is 30 years old. that's all I know.

Okay now it makes more sense. I couldn't understand how someone who was feeding a celiac child could have so little knowledge about the disease. As Irish suggested maybe you could print out some info to give her next time you see her. Make sure you let her know not to go gluten free till after she gets tested.

[Diane-in-FL]

Apparently there are people who have no clue what flour is actually made from. I can understand maybe not knowing what gluten is, but not knowing that regular flour is made from wheat just amazes me.

[jeanzdyn]

Apparently there are people who have no clue what flour is actually made from. I can understand maybe not knowing what gluten is, but not knowing that regular flour is made from wheat just amazes me.

I too have noticed that people are extremely ignorant or just plain don't think things through. I wonder where they think flour comes from.... maybe it grows on trees... or it is mined from the ground....

The next person I meet who does not know that flour is made from wheat --I am going to ask where they think flour comes from.

[WinterSong]

A co-worker and I were talking about Celiac, and an older woman approached my desk. She asked what we were talking about then said, "Oh, my son had Celiac when he was a baby, but he grew out of it." It just made me kinda sad.

[IrishHeart]

I too have noticed that people are extremely ignorant or just plain don't think things through. I wonder where they think flour comes from.... maybe it grows on trees... or it is mined from the ground....

The next person I meet who does not know that flour is made from wheat --I am going to ask where they think flour comes from.

But, that's a tricky question, since "flour" comes from many places--rice, soy, beans, corn, tapioca, coconut, almonds, amaranth--to name a few. We all use them in our baking, right?

Make sure you ask "Where do you think wheat flour comes from?"

People do not associate WHITE flour used in baking as WHEAT.

They just don't.

It does not mean they are "stupid" --they just have never thought about it before.

You will be telling them something NEW! It's your chance to educate someone.

[IrishHeart]

A co-worker and I were talking about Celiac, and an older woman approached my desk. She asked what we were talking about then said, "Oh, my son had Celiac when he was a baby, but he grew out of it." It just made me kinda sad.

I hope you told her that people do not "outgrow celiac"?

[WinterSong]

I hope you told her that people do not "outgrow celiac"?

Yeah, but the really sad thing was that she just kinda waved it off and didn't listen.

[kareng]

Yeah, but the really sad thing was that she just kinda waved it off and didn't listen.

I don't know how long ago this person was a kid. I know people that were "diagnosed" with Celiac 50 years ago that "out grew" it. They have current bloods & endos. It appears they really had a wheat allergy that they out grew. I believe its commonly accepted that you can outgrow an allergy.

[WinterSong]

I hope it was a wheat allergy. I met her son once, and he was probably around 60.

[lynnelise]

I get the whole white bread is ok thing a lot. Also people tell me how good potato bread is and suggest I try it when all the varieties I see are a mix of wheat and potato. Some people just don't read ingredient labels. A lot of people just don't have an interest in learning about foods and make assumptions. I know for instance my brother-in-law avoided hummus for years because he had it mixed up with haggis. We had a good laugh explaining the difference to him. The other day at a cafe the "barista" tried to argue with me that cappuccinos and lattes were the same thing.

[IrishHeart]

Also people tell me how good potato bread is and suggest I try it when all the varieties I see are a mix of wheat and potato. Some people just don't read ingredient labels.

The man who runs a local gluten-free cafe/bakery told me an incredible story of an elderly man who was so happy to see they had opened and he could buy a loaf of gluten-free bread.

He reported he was "tired of eating the potato bread off the shelves for 20 YEARS because it was the only thing that was not made from whole wheat and he needed a taste change."

Apparently, he thought it was made entirely of potatoes.

So, you see...even a "veteran celiac" can be "ignorant" of the facts.

[lynnelise]

I get the whole white bread is ok thing a lot. Also people tell me how good potato bread is and suggest I try it when all the varieties I see are a mix of wheat and potato. Some people just don't read ingredient labels. A lot of people just don't have an interest in learning about foods and make assumptions. I know for instance my brother-in-law avoided hummus for years because he had it mixed up with haggis. We had a good laugh explaining the difference to him. The other day at a cafe the "barista" tried to argue with me that cappuccinos and lattes were the same thing.

