how hospitable is hospitality?

Kinda strange timing. A couple days ago on the celiac support listserv, a civil argument started over the question on wether is our right as celiacs to demand restaurants to accomidate us. Today, Slate magazine examines the issue of accomidating allergies.

Part of my American arrogance demands that if I'm willing to part with my hard earned money to a restaurant, that restaurant should be GRATEFUL that I'm spending money, and they should accomidate my dietary restrictions.

Then there's the reality part....


Reality is that officially less than 1% of the population has celiac. Quite a few are diagnosed as children, so they don't get to spend their hard earned money in restaurants, and don't count. If celiacs around the country decided to boycott a national chain (say for example "Outback" after a celiac suffers a gluten experience after eating there), it wouldn't hurt their bottom line. I mentioned Outback because they offer a gluten-free menu, but the issue of cross contamination is a very real danger to people super sensitive to gluten. (I happen not to be one of those......yet)

Also the reality is, eating gluten won't kill a celiac. If the eyes start glazing over when I say that I have celiac, I take a deep breath (to stifle my inner immunologist), and just say that I'm allergic to wheat. I get a much better response to that.

The celiac support group has posted nothing but positive experiences when reporting their celiac with advance notice. But a cruise is a niche market for those that have lots of money for a once in a lifetime event. I hope someday to go on another cruise, and I'm relieved that my celiac won't be an issue on a cruise ship.

At a McDonalds though - I gotta face facts. Mainstream places don't have to accomidate me, and for that, I don't offer them my hard earned money. It is not bankrupting them either because of it. Yes, it does annoy me a bit sometimes when I see Subway or Quizzno's commercials taunting me with something I can not have. But I'm in the minority, and that's the truth. Until celiac becomes "mainstream," I have to accept that a restaurant doesn't have to go nuts in reducing cross contamination potential to keep me healthy. It's my job to keep myself healthy, and if that means not going out, then I don't go out.

It reminds me of the parents that get pissed when you express your displeasure that the toddler at the table next to you is screaming in your ear. They see it as their right to show up, sobbing and hysterical toddler in tow. However, they are the minority, and should be told that the restaurant cannot accomidate a "terrible twos" toddler. Yet, it's PC not to do that, so the rest of us are stuck.

Applying the same logic, then my fellow restaurant patrons should put up with my foul smelling farts that happen when I do eat gluten....






I say this as I'm dealing with the same symptoms as gluten ingestion. But yesterday I was sick, so I didn't eat hardly anything (and what I did eat was gluten-free at home). So I'm hoping it's more from this cold bug...

willing to buy energy

I wish it were as simple as buying from an electric company.

Rather, I sleep all night, and wake up throughly exhausted in the morning. Then for extra sleep deprivation, the storm that blew through last night was so loud I couldn't even hear my AC kick in.

Yes, I know I have a sleeping disorder. Yes I know there are medication options out there. Yes I've tried them. The first class of drugs act on dopamine receptors. After building up to the prescribed doseage, it kicked my mind into overdrive. I was physically awake with runaway thoughts. I'd rather be dead asleep and not aware that I'm not resting.

The second class were the anti-epileptics. Worked for a few weeks, but then stopped working. Darned tolerance again. Still haven't heard back from when I left a message with the doctor about what to do. So I quit taking it Wedneday night.

At least when I stopped taking it, the bad side effects didn't kick in. Of course, I'm not taking it throughout the day like I had been before. But it's nice to not have that "everything that moves is falling asleep" feeling.

I just wish there was something I could do to get up and rested the next day. I can't sleep 13 hours every night.

no HIPPA in insurance world

Since I work with clinical patients, HIPPA is this thing we tend to speak in hushed tones "can't say that - HIPPA."

Maybe not that bad, but you get the idea.

So I answer the lab phone when it rings. It was someone looking for the post-doc. After I stifle a laugh since he normally doesn't make in before 1:00 PM unless he has to be here, I ask to take a message.

"Oh, this is Brian from his insurance company."

I suggested he call the cell phone.

"I tried that already and left a message. I was just trying to get in touch with him about the vandalism report he filed."

"Well, that would suck. But I'll tell him that you called."

I found out more from the insurance guy than I would have if I had just asked the post-doc if anything was new. Turns out that it happened in the parking lot at work, which sucks even more.

A minute later, the post-doc did show up. But only because he has to rely on roomie to bring him to work since he can't open the driver's door. Made off with his stereo and pricey amps.

Makes me all the happier that I can make due with my factory default stereo and speakers. Not too much of a market for crappy GM parts I guess.