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View Full Version : Time for a giggle--got this email this AM


darlindeb
10-27-2006, 10:44 AM
You know you're a celiac if...
...you've ever been caught licking a discarded Twinkie wrapper.
...at Christmas, visions of guar gum dance in your head.
...you've ever had to give a doctor a crash course in Celiac 101.
...you weep at picnics, parties, receptions and fast food joints.
...you weep at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
...you've ever "brown bagged it" to an elegant dinner engagement.
...a 7 Course Meal is a 1 Course Meal for you. Lettuce.
...you've installed floor-to-ceiling bookcases in your bathroom.
...you've ever driven more than 40 miles to buy flour or a cookie.
...it takes you 4 hours to grocery shop and your eyesight is
ruined.
...you hyperventilate when passing by the bakery counter.
...you've ever deliberately rammed your cart into a Shredded Wheat
display in a fit of rage.
...you've ever had to take out a loan to pay the grocery bill.
...you'd gladly pay any price for a pretzel that doesn't taste like
sawdust, or bread that doesn't taste like an old shoe.
...the centerpiece on your dining room table is a bread machine with memorial candles.
...your bread looks like a moon rock and tastes like dried out Play
Doh.
...your bread weighs more than any moon rock could possibly weigh.
...one of your primary goals in life is to create "Fake Oreo
Cookies".
...you've disinherited loved ones for putting their knife in your
mayo.
...you've brought a suitcase full of food with you on a cruise.
.........You pace and circle the store three or four times when deciding on a new product, pick it up look at the ingredients, each time. Only to leave without it, figuring why bother.
...your family thinks you're crazy for not tasting their new chocolate chocolate chip cookie recipe, because surely a little nibble couldn't hurt right?
.......your financial portfolio consists of stock in two major toilet paper companies.
.......you are up late at night trying to develop a recipe for pizza without flour, cheese, yeast, tomatoes, beef, garlic and oregano.
.......you can spell transglutaminase and dermatitis herpetiformis.
......you just discovered how to make flour out of turnips.
.......you show up at the annual church pancake breakfast with a mask and sardine lettuce rollups
....having solid poop is the highlight of your day.
....you have actually doodled a new cartoon dog on your notes named "Sprue"
.....you have a sign in your kitchen saying "Gluten free environment"
.....you have actually considered using a gluten-free bagel for a hockey puck
… you have to buy extra memory for your Treo to be able to carry all your gluten-free food and restaurant suggestions
...you've mastered saying "I actually enjoy MY food" ... without your face twitching
...you know all about xanthan gum and its uses.
..you have ever dreamt about Wonder Bread.
... you hide the gluten-free cookies when guests come over, so they dont eat them.
…you read the ingredient label on green tea - plain green tea.
….you know exactly when Post added barley flavoring back to the Fruity Pebbles and you're ticked.
…..you pay relatives back east exorbitant shipping rates to send you a $12 six pack of Gluten-free beer.
…you cried when you saw your usually careful husband brushing the crumbs off his hands (from making a gluten-containing sandwich) RIGHT OVER the open utensil drawer
….there is a separate cabinet in your kitchen dedicated solely to all your supplements (vitamins, BCQ, digestive enzymes, etc.)
…you hear of a new health food store opening in a city close by and get ridiculously excited only to drive there, spend 2 hours walking around the place, reading labels, only to leave empty handed
….you talk about your disease (not the unpleasant parts) so much to your friends and acquaintances that your husband tells you you need to get another hobby
...you take a list of safe drinks to the bar with you. And actually consult it before you order a drink.
...you see someone buying rice flour in the bulk section and you just have to ask them if they are gluten intolerant too!
…it drives you crazy when someone says they completely understand your diet, they did Atkins.
....people roll their eyes at you when you say "no thank you" to someone's gluten filled dessert
..... You've refused things as "simple" as gum or sucking candies because you don't know if they're safe.
..... You talk about endoscopy's and colonoscopy's like these are normal everyday occurences that everyone gets nearly every year.
...You've ever watched your own -scopy, and asked the doc to point out anything cool.
..... Your friend invites you over for your birthday and want to make you a gluten free birthday cake but you plead with them not to, because although you're trying to seem like you don't want to put them through the hassle, you're secretly terrified there will be cross contamination.
..your 'favorites' sites are mostly celiac sites;
...you hugged a chef for making you special meals every time you walk in.
…You've mastered the art of lying when other people ask you if you're hungry.
...you go to a potluck at a friends place and your dish is gluten-free. You dive into it first so that you get something to eat before others contaminate it.
... you long to look at the contents of other people's fridges and pantries just to see what normal people eat.
…. You spend all morning on celiac.com forums.

