Friday, September 24, 2004
Bad gamble, good gamble...
Yesterday afternoon, Dan got done with his doc appointment sooner than we expected, and we had a bit of extra time before work to get some lunch. We went to Applebee's. I combed the menu for something that looked safe while the waiter brought us our drinks.
When it came time to order, I did what I usually do: I mention that I need to avoid wheat for health reasons. The waiter interrupted me and said that the restaurant could not be held responsible for any wheat that might be in their food and to not ask him or the manager for assistance in ordering! He was quite rude and made me feel like a leper.
My instinct was to just walk out, which is what I should have done.
But we already had our drinks, and there wasn't time to go anyplace else before work, so I chose something I've safely eaten many times before: broiled chicken with roasted potato and steamed veggies.
Bad gamble.
When I got to work, I began to get nauseous, and my tummy was rumbling like a volcano. I felt weak and vaguely like I had the flu. I kept thinking it would pass, but it didn't....I was like that the rest of the shift.
I suspect the chicken may have been prepared with soy sauce, which contains wheat flour. I will never set foot in an Applebee's restaurant again.
So I had a predicament....I knew I had to be more careful, and I was planning to get together with Dan's family to eat out someplace tonight. I had even been granted a night off work for the occasion. What to do?
Internet to the rescue! I went to a celiac message board to see if I could find specific foods at specific restaurants that I could eat. I already knew of one, but Asian food doesn't appeal to everyone in Dan's family.
Enter the Outback Steakhouse. Went to their website, and they had a link to a gluten free version of their menu! I printed it out, hardly believing my luck.
When I called to make reservations, I double checked that it would be ok if I ate there. They said they do gluten free requests a lot. Still, I was a bit nervous when we went there tonight as I was STILL nauseous from the Applebee's debacle.
Ordered grilled chicken breast with barbecue sauce on the side and steamed veggies without seasoning. No problem....in fact, my nausea disappeared after a few bites. Encouraged, I split a dessert with Dan: ice cream with coconut, strawberries and chocolate sauce....my first dessert in a restaurant in well over a year.
Good gamble. I feel fine. Guess I learned my lesson.
By the way, my six month old niece is ADORABLE, fairly quiet and very squirmy. Met her for the first time tonight. Dan's mom took a pic of me and Elaina, which I'll share if it turned out ok.
Everyone is asleep right now (Dan's parents are staying with us). I was dozing off a few hours ago reading a guidebook of Hawaii, but I had to stay up because I last ate between 10 and 10:30, and I cannot lay down until at least three hours after a meal (doctor's orders). Weird life I lead.
Pain level: 7
Fatigue level: 9
When it came time to order, I did what I usually do: I mention that I need to avoid wheat for health reasons. The waiter interrupted me and said that the restaurant could not be held responsible for any wheat that might be in their food and to not ask him or the manager for assistance in ordering! He was quite rude and made me feel like a leper.
My instinct was to just walk out, which is what I should have done.
But we already had our drinks, and there wasn't time to go anyplace else before work, so I chose something I've safely eaten many times before: broiled chicken with roasted potato and steamed veggies.
Bad gamble.
When I got to work, I began to get nauseous, and my tummy was rumbling like a volcano. I felt weak and vaguely like I had the flu. I kept thinking it would pass, but it didn't....I was like that the rest of the shift.
I suspect the chicken may have been prepared with soy sauce, which contains wheat flour. I will never set foot in an Applebee's restaurant again.
So I had a predicament....I knew I had to be more careful, and I was planning to get together with Dan's family to eat out someplace tonight. I had even been granted a night off work for the occasion. What to do?
Internet to the rescue! I went to a celiac message board to see if I could find specific foods at specific restaurants that I could eat. I already knew of one, but Asian food doesn't appeal to everyone in Dan's family.
Enter the Outback Steakhouse. Went to their website, and they had a link to a gluten free version of their menu! I printed it out, hardly believing my luck.
When I called to make reservations, I double checked that it would be ok if I ate there. They said they do gluten free requests a lot. Still, I was a bit nervous when we went there tonight as I was STILL nauseous from the Applebee's debacle.
Ordered grilled chicken breast with barbecue sauce on the side and steamed veggies without seasoning. No problem....in fact, my nausea disappeared after a few bites. Encouraged, I split a dessert with Dan: ice cream with coconut, strawberries and chocolate sauce....my first dessert in a restaurant in well over a year.
Good gamble. I feel fine. Guess I learned my lesson.
By the way, my six month old niece is ADORABLE, fairly quiet and very squirmy. Met her for the first time tonight. Dan's mom took a pic of me and Elaina, which I'll share if it turned out ok.
Everyone is asleep right now (Dan's parents are staying with us). I was dozing off a few hours ago reading a guidebook of Hawaii, but I had to stay up because I last ate between 10 and 10:30, and I cannot lay down until at least three hours after a meal (doctor's orders). Weird life I lead.
Pain level: 7
Fatigue level: 9
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