Dating the Celiac

With this new outlook on life, I decided to start dating. I joined a singles group through meetup.com. I also put up a profile on a couple of online dating sites.

I had never really dated before. I had the long-term off-and-on boyfriend since high school and dated a few guys throughout college and grad school, but nothing serious.

I remember thinking what would be considered a "safe" date. Not safety in terms of personal safety, but in terms of gluten-free safety. It was common that I would go on walks on first dates. Easy enough..I didn't have to worry about food!

However, the time came when I was asked to dinner! I met Medico 6 months before in my singles group. He was there the day after my diagnosis, when I explained to a few people about my diagnosis. I hadn't seen him since that day, although we had e-mailed each other a few times. He had gone to culinary school and knew all about gluten. He asked me where I could go. We went to Outback, because they had a gluten-free menu. I had a wonderful time! We dated for 5 months after that. He cooked me all sorts of wonderful meals and showed me how to incorporate naturally gluten-free foods into my diet.

He changed my life and my outlook on food! He never treated me differently and I'm so grateful for that!

The next couple of boys I dated, I can't say the same about. I was yelled at in a grocery store because I couldn't eat some of the ingredients that this particular boy wanted to include in his meal.

At PF Chang's (another wonderful gluten-free restaurant), I met another boy for lunch. We had a great time with wonderful food and conversation, until the fortune cookie came. I couldn't eat it..nor could I touch it with my wheat allergy. Needless to say, he was out of there ASAP.

It's odd at the end of a date when you can't kiss your date for fear you'll get sick. There is this odd moment of "gee, I wish I could, but I can't."

At times I felt like a burden on the boys I was dating. Then I realized that I couldn't do anything about my Disease. If they didn't like me for me, then I wasn't the right girl for them.

I met another wonderful and understanding boy a year after Medico. Kappy was another boy who loved to cook. We traveled to Atlanta (the second best place in the country to eat gluten free!) several times. It was wonderful. I'm very grateful to him too.

The next boy that I dated, I would marry..and that my friends, is a whole 'nother post! :)

-KAGFG