annelb
10-27-2006, 07:02 PM
Great list, Deb. I sure can relate to it. I laughed and cried as I read :D :(

The only thing I have not done is lick a discarded Twinkie wrapper - that is too scarey.

When I pass a bakery counter I try not to breathe - I use to take deep breaths cause I thought it smelled good. At work in the morning there is a stream of people heating their bagels and buns - ya know, I don't like the smell of toasting bread now.

Thanks :)
Anne

Zonulin
10-28-2006, 12:07 AM
I can relate to some of it - not all! :D This one uncomfortably (ahem) true: ….you talk about your disease (not the unpleasant parts) so much to your friends and acquaintances that your husband tells you you need to get another hobby Getting used to that "glazed" look from people trying to be polite, as I rattle off the dangers of gluten (much like the glazed look on a glazed chocolate donut).

Get this - yesterday my acupuncturist told me that a patient proudly told her she had eliminated WHEAT from her diet. She happily said that now she only eats "white bread." "What do you mean by 'white bread'?" asked my acupuncturist. "Oh - you know - Wonder Bread - the white stuff. I never eat the whole WHEAT stuff anymore." "What do you think the 'white stuff' is made from?" asked my puzzled acupuncturist. Blank look.

ALSO - while I was roasting some raw nuts in the kitchen on Wednesday morning, I was half-listening/watching a Montel Williams show which had the famous psychic Sylvia Browne as a guest. One of the audience members asked a question I didn't hear, but I was able to hear Browne's response: "Oh - gluten - that stuff is poison. Most people cannot digest it. You need to completely get rid of gluten. Read the labels!!" The woman (young, blonde) thanked her and sat down. Not sure if the question was related to a deceased relative or not....!!!! Anyway, that's the first time I've heard gluten described as "poison" on national TV. Whoo hoo!!

Karen

annelb
10-28-2006, 03:34 PM
This list is getting around. Made it to St Johns List.

you have a sign in your kitchen saying "Gluten free environment" I have a sign on my computer at work that says "No Wheat, Gluten Free Zone"

The other day I had to work in another area and when I went to sign on to a different computer I found an open package of peanut butter crackers next to the keyboard and crumbs all over :eek:
Anne

halsgluten
10-28-2006, 03:35 PM
"What do you think the 'white stuff' is made from?"
asked my puzzled acupuncturist. Blank look.

Karen

Sheep! Sheep! They're all Sheep, I say!

Baaaaa! :rolleyes:


Sigh, even sheep have the sense not to eat wheat....

"Bess, you have the great weakness of the clear-minded. You believe that other people think like you. " -- from Elizabeth I

I was raised a wheat farmer; it dumbfounds me when anybody, let alone most Americans, doesn't know bread or pasta comes from wheat. A flaw of consumerism...

Hal

darlindeb
10-28-2006, 08:02 PM
I was raised a wheat farmer; it dumbfounds me when anybody, let alone most Americans, doesn't know bread or pasta comes from wheat. A flaw of consumerism...

Bread, pasta, crackers, cookies--one that gets me is, "If I buy plain crackers, can you eat them?" Like the gluten is in the flavoring only!!!!!

Anne, I had a fellow employee eat french bread at my desk. When I caught her doing it, I asked her to put it away or leave my desk. Her response was, "I'm not dropping any crumbs!" I reminded her that she was touching my phone, my calculator, my pen, and using my desk blotter. She finally put the bread away and as I walked to the optician's lab, I turned in time to see her eating the bread again. The doctor's wife could see how upset I was and she wanted to sterilize my desk. They just don't get it and I remind them all the time that if I get glutened, they will be doing my work for a few days.

