Susie, yes, I think you are right. Eating in a restaurant is always risky.
My family began having outings for celebrations at this specific buffet because I recommended it, back a few years ago. They have a huge salad bar, potato bar, and fresh fruit, so I've always picked foods from those areas. Normally I watch for scatterings of croutons, etc., avoid all dressings and sauces, first because of unknown possibly un-vegan ingredients, but later, on top of that, knowing the dangers of hidden gluten.
I saw in a different message by you that you'd said that glutenings were worse with you now than they used to be... is that right? Because it seems that way with me now too... so... I was just wondering how long you've been gluten free now?
The reason I ask, is that, well, in another week I will have been gluten free for 2 whole years. These days the smallest amounts seem to be worse than ever, but I'm wondering if this will soon subside somewhat (not that I have any interest in every eating gluten on purpose, but just for the sake of getting through the real world as necessary)... the reason I'm wondering is becasue back when I was new at gluten free I'd corresponded a little with Ron Hoggan, a Canadian guy who has had celiac for a long time and has spent every spare minute researching all about gluten issues from various journals around the world, attempting to put information together that would otherwise be scattered around... and has authored many essays, at least one book I know of, and two or three articles in a journal...I forget which right now but I think Hypothetical Medicine or some similar title. Anyhow, via e-mail, he related to me that as time has passed he is only mildy ill now when he accidentally gets some gluten somewhere... I didn't think at the time to ask him how long that took, because I assumed (stupidly, on hindsight) that stuff like this wouldn't be such a big deal by two years into gluten free, but I'm finding it's actually worse at this point.
So... I'm hopeful that with more time (don't know hwo much, I wish I would've thought to ask Dr. Hoggan--by the way phd, not md), this will slack off ... so... also wondering... how long have you been gluten free????
And to everybody else...HELLO
-- let's all be nice to each other and wish everybody a very nice day!!!
We can do that!
I was thinking... the great thing about message boards is meeting people so far away from you that you'd never get to know otherwise, getting a chance to talk about stuff with a bigger variety of world experience than you're able to find in your own little neck of the woods...
and the bad thing about message boards... is that, as opposed to person-to-person conversation, in which voice inflection, chuckles here and there, instantaneous correction if something is misconstrued- rather than multiple messages that detract from the original topic just in effort to clarify something that went wayward way back, eye contact, and just seeing one another as fellow human beings with our body language and all of our innate communication skills... all of that missing on message boards... ugh... it can get confused.
I wish we could all sit down togetehr in person... I'm sure we would all have a good time, and I'm sure we would still disagree on many things (GOOD NEWS... we are unique individuals!)... but I know for a fact we would part ways with a smile, embrace, and good feelings for one another as friends. Now, ain't that right? I wish I could speak with everybody here, person-to-person... I'm sure we couldn't help but love each other dearly as great friends.