A Day in the Life of a Celiac – May 4

All I wanted to do today was get through it. Maybe it was because I had plans to see the Avengers tonight. Maybe it was because it’s been a long week, and I could use a bit of rest. Maybe it was because it’s Friday, and the weather looked beautiful. Whatever the reason, I was antsy, and just wanted the day to end. Catching up with friends over meals was also the theme today, and sometimes a month is just too long in between catching up sessions.That said, those same meals can cause a bit of stress for me, and I’m sure other people with Celiac Disease as well. You see, eating out, or eating anywhere other than our own kitchens for that matter, is stressful. For each meal I eat somewhere other than my own kitchen, I find a place using sites or apps like Find Me Gluten Free, I research their menu online, call the restaurant and then speak to the manager about the restaurant’s food prep and food allergy policy. All-in-all, I spend about an average of 45-60 minutes the day prior to a meal making sure I can eat the restaurant.

Some restaurants, like BJ’s Brewhouse & Restaurant, have made a stand, declared their policy, and go above and beyond to ensure their food is save for those of us with Celiac Disease. Other restaurants, like Rubio’s, state which items on their menu are gluten-free, which items can be made gluten-free, but then state that there are possibilities for cross-contamination.

However, individuals around the country are trying to educate restaurant on what it means to serve meals that are truly gluten-free. Ken Scheer in AZ has taken this to the next level, featuring several gluten-free restaurants on his Gluten-Free Foodie Tour on a monthly basis, and also serves as a gluten-free consultant to the restaurant industry. Hopefully one day, those of us with Celiac Disease will be able to make plans to eat any restaurant and just walk in, without having to worry about safely eating.

Here’s my day:

7:00 Up earlier than normal, but still sore as hell from Wednesday.  Need to drink lots of water today to help with muscle soreness.

8:10 Confirm lunch plans for BJ’s Restaurant. Relax about lunch – BJ’s is on my “safe to eat” list at any location due to their gluten-free/food allergy policy.

8:20 Pamela’s Oat Walnut Spice Whenever Bar for breakfast.

10:40 Normal BM.

11:00 Discussed food options w/boss about his Cinco de Mayo/Kentucky Derby Party tomorrow. There should be finger foods/snack I can have, but I’ll need to eat a big lunch and bring some snacks tomorrow, just in case.

11:30 Pizza at BJ’s. Actually able to relax and enjoy a lunch out. So refreshing not having to worry about the food I’m eating and to be able to concentrate on catching up with a good friend.

14:17 Broke down and finally opened the bag of Deep River chips from a few days ago. It’s been a long week, ok? I needed comfort food. And boy, those chips are delicious.

16:00 Second normal BM today. I’m fine with two a day, as long as they are normal and gut feels fine. Which is true. So it’s all good.

17:15 Stomach a little…unsettled. Not sure why. Didn’t eat anything recently, and everything I’ve had today I’ve had before. Will need to keep an eye on it, and eat a “mild” dinner.

18:22 Stomach still not settled. Kinda concerned.

19:21 Dinner at Rubio’s. Rice not gluten-free per site, but I’m OK. Tacos that touched rice didn’t have cross-contamination. Missed a bullet, but will still monitor BM’s tomorrow to know for sure.

20:04 At The Sugar, a candy shop near Rubio’s. Can’t have anything – kinda missing out of the fun filling bags with candy.  Scoop-able containers, possible cross contamination issues, and can’t verify that most candy here is safe.

20:15 Pleasantly surprised to find this brownie inside the movie theater at their concession stand. Thought about buying one, but was still full from Rubio’s. Happy to see that movie theaters are starting to provide certified gluten-free options.

1:25 (Sat May 05) – Start writing this post.

Cheers!