I'm Gonna Kill Someone

[Bonnie]

Sorry guys but I have smoke coming out my ears and need to vent to keep my sanity.

I am sooooo sick of explaining this disease to people. One of my work colleagues - whom I have explained to at great length and in great detail the consequences of me eating gluten - has just suggested I INTRODUCE IT BACK SLOWLY INTO MY DIET and surely the linsoy bread she has is ok - its only got 7.5% wheat in it.

AAAAhhh - I wanted to punch her right in her face. I am not a violent person but come on .......

Are people just really stupid or am I being over-sensitive. Thats it - I'm not explaining it anymore. I am just saying no thanks, don't want any, whatever with no explanation.

I am so angry I'm going to explode. Do they think I'm doing this for fun?

[bluelotus]

No. people really are that stupid. I had one guy stunned b/c he saw me eating shrimp. How can I eat shrimp if I can't eat gluten? What!?! Its depressing....and it has changed my perspective on how intelligent people in general are.

[Wandering Hermit]

Boy can I relate. Sad to say but this celiac disease has caused me to crawl back in my shell a bit, so to speak. I just avoid situations where this will come up.

Them: "Want to come to lunch with us today?"

Me: "No, I have some errands I have to run. Thanks"

That is so much easier than explaining why we HAVE to go to PF Changs, etc, and dealing with the ensuing stupidity.

Then I go to the grocery store, get a few things, and sit and eat in the car by myself.

[Bonnie]

Shrimp? Ok people really are stupid then. Ha ha.

The same colleague came and plonked half a melon on my desk to apologise.

I was so tempted (just to be evil) to tell her I can't eat it because its got gluten in it. That would have really stumped her and given me revenge. I controlled myself however.

[Bonnie]

Wandering Hermit, I know what you mean.

This disease makes me a bit like a freak.

The other side of the coin is when some people do understand and make a big deal out of going somewhere where you CAN eat. Then I feel really guilty about being such a bother. It embarrasses me.

So much easier just to stay at home. I won't go anywhere anymore.

Wonder if we'll ever get used to it?

[nettiebeads]

Wandering Hermit, I know what you mean. 

This disease makes me a bit like a freak.

The other side of the coin is when some people do understand and make a big deal out of going somewhere where you CAN eat.  Then I feel really guilty about being such a bother.  It embarrasses me.

So much easier just to stay at home.  I won't go anywhere anymore.

Wonder if we'll ever get used to it?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've resigned myself to it. I don't eat out much, not worth the worry and hassle. Decline lunch invites, eat at my desk, don't bother to explain anymore. I like to give people the benefit of the doubt that maybe they're just trying to be helpful and want to understand, but I'm tired of explaining it so I just don't. It's just a fact of my life and has become routine for me that I'm pretty used to it. You can't wish this away, so why dwell on it? Life goes on...

[jenvan]

Yvonne-

sorry for other's ignorance maybe on the bright side we will emerge from this more patient and gentle people

[Bonnie]

Yvonne-

sorry for other's ignorance    maybe on the bright side we will emerge from this more patient and gentle people 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi Jen,

Don't know about that - its my PMS week - so I was ready to rip her head off. Hee hee.

[ianm]

I've come to the sad conclusion that most people really are stupid. So many people just don't get it. But the bright side is that I have had some really great people come into my life once I went gluten free. I have licked a LOT of people out of my life because of their stupidity. But the new people are of such greater intelligence and quality that it more than makes up for the decrease in quantity.

[Guest Viola]

Eating out is most of the time a big hassle, sometimes embarrassing, sometimes depressing, and the odd time it goes just wonderful and you have a good time with your friends. My real friends simply ask me to pick the restaurant, and not make a big deal of it.

But what I really want to say here is ... There are getting to be more and more of us out there, we need to make an effort to educate these restaurants and keep going out, and most of all, make sure we let the restaurant know when they've done well with the meal. I make a phone call to the manager the next day and ask him or her to pass on my thank you to the cook and serving staff. When you do that you are pretty sure to keep getting a good meal without the embarrassing question and answer part every time. After the first time it is only necessary to order a simple meal and send in your card. We have three restaurants here that now see myself and my hubby coming in and start digging out the clean fry pans, utensils etc. ready to cook

[fisharefriendsnotfood]

whoops, double post.

[jenvan]

Yvonne-

What is it about PMS? I keep getting so annoyed at people this week b/c of mine

[fisharefriendsnotfood]

Let me share with you an experience I had.

At sleepover camp, I had my gluten-free macaroni when everyone else had the regular one. Here's the transcript:

Girl: Why do you have different food? (Looks at me like I have four heads.)

Me: Um, I can't eat the regular kind. You see, I have lots of allergies. (No sense in getting into it, I hardly even know her.)

Girl: To what?

Me: Wheat and gluten.

Girl: Well, then why can't you have the macaroni?

Me: Uh, WHAT DO YOU THINK MACARONI IS MADE OF???

Girl: Macaroni has wheat? Really?

Me: *Mouth opens in shock from extreme stupidity of this girl* Yes!

There you go.

-Jackie

[bluelotus]

I went to a work dinner with my husband and had called the caterer beforehand to check on the food (they said it was ok, but got sick anyway, so much for work-related dinners). When they brought dessert out, the server brought me a fruit plate (no cake for me, obviously). This woman at the table, in a loud/obnoxious voice said that she wanted pineapple too. Then she proceeded to ask me questions about why I got special food -was I on a diet? Me: No, I have an allergy to wheat (easier to say and thought that would be it). Her: You don't need to be on a diet, why are you on a diet?

Omigod!!! That's all I got all night from the lady "why are you on a diet?" as if me eating fruit rather than her cake somehow threatened her. Whatever, get a life!