Friday
Oct222010
It's All In The Family: What to Do When A Family Member Refuses to be Tested for Celiac
Friday, October 22, 2010 at 9:00AM Check Out The Gluten-Free Optimist's Post HERE
It's All In The Family: What to Do When A Family Member Refuses to be Tested for Celiac
Reader Comments (4)
Oh, this is such an irritating subject for me. My whole family has been tested but in my husband's family no one has been tested. I think it has a lot to do with people's outlook on life. If you have a positive outlook and you are an optimist then you want to know because you feel like it will be fine and it's better to know. But if you have a negative outlook then it would be the end of the world and why get tested because if you end up having celiac it will be too inconvenient. I think it is fascinating how you can opt out of knowing whether this is affecting you. I have family members that have some pretty crazy symptoms who would rather have an operation than find out if they have celiac. IT'S CRAZY! Thanks for your post.
great video - but i do want to point out that some of the hesitancy by family members to get tested may very well be due to hearing their celiac-diagnosed relatives moan and groan about the woes of gluten-free life.
if you really want your... relatives to get tested, my strongest suggestion - as your list of foods and restaurants implies - is to get on the marketing bus! don't even mention the test until you let them see (and perhaps even TASTE) for themselves how easy and delicious a gluten-free life can be. invite them over for a picnic or some such thing and (without even telling them) lay out a FEAST of gluten-free food. do this a few more times before you finally suggest they be tested. it really works!
@Susie R
That is such a great idea. I agree. It is all about attitude, and the way that we as celiacs approach it. Many of them don't realize that even if they are not positive this is something that will come up again... say in their children? We can lay a healthy and tasty foundation for that matter! Thanks again Susie!
Tinsley
@ourGFfamily.com
I'm just so curious as to when convenience became a priority over health? When doctors said that people were going to get brain cancer from cell phones there was a huge surge of buying those bluetooth headset things... But when people - i.e. family - can see how a diagnosis has changed your family's life for the better and will change their life as well... I just don't know. The mortality rate is 4 times higher in undiagnosed celiac adults than it is in healthy adults. How people choose surgery over a diet/ lifestyle change is honestly beyond me? If my doctor told me I would have to eat only kale for the rest of my life it wouldn't have mattered because I knew that meant I would be healthy! We need better doctor education, more research, and an attitude adjustment as a community (although many of us have exactly the right attitude). Oh my, I could go on forever.... But I'll stop here! Thanks for the comment!
Tinsley