Last night The Big B-ster and I were talking with a new neighbor.* Since my problems are quite obvious, (coughtoothinandhaveatubecough) we eventually got around to talking about me and my “medical problems.” After Brandon essentially told him I was trying to recover from anorexia, he more or less said that his wife had an eating disorder too.
Oh? Which one? Bulimia, anorexia, EDNOS, COE?
Nah, none of those.
She has Celiac Disease.
I, like, seriously didn’t know what to say. Should I laugh? Nod sympathetically and murmur that I’m so glad I don’t have “that one?” Tell him he didn’t know what the H bomb he was talking about?
While those who suffer with Celiac do indeed have to go through a lot and it’s probably totally BALLS, it’s just not the same thing, obviously, I mean HELLO! My niece and 2 uncles have the disease, and pretty sure they wouldn't classify themselves as being mentally ill, at least not in this respect, haha. He went on and on about how she can’t have gluten. He asked me if I knew what Celiac was, and I replied that I indeed knew what it was, and then added under my breath that I sure as hell knew it WASN’T an eating disorder.
He then started asking me if I could eat chocolate, or protein. WTF? Really? Are you really the last person on the planet who doesn’t know what anorexia is?
I actually found it kind of refreshing!!
But as soon as I had myself this ohsofun little convo, I texted my niece and told her that my neighbor* says she has an eating disorder. She got all freaked out and paranoid and wanted to know why I was talking about her behind her back, and why I was telling other people she had an eating disorder when she in fact DOES NOT. Loves it, good times, good times!
And watch out all you Celiacsters, you may just find yourselves in the DSM V soon…
*Just protecting the privacy of the "neighbor." Lots ‘o peeps read my blog. I know I’m being cryptic. But deal, okay? Thanks and LOVE YOU!
Friday, December 5, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
27 comments:
Lol okay that's awesome. He really doesn't know what anorexia is?
And you know what? I may or may not start telling people I have an eating disorder when they offer me things like cake or cookies.
Except no, no I won't. Because no one else would think it was funny and my roommates would probably take me to a counselor or something.
My sister just got diagnosed with Celiac. Definitely not an eating disorder. I agree with you, that is totally messed up that someone would call it that. However, I have been watching my sis adjust to this new lifestyle and I am worried that it could spawn an ED. My sis was already underweight and I had my suspicions before the Celiac. Plus I know she's genetically susceptible to ED since I had one. Now she is basically required to obsess about the ingredients in everything and can rarely eat convenience food or at a restaurant. I wonder if there are any studies out there about Celiac leading to an actual ED.
alissa, you raise a really, *really* good question. wow.
Marbles, thanks for being a good sport! ;) love you my hot niece o mine.
Yeah... celiac, as much as it must suck, is definitely not an eating disorder!
wow, that's ridiculous
Hey Brie, you might want to let your neighbor know that the world is much nicer ABOVE the ground. ;)
While I certainly agree that Celiac disease isn't an eating disorder, like Alissa commented, I think there can be instances where it can lead to an Ed.
On another token, some people get misdiagnosed with anorexia for Celiac disease, simply because of their appearance. There is a great story in Jerome Groopman's book, How Doctors Think that talks about a woman who was misdiagnosed for with anorexia for years when she really had Celiac. It got to a point that she really wondered if she did have an Ed as everyone kept saying she did.
Anyway, that was a sidebar comment. I think with the situation with the guy,it's pretty amazing he didn't know of anorexia. Maybe he has been living under a rock?
Wow. Seriously, who doesn't know what an eating disorder really is? Celiac restricts what you can eat, but not because the person who has it doesn't want to eat those things. Lame. Sounds like it was good for a laugh. Sorry things suck right now. I hope you start feeling better soon.
Is he an older guy? If so, I'm not really surprised. (Um, sorry for the lame comment.)
I don't know anyone with that disease, but it sounds awful. But not psychological like EDs. I think your neighbor is obviously clueless and was just trying to be kind in the oncversation. You know, try to find osmething that you can relate to towards that other person...and he really may have thought that his wife and you had the same thing, although that makes him a total dud, but, oh well. Maybe take over some home-made cookies with loads of gluten and wheat and eggs, and give her some? ooooooooooooooh, I'm mean. I take it back.
Someone must clue this guy in on the difference between an EATING disorder and a DIGESTIVE disorder.
Oddly enough, I had a somewhat similar experience a few years ago. I was preparing to enter the hospital for AN treatment. I had to inform my employer at the time, of course. He was a very bright man, but he was a Taiwanese immigrant and his English was not exactly top-class. Mid-way through the big conversation, it became apparent that he didn't get the above distinction either, whether because of linguistic limitations, lack of knowledge, or a bit of both. I decided it wasn't worth the effort at the time to clear up the confusion.
Wow...loads of spelling errors in my previous comment. I hate spelling errors.
OMG, Brie! Thanks for the much needed laugh. :)
Take care!
love, kristin
Hey, girl! Take the punches as they go...because I think we are just realizing how many IDIOTS are out there. And, I think, we've only started to meet them.Don't worry, I'll take care of them for you. Or, wait.no. that sounds bad. I will help you when you feel sad from those dumb rednecks.
that is hilarious. seriously. hilarious.
I' m with you Brooke and Laur...!
Brie, just wanted you to know I was thinking of you and wishing the best for you. And by the way, I always say I want to move back in with my mom too when things are hard. Moms make everything better.
Sarah
Wow, that's mind bending. Ignorant at least. And actually for me my ED simply started out cutting out gluten, as well as dairy. Now I'm extremely phobic to ever eat those again.
I have celiac AND anorexia... reppin' the whole spectrum up in hurr...
ps; love your blog
Wait, correction. I have celiac, I am IN RECOVERY from anorexia.
Okay, so I don't know how to get in touch with you but through your blog now days, so this comment doesn't relate to your post, but could you e-mail me your address? I'm sending out Christmas cards, gradually, and still don't have yours.
Take care,
Heather
So back in the olden days when I was at CFC one lady there really had Anorexia and Celiac and they didn't believe her cause they thought it was an ed game until she was so sick (from eating...ironic) she ended up in the hospital. My sister has Celiac and still eats wheat even though it makes her sick cause she can't stand cutting it out. She is so dumb!
So I saw your sister at Dr. Nielson's office today but I couldn't remember which one she was so I didn't say Hi. It was kind of embarassing because we both looked at eachother and didnt say anything. Then the nurse came and said, "Misty." So, tell her that I'm not stuck up and that I said hello!
for realsies? oh, that's a little sad for him. i wonder what he did during health class?
That is so funny!! That totally made my day. My son is being tested for Celiac right now and so I got a bigger kick out it!
Find the latest Bulimia news and discuss the latest topics with members of the Bulimia and Eating Disorders Community.
------------------
Stellathomas
Bulimia News and Discussion Forum
Ha! This was hilarious!
I was diagnosed with Celiac two and a half years ago and trust me, to me it's nothing like an eating disorder. Heh, if you saw me, you wouldn't think I had an eating disorder, unless it was compulsive overeating! hahaha
Rock on and good luck to you!
Post a Comment