I bet! Poor guy! Thank goodness he found a source for real gluten-free!

I know a lady who has an autistic grandson on the gluten-free/CF diet and they give him potato bread exclusively. She was pretty alarmed when I suggested that it most likely wasn't gluten-free!

[curlyfries]

What is it with the potato bread? I also knew someone who had a diagnosed celiac daughter and she fed her potato bread and pizza with the crust made with semolina. She also thought that she herself might have a problem with gluten while every day I saw her eating cron dogs, pizza and grilled cheese sandwiches from the school cafeteria. And she was a teacher, for goodness sake!

[kareng]

What is it with the potato bread? I also knew someone who had a diagnosed celiac daughter and she fed her potato bread and pizza with the crust made with semolina. She also thought that she herself might have a problem with gluten while every day I saw her eating cron dogs, pizza and grilled cheese sandwiches from the school cafeteria. And she was a teacher, for goodness sake!

Someone I know suspected her diabetic kids had Celiac. She was going to " cut down on gluten" so they got potato bread!

[tom]

I don't know how long ago this person was a kid. I know people that were "diagnosed" with Celiac 50 years ago that "out grew" it. They have current bloods & endos. It appears they really had a wheat allergy that they out grew. ...

Another possibility is they have untriggered celiac - which admittedly sounds strange in a "diagnosed as a child" scenario, but I'm a living example. Dx'd in mid-60s, Dr gave Mom the go-ahead for gluten when I turned 5 & there weren't any troubling health issues for decades, until a mid-90s trigger, the death of my little brother. I'd been told I "outgrew" a bunch of allergies, from some types of grass to olive trees to wheat. To be fair, the Dr did say that i'd have to watch for when celiac might return "when I got old".

There's no way she (Dr) could've known about triggers then. I'm not sure they knew about barley & rye in '64.

What I *don't* know, relative to Karen's comment, is what a celiac blood test might have shown pre-trigger.

[IrishHeart]

Another possibility is they have untriggered celiac - which admittedly sounds strange in a "diagnosed as a child" scenario, but I'm a living example. Dx'd in mid-60s, Dr gave Mom the go-ahead for gluten when I turned 5 & there weren't any troubling health issues for decades, until a mid-90s trigger, the death of my little brother.

My sympathies on your loss. I had a similar triggering event, although I had symptoms most of my life, in retrospect. My Dad's death 4 few years ago just put me over the edge.

I met a man in his 50's at the local gluten-free cafe who told me he had failure to thrive as a child. They had his parents do a gluten-free diet (not easy in the 60's and his Mom struggled to find him safe foods) and when he went to college, he slacked off, but felt fine. Until he didn't--and became very ill.He went gluten-free for life.

They did "think" you could "outgrow" it back then. But they were wrong. And that is why there is a whole group of people in their 50's and 60's (like my cousin's wife who was one of those babies) who have multiple health problems and AI diseases.

[cougie23]

I don't know how long ago this person was a kid. I know people that were "diagnosed" with Celiac 50 years ago that "out grew" it. They have current bloods & endos. It appears they really had a wheat allergy that they out grew. I believe its commonly accepted that you can outgrow an allergy.

Or GROW INTO an allergy...LOL...I used to eat blueberries as a kid all the time! Now as an adult I get stomache Hives,(its like quarter sized bee stings in my stomache that hurt very much...Gluten does the same thing to me ,only it affects the entire intestinal tract and the sores are smaller!)Where as my twelve yr. old USED to have trouble with milk ,but now has no problem with it! He still can't have shrimp or peanuts though...I've heard of some people out growing a peanut allergy...but his reaction is so severe I don't think we are going to test that out any time soon!!! My 21 yr. old USED to have ceriel and milk ALL the time...NOW the milk upsets his stomace and gives him extreame acne and D! But he can eat cerial with ALMOND milk! Only now that he's found out this secret...he drinks up all my almond milk...I guess he REALLY missed ceriel!!! LOL

As a child I couldn't come within a 100 ft. (or so) of a eucaliptice tree....now, I don't even notice them...and we have a lot of them around here because of the LA zoo (they keep them around for the Koalas (or so I've read / they were planted around town in the 50's!)

Everyones different and allergys are just another bodily reaction!