<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
 
>> I do not like being called a celiac or hear the word celiac disease.  I
>> prefer to call it a gluten intolerance, when I hear the word celiac used
>> to refer to me personally it makes me feel like a disease, not a person.
>
>Hi Janet. I respect your feelings, and I do agree with you that this is a
>personal thing, but I take a different view point.  I have celiac sprue
>disease. I *am* a celiac.  I want people to know that.  I use the term
>allergy mainly trying not to be dramatic, but when necessary, I use the
>more appropriate term that gluten is a poison to my body.
 
I must confess to being a little ambivalent in this matter. I agree with
Janet, in particular with the word 'Disease', I refuse to use it, however I
hold no real issue with the word 'Celiac'. I also agree with Benjamin in
that I do use the word 'poison' to describe the food that Celiacs cannot eat.
 
I too have not tried to hide the fact that I have it or am one, but if I
speak to someone about it it is not to portray myself as an invalide or
someone to be pitied, but like Benjamin it is to educate. Within my work
place for example I feel that my efforts have been very successful, other
staff now know what the term Coeliac means, which is basically an
intolerance to the forbidden grains and respect my diet accordingly. Morning
Teas for peoples Birthdays now often includes fruit and cheese instead of
everyone bringing cakes etc. They can see it works and understand my need to
rigidly maintain the diet as my health is extremely good. As I have said in
this forum before, I have not had to see a doctor now in five years and only
regret that I was not labelled a Celiac for life all those years ago instead
of being told I had "grown out of it".
 
This matter raises the subject again of the recent changes to the List. A
topic like this raised by a fellow subscriber cannot just be forgotten by
others writing direct to the poster. This is a discussion group and I urge
others to make that little effort and reply to the List directly in the
majority of times they feel moved to write, which could in turn encourage
others to throw in their 2 cents worth. Too many topics are still
disappearing off this list as the original poster is not adequately
reporting the response back to the List, if indeed they bother at all.
 
Please let's all make an effort to keep this a meaningful and open
Discussion Group and not a private forum for one's personal questions.
 
All the best,
 
Richard Lockley
Melbourne, Australia