<p>We had a couple as friends, the husband had been dealing with some mysterious maladies for years, they were real, but he was struggling to figure out what made him feel better and he tried all sorts of elimination diets. Once we were invited to their home for lunch, Mom served decent, though mundane dry turkey sandwiches, but Dad walked in with an inch thick steak off the BBQ for himself as he was on a beef only diet. My DH was a bit miffed to be left out of the beef options!</p>
<p>When my son was tested by an allergist I was surprised some of the results were not as accurate as I would have expected. For instance, it indicated he was allergic to peanuts, but he never had any problem eating peanut butter, etc. The doctor basically said, if he gets a reaction to something, he’s allergic and don’t allow him to eat it again, if he doesn’t get a reaction, let him have it. And he also said believe him when he says he gets a reaction to something, not that I wouldn’t have. But, the tests were not all that indicative. He discovered most of his allergies through trial and error. The strongest allergic reactions during the test came from pollen and ragweed, but there are fruits and vegetables he cannot eat and tests were not that clear on those.</p>
<p>Then there are my next door neighbors, who demanded the school make a number of adjustments when their third child entered the local elementary. Seems she shared her older siblings’ weird food allergies. Only thing is the first two were bio. and the third was adopted from another continent!</p>
<p>SIL reported on wacko mom when her oldest started school. Woman stood up at back-to-school night and reported since her child had food allergies parents could only buy plain white birthday cupcakes from a certain bakery (not convenient) with no frosting. </p>
<p>I never heard the end of the story, but knowing my SIL, there’s no way she was going to cater to that. (The kid did not have inhalation allergies).</p>
<p>Sue 22–Best laugh i had all day!</p>
<p>Daughters organized a dinner party at a restaurant for sister-in-law’s B-day, who lost her husband a few years before. It was a pay your own way deal. And they requested “no men” as it wouldn’t be fair to their widowed mom. Thankfully, ALL the female invitees refused the stipulation and each took the position: no spouse, no me. The dinner was fine except for a few noticeable sighs.</p>
<p>Not sure I get it. What would be wrong with a women-only dinner? Am I missing something?</p>
<p>toblin, I guess I’m not clear. Sometimes people get together along all female or all male lines. What was the main objection?
Pizzagirl, Just saw your post. I’m not understanding either.</p>
<p>Maybe they needed their husbands to pay? I am with you, Pizzagirl. I would go without DH IF I liked the woman. If not, I would use the excuse that if hubby was not welcome, I just couldn’t accept. Unfortunately, my friends would never believe that I would have a problem going out with them sans hubby.</p>
<p>Agree, it seems that bringing the husbands is what was rude.</p>
<p>That seems rude, toblin. Why not go and have an all-female dinner with your SIL? What’s the big deal?</p>
<p>Speaking as a husband I would have no problem not going.</p>
<p>Ha, Tom, my husband would be happy to not go as well.</p>
<p>Is there a test for lactose intolerance? My daughter could have been a mouse for the amount of cheese/dairy she consumed through her first 16 years. Now she says she feels queasy when she has dairy.</p>
<p>Could be wrong, but I think the best test is to stop for awhile and see if you feel better, then add it back and see if you feel worse.</p>
<p>We’ve done that and yes she feels better but sometimes she can do dairy without issue and sometimes not. She has also used lactaid pills when she has done dairy and has had the same hit/miss results.</p>
<p>bethievt, that’s exactly what my friend’s doctor told her to do. She had been feeling sick after eating for several weeks, but not every meal. Doctor told her to go a week with no dairy and see how she felt. At the end of the week she felt much better, hadn’t had a digestive problem in several days. Then he told her to eat a BIG bowl of ice cream. She got sick as a dog. Doctor said, “Well, you’ve become lactose intolerant.”</p>
<p>I don’t get what is wrong with the all women only dinner, either. We don’t need our husbands to be with us every single second of the time, nor do they need us. That seems mean for the women to make a big deal about it, especially to the widowed sister in law.</p>
<p>I went to National Jewish, which has a worldwide excellent reputation for respiratory and allergy issues. The docs I spoke with there admitted that SKIN and BLOOD testing for FOOD allergies are notoriously UNREALIABLE. The most reliable method of figuring out food alleries are elimination and food challenges that are carefully supervised. Lactose allergies & sensitivities can develop as you age, unfortunately, It has happened in our family, to me, S & starting to affect D as well. H has had it for quite a while. :(</p>
<p>Skin allergy testing & blood allergy testing is primarly effective for INHALATION allergies, like pollens, dust, dust mites, etc.</p>
<p>Not to be a downer, but I have a dear female friend who is dying of cancer (as in, pretty imminent). There are 6 of us couples who have been friends for years, and I think it would be pretty insensitive for the 5 couples and 1 single to get together - why rub it in his face that his spouse is gone? I could easily see just having the guys go out.</p>