My blood sugar was crashing, but the parents beside me demanded I stop eating. They insisted their son couldn’t tolerate it, even as my glucose monitor warned that waiting could put me in danger. Then a flight attendant approached, the father tried to block my food, and I knew protecting my health mattered far more than keeping strangers
My name is Elizabeth, and I’ve managed Type 1 diabetes since childhood. On a flight from Chicago to Seattle, I felt dizzy and reached for a protein bar. The mother beside me objected, saying eating would upset her nine-year-old son. I initially put it away, but when her husband tried to refuse refreshments for our entire row, my glucose monitor sounded another warning. I explained that I needed food for a medical reason. The flight attendant supported me and brought a snack box and soda.
Then I noticed their son eating Skittles while absorbed in his iPad. I pointed out the contradiction and made clear that I couldn’t jeopardize my health to accommodate their demands. The argument ended, and the remaining flight passed quietly; the boy showed no concern about my food. I left with a firmer boundary: caring for my health doesn’t require a stranger’s permission—or an apology.
