Imagine being told you can’t eat on a flight because a stranger’s kid might throw a tantrum. Now imagine having a medical condition that makes eating non-negotiable. That was my reality on a recent business trip when entitled seatmates tried to police my diabetes management.
It started with subtle symptoms – that shaky, nauseous feeling every diabetic knows means trouble. When I reached for my emergency snack, the mother next to me actually tried to stop me, claiming her iPad-obsessed preteen couldn’t handle someone eating nearby. Things escalated when they told the flight attendant no food or drinks for our entire row!
What these parents didn’t expect was my very public explanation of why I needed to eat RIGHT NOW. The cabin fell silent as I described how low blood sugar could send me into a coma. Suddenly, their complaints about “sensory issues” (for a child happily eating candy) didn’t seem so important. The flight attendant rushed me food, and I enjoyed every bite while the parents stewed in silence.
