Thursday, September 11, 2008

I met someone who "gets it"

I have finally met someone who seems to actually fully grasp my food allergies. It amazes me how well thought-out he is about what we eat and where we eat. He looks at ingredients before he buys food he is planning on making me. He makes reservations and calls ahead when we go out to dinner. It is amazing to finally find someone who doesn't need constant reminders and who doesn't need everything written down.

For the past four years I dated someone, who although I know tried, and certainly did care, did not truly understand my allergies. He knew the routine. He knew what he could and couldn't eat, and he would be careful when he cooked for me, but it took the full four years for it to really all sink in. It was frustrating, and his family was even worse at understanding. Some people don't know why it is so difficult for some people to comprehend the severity of food allergies, but too many people don't. I have dated both- the "comprehenders" and the "naive pretenders." The "comprehenders" get it. They don't usually need reminding, they just know what needs to be done and they do it. The "naive pretenders" are the ones who say they understand, but in actuality often forget and don't know what the term "life-threatening" means.

When I find a "comprehender" it is amazing, because it is such a rarity. This guy I have been dating is a comprehender, which makes everything we do revolving around food, that much easier!

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