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Dear List Mates:

Thanks to so many of you, I received over 30 responses to my question about
whether there could be a risk to me by my roommate heating her regular
(wheat flour) bread, uncovered / unwrapped in the microwave oven.  I will
summarize the responses and offer a note as to why asking my question about
this situation was important to me.  Since several people who responded
indicated that they would be interested in a summary, I've decided to
include texts of most of the messages people sent in a separate post.  I've
left out a few that I found were more judgemental and slightly belittling of
my question than helpful.

There was quite a wide range in the responses.  Most people responded that
they did not think I was at any risk, so long as I put my food on/in a clean
plate/dish and covered or wrapped what I was heating.  Many suggested that I
ask my roommate to be sure to wrap or cover what she heats in the microwave
and make sure not to leave crumbs.  Some also suggested that I ask her to be
sure to clean the microwave after she uses it.  (Since she isn't very
vigilant about any type of housecleaning, I am the one who who would end up
doing that and, in fact, who already does it.)  Others who replied, however,
said that they believed I could well be at risk and that I would be well
advised to ask her not to use the microwave to heat bread and other similar
products.

Finally, thanks to the collective wisdom of those of you who sent helpful
and supportive responses, yesterday I explained to my roommate that while I
was not going to ask her not to use the microwave to heat her bread, it did
make me uncomfortable and nervous that she was doing so, and I asked her to
please wrap her bread or bagels in a paper towel when she heated them in the
microwave oven.  She said she would.  Then, this morning, while I was eating
breakfast, I realized that my roommate has once again begun to use her
toaster for her bread.  So I am most appreciative of all who responded with
positive suggestions.

Note of explanation:  One reason that this situation caused me to be
concerned is that, as so many people diagnosed with Celiac Disease, it took
many years, much difficulty, and my increasingly ill health before I was
finally diagnosed shortly after my 48th birthday.  I had experienced
strange, seemingly unconnected symptoms for over 20 years -- throughout
much of my adult life -- most of which were non-gastrointestinal.  Several
doctors in non-GI specialties continued to scratch their heads, unable to
figure out why I was losing weight, anemic, osteoporotic, extremely
fatigued, complaining of chronic lower back pain, etc.  And these doctors
even talked with one another!  I had become extremely ill prior to my
diagnosis; my weight had dropped to 93 pounds, I was physically and
mentally exhausted, becoming depressed, and I had begun to have GI
bleeding, lack of appetite, and bloating.  Finally!!  Symptoms that sent me
to a gastroenterologist!  Within about 7 minutes, the gastroenterologist at
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston suggested a diagnosis of
Celiac Disease.  That was in the spring of 1998, less than two years ago.
I went on a gluten-free diet and began to feel better almost immediately.
Last week, my gastroenterologist officially "discharged" me from her care,
after we had a good laugh about the fact that in late November of this
year, I was diagnosed as hypothyroid and am now taking Synthroid.  So,
after spending the better part of my adulthood becoming increasingly ill,
and now feeling and being healthy for the first time in decades, I am
extremely careful, unwilling to take risks that are not necessary.  I know
that it may well be virtually impossible to eliminate every bit of gluten
from my diet; I am also unwilling to expose myself to gluten unnecessarily,
especially from someone else's ways of preparing and/or cooking her meals.
I know that this is a choice I choose to make, and that others may choose
to make other choices.  It seems to me most important that we respect one
another in the choices each of us makes, offering information, suggestions
and advice when asked, and, as much as possible, keeping judgements about
and negative characterizations of those choices to a minimum and "out of
print."

Again, many thanks, and a happy holiday season to all, full of much health,
joy, and peace,

Pat (Patricia) Shechter
Boston, MA
Email:  [log in to unmask]