Dangers of eating out

Living in Portland, there is an enormous list of gluten-friendly options.  Check out this site to prove it. I have become a regular at some places and have had good dinners with no issues.  It is easy to forget that I am so sensitive to gluten.  So, the other night we went to one of my favorite Portland chains that was super busy due to the holidays.  We had a couple issues with our plates, but nothing major and they seemed to be receptive to taking care of the gluten bun that came on my plate.  So I ate the dinner staying in my pretend world that nothing can harm me, not even gluten.  Of course later that night, I woke up with an attack of all the symptoms of gluten. For me, this reaction (though not as dramatic as the initial) will last 2 weeks to a month.

The dangerous word for me right now is complacent.  I have been eating out so much, and had no issues that I forget how important and major this is.  Celiac disease is not something to mess with, I do not want to be dealing  with the "hangover" of gluten constantly.  I want my body to be healthy so that I can fight off other bugs that I may be exposed to.  Working in a hospital, that is a very large number of bugs.

Since I am working on saving money, moving back to home made food is relatively easy.  In some ways it feels like defeat to me.  I want to master this gluten and prove (I'm not sure to whom) that I don't have to take any special precautions.  Of course this is wrong, I'm afraid gluten will be in my nightmares forever.  And of course I have to take very special precautions and be very careful every time I order food - even if I am a regular at a place.