Does anyone out there have happy dreams? My dreams are always vivid and I pretty much always remember them. But 90% of the time they are stressful as hell. I’m driving out of control and can’t reach the brake pedal. I’m being chased but my legs weigh 1,000 pounds. It’s the day of college finals and I haven’t been to class all year. I’m in a huge golf tournament but my club is a fork instead of a golf club. I accidentally eat gluten and it keeps expanding in my mouth as panic sets in.
Anyway…and I swear this is relevant to today’s post…I had a dream last night that Mrs. Dude and I were hosting a big party. Tons of my college and high school friends (none of whom I’ve spoken too in over 20 years) are there. Evan Areman walks in with 2 chocolate cakes with vanilla icing. He says one is regular and the other he made just for me and it’s gluten-free. Then he says “Well, it’s mostly gluten-free.” Oh…just to top it off, I was half-naked in most of the dream because I couldn’t find my pants. Yes…another relaxing night’s sleep.
This leads us to the latest episode of “As My Stomach Turns”. See that picture above? That is an image of a gluten-free meal on a recent United Airlines flight. A 20 year old woman with celiac disease was on a flight to Italy (total travel time door to door – 21 hours). Her mom sent me this photo and said “Daughter’s gf meal on United today as she flies to Italy. They should pay a fine or be charged with assault! 🤬” Luckily, she spotted it ahead of time and had packed extra food so she was ok.
But let’s say she didn’t spot it and she ate the bar. She’s on a plane for a long time. It could’ve been ugly as her immune system kicks into overdrive. And her 10-day trip could have been ruined as her body through the process of being poisoned.
The question is…how does this happen? Honestly, it’s 2024. Gluten-free is not a new thing. For something this obvious to be put into her gluten-free meal is disheartening to say the least and naturally very dangerous.
It’s been a strange stretch in the gluten-free world. Aussie Bites, which are Certified Gluten-free, are not actually gluten-free. Simple Mills, a once staple for the celiac community, begins using shared equipment. Same with Pamela’s. More and more of these stories are popping up. Why? I’ve certainly got my theories: Profit over people, the prevalence (still) of gluten-free jokes, the influencers putting all of the focus on GF food and not on the disease itself, etc. Who knows!
Will United Airlines suffer any repercussions? Of course not. I’ll reach out to them but I am expecting the usual response that I get from these mammoth corporations: crickets.
Now what? As the Alan Parson Project so eloquently stated: Where do we go from here? I’m honestly not sure. Sometimes it’s like screaming into the void. Let’s just keep spreading the gospel that celiac is a real disease with real consequences when we eat gluten. And breathe.
Peace,
Gluten Dude
It’s happened to me. Ordered my gf meal weeks (probably months) in advance. Over the Atlantic the flight attendant had no record of it and told me I “should have ordered it weeks ago.” I DID order it weeks ago! The entire crew ignored me. Finally, after all meals were eaten and cleaned up, they gave me some bag of a clearly-not-gluten-free snack. Thanks. Another time I did get me requested meal, but I could not identify the food. I asked an attendant what it was, and he had no idea. I trashed it. This is why — even though I order in advance — I always pack my own food. NO ONE CARES! And we have become a punch line to a joke! But don’t dare bring any peanuts on board!!! Clearly we do not matter. I have no idea why that is the case, but I fear that in my lifetime this will not change. Medical schools do not teach about celiac (I work for one), and I am certain it is because there is no pill to “cure” it! Gluten Dude is THEE best advocate, but we still have “Gluten-Free Cheerios” on the shelf, don’t we? Bottom line, trust only yourself with your food!
Well said Jane!!
I’ve had this happen to me a few times. They have a base tray with silverware, the roll, butter, salad, etc. They pull the gf entree once it’s heated and put it on the tray and hand it out. You always have to double check and you also may not get a meal (that’s happened a few times). My recommendation when flying is to eat a meal before you get on the plane then take food with you, even if you have a meal ordered. Yes it would be good if airlines did a better job but I’d imagine if you talked to a flight attendant, they are pretty stretched. And it could be the catering company who doesn’t load the meal. That’s out of their hands. I’m sorry this happened to her. It must have been very stressful.
Yeah…I blame it less on the flight attendants and more on the corporate culture of not really giving a damn about anything except profits.
Hospitals in this country (USA) don’t even get it right! I only eat food that I prepare myself.
Hospitals are the worst!!
Being hospitalized is my worst nightmare scenario. I figured out how to beat the system though. I just ask for milk, nothing else. I just say my stomach isn’t feeling right. I’ve never met a nurse who cared enough to be bothered as long as I was eating something. They’re busy. I learned that when I got my gallbladder surgery. I think they had dispensers nearby. I’d ask for a hardboiled egg, but I don’t think they have those. Singleton foods have saved me in such situations.
I have T1 diabetes and Celiac. I was in the hospital recently and had low BG and asked a nurse for something with sugar and no gluten to treat it. Ideally a juice or soda but something. They didn’t have any juice or soda available and everything else that they had to treat low blood sugar had gluten. Seriously, every single thing. I could barely see because I was seeing “stars” but went to the elevator down to the cafe and bought a Sprite. Not sure why none of the nurses did this but whatever. I thought for a minute that I would need to knowingly eat gluten as it is less dangerous than passing out from low blood sugar but it turned out ok.
I flew Fiji Airlines last fall. Both my gluten free meals were delicious. Clearly marked and labeled. When I flew United, there was no gluten free option. Maybe other airlines should look at how Fiji Air manages to fed the vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, and kosher meals in addition to the standard meal. Kudos to Fiji Air.
That’s good to know Jaci…thanks.
I always “try” to order the gf meal, and we travel to Europe a lot since our daughter lives in Spain. I don’t think I have ever actually eaten the gf meal out of fear. I asked a few of the flight attendants if they knew if it was safe for celiac or if it was made along with the other gluten filled entrees on the same line, etc. They had absolutely no idea, so I just bring my own snacks and bars and resent the fact that this is the state of gf flying in the US. It is utterly ridiculous.
Yep…always pack your own food.