Living With The Lactose Intolerant

After reading all about my woes as a lactose intolerant person, you must feel tremendous pity for my husband.  After all, his house is completely devoid of ice cream, he can't go into bakeries, his wife is a pain in the neck at dinner parties, she brings home strange tofu-based, "dairy-free" products to fill his refrigerator..... sounds like a real drag, huh?

Well, you're wrong.  It just so happens that my husband is allergic to dairy.

I know!  What are the odds?

What's even more amazing is that he's also allergic to all seafood and I HATE fish!  We are the perfect pair.

Having a husband with actual allergic reactions to foods that I can't - or won't - eat, lifts an enormous burden off my shoulders.  When we are planning to eat out with friends, I can always use My Wonderful Allergic Husband as an excuse to stay away from ice cream places or seafood restaurants.  When we are dining at a friend's home, I have the perfect reason to request that dairy and fish be avoided when my host is preparing the meal.

Now, of course, as a lactose intolerant person, I know that I have the right to ask that dairy be avoided anyway, and that my friends should understand why I'm asking, but as I've mentioned here, there are more than a few people out there who do not understand lactose intolerance or could really care less about it's effects on my stomach.

Allergic reactions, on the other hand, are taken much more seriously in this world.  I do think things are changing, however.  Just look at how many lactose-free items can be found in grocery stores now and other specialty foods like gluten-free and nut-free items are becoming more common place.

I may be the only lactose intolerant person in my circle of friends, but there are more people like me out there.... somewhere!  Right?