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I have been reading all the posts about food horror stories at the hospital.
Fortunately, I have had excellent success with dietitians at our hospital
when I had to be admitted and I think I should share my way of handling that
situation.  I have never received anything on my tray in the hospital that
wasn't completely gluten-free.

When I am going to be admitted to the hospital I contact the dietitian and
tell her that I have serious food allergies and that I think it would be
easier to give her a list of the things I CAN eat rather than trying to go
through the hassle of telling her what I CAN'T eat.

The dietitians always want to know what my food allergies are and I lie to
them and tell them it's not something that I can put a LABEL on but I have
experimented with food and I know exactly what I CAN eat.  They always say
something like, "There are a few unfortunate people that are allergic to
many things and I understand that completely."

By handling it this way I am able to avoid the frustration of giving a
lecture on Celiac Disease and cow milk intolerance, etc. something that I
despise doing.

I then give the dietitian a list of things I can eat and, of course, it
is a very big list of really good food and the dietitian always remarks
that I am lucky to be able to have so many fine foods.  GF means GOOD
FOOD to me and I don't mind having celiac disease because it keeps me
from eating junk food and I am always the correct weight and much
healthier than my contemporaries.  I find that the things celiacs can't
eat are mostly not very healthful and that you simply don't need them.

With all of this out of the way I ask the dietitian if it will be possible
to have my food cooked separately from food for other patients.  The
dietitian runs over the list quickly and comes to the conclusion that it
WILL be very easy to prepare my food separately.

As soon as I enter the hospital I request an appointment with the dietitian
and we meet in my room and I furnish another copy of my 'can eat' food list
and specifically request that my food be cooked separately.  I curtly state
that if I eat anything other than stuff on the list or if it is not cooked
separately I will have ghastly reactions that will alarm the entire hospital
staff.  I realize that this part is a kind of threat but I watch the
dietitians when I mention that fact and I can clearly see that they are
impressed.

This method always works and I don't have to explain anything to anyone.  I
make a simple, easy request and it is granted.

A long time ago I found out that people don't care if I have celiac disease
or not and that they are bored with a discussion of that.  I just find ways
to live my life without discussing celiac disease.  I will be willing to
discuss my methods of accomplishing that with anyone that is interested.  I
have found out the hard way a number of times that people simply don't want
to be bothered with such things as food allergies and that they react
negatively if I try to press that on them.

It is no one's fault that I have celiac disease and I don't expect anyone to
make special arrangements to accommodate me but then I am an extremely
independent and a very proud man.  I NEVER whine!


Joe