For Disability Pride Month, one thing I'd love abled bodied people to figure out is how to speak to someone with chronic health issues without implying that if they themselves had the disabled person's health conditions, they would end it all. I promise you life goes on- even with health issues.
I've had people say things like "I'd rather die than do that" about the most "mild" stuff like dietary restrictions.
(Not minimizing the burden of dietary restrictions at ALL, they are huge and emotional and very complicated, but what a weird hill for people to pick is my point.)
yeah!! I have Celiac disease and people tell me all the time that they'd rather die than not be able to eat bread
like okay, lol, sorry to hear that bread is the only good thing in their lives, hope they feel better soon, lol
Right?!
"Not eating dairy is impossible, I'd rather die"
'I mean, no, I do miss it but--'
"I could never stop eating it"
'...do you understand that terrible things happen to me when I do"
"You must have SO MUCH WILLPOWER"
'I really just prefer functional bowels--'
"YOU'RE SO HEALTHY"
@roxiqt.com I truly get this about Celiac b/c my sister has it. Once her grandson kissed her on the cheek after he ate a cookie; she was in bed for two days with vomiting/diarrhea. She has to use GF skin & hair care products. Hope that you are doing okay.
Oh, sounds like she might have more than Celiac going on then. With Celiac disease, you have to consume gluten to get a reaction. Like, you have to swallow it. A kiss on the cheek wouldn't trigger a reaction from Celiac. Eating gluten accidentally would though.
It has always seemed to me that she’s extraordinarily sensitive but doctors haven’t been able to diagnose anything beyond Celiac. I feel terrible for her because of how she has to watch everything so closely.
Thank you-I don’t know if her doctors checked for it but will ask. As far as I know, she was simply told to avoid gluten. Anyone who has tried to do it knows there’s more to that than giving up bread.