Some people will never learn!

annelb
10-29-2006, 12:47 PM
I think people pretty well keep gluten away from my desk. The problem arises when I have to use a shared computer on another floor. This happens once a week. I don't feel that I can claim that computer as my own too. When I work away from my desk, I am very careful not to eat or put my hands to my mouth. In fact, I have stopped eating at my desk altogether.

Your friend invites you over for your birthday and want to make you a gluten free birthday cake but you plead with them not to, because although you're trying to seem like you don't want to put them through the hassle, you're secretly terrified there will be cross contamination.
We have frequent pot lucks and co-workers are always telling me that they will bring in a GF dish for me. Yes, I discourage them - fear of cross contamination.
Anne

jcc
10-29-2006, 02:07 PM
I
ALSO - while I was roasting some raw nuts in the kitchen on Wednesday morning, I was half-listening/watching a Montel Williams show which had the famous psychic Sylvia Browne as a guest. One of the audience members asked a question I didn't hear, but I was able to hear Browne's response: "Oh - gluten - that stuff is poison. Most people cannot digest it. You need to completely get rid of gluten. Read the labels!!" The woman (young, blonde) thanked her and sat down. Not sure if the question was related to a deceased relative or not....!!!! Anyway, that's the first time I've heard gluten described as "poison" on national TV. Whoo hoo!!

Karen

Karen! I saw this particular Montel show, too!! I remember being surprised, and she said it so casually...like everyone knew!

When my son was in preschool and breaking out in hives, his teachers sort of determined it was on the days he had whole wheat rolls. They also suggested cheap white bread because it wasn't as 'bad'. Of course, this was about fifteen years before I learned anything about 'gluten sensitivity'. I do remember reading about Celiac Disease in Dr. Spock...thinking my son fit the description...but is was RARE so I discounted it.

My favorites were these :D (although I could definitely relate to a few others) :

...you've ever driven more than 40 miles to buy flour or a cookie.

...you've brought a suitcase full of food with you on a cruise [road trip...and you travel with a car refrigerator on any trip longer than two hours].

.......you are up late at night trying to develop a recipe for pizza without flour, cheese, yeast, tomatoes, beef, garlic and oregano.

.......you can spell transglutaminase and dermatitis herpetiformis.
[and Hadjivassiliou...lol]

…you read the ingredient label on green tea - plain green tea.

Fidissimus
10-30-2006, 01:07 AM
Ah, thanks for the good laugh! I enjoyed that more than I should've. (I agree with Anne, you couldn't pay me enough $$ to lick a gluten-y wrapper - yikes! Even if it did used to be a Twinkie)

"What do you think the 'white stuff' is made from?" asked my puzzled acupuncturist. Blank look.

Oh, and don't you know... white stuff is made from *flour*... :rolleyes: ;)

lmb3
10-31-2006, 12:26 PM
That list was too good. But you need to change the Twinkie to a Ding Dong (yummm!). I learned my lesson, now I just drool over them. :p

darlindeb
11-01-2006, 08:35 AM
Hehe Lisa--I never liked Twinkies or Ding Dong's that much--but, if you put a bag of Soft Batch Choc Chip Cookies next to me, I may be tempted!:p Nah, not in 5 yrs, I haven't been tempted to eat something I can't have.

Yeah Anne, it is so hard in the work place to get them to understand. Yesterday, perfect example, Pat was getting ready to leave for lunch and walked up to my desk and plopped down her P.B. &J. sandwich just inches from my hand!!!!! I said, "Pat, please do not put your bread on my desk!":mad: She says, "Well, it was only for a second, while I put my jacket on!" She will never understand, I have worked there for 2 yrs and they have known from the first day that I can't have gluten. If I was meaner, I would bring in some mouse poison and lay on each of their desks and see how they feel.

Some people's kids, huh?