Pregnant, diabetic, and not allowed my own food

[PreggoDiabetic]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California

I am pregnant (of courses), which pretty much anyone knows is taxing on the body and can run through sugar very fast. I'm also diabetic, meaning I sometimes process it wrong too, and just throwing sugar into me can make me very sick. Regulating my blood sugar can be tricky as it is. Right now it's nearly a nightmare. At all times I keep with me both something high sugar as well as a low-sugar food.

Tonight Cody and I went to a local theater that is playing Gone With the Wind, one of my favorite movies, and I was so excited to see it on the big screen. It's a four-hour movie, and the theater only sells candy bars, not even hot dogs. Candy bars. For drinks, they sell soda. I don't do well on only these things for four hours. So I brought with me a small salad, and since I can't drink regular soda (I get nauseated from the sugar), I had a small smoothie that is some fruit blended with ice.

AFTER I had bought our tickets, salad in my hand during the entire transaction, we went to the door, and the ticket-taker tore the tickets and then told me I can't take my salad or drink, and I informed her I am a pregnant-diabetic and can't sustain myself on candy cars for four hours, and she became VERY rude to me to the point I was stunned silent for a moment, and I told her I would need a ticket refund, and on the way back to the ticket booth, she literally yelled after me, with many other people around, "Well, you have a sugar-loaded drink in your hand!" I stuttered when trying to tell her it's strawberries blended in ice, but was just so embarrassed I didn't get the words out.

This was not only extremely embarrassing for me, but distressing. I shouldn't need to go into the "sugar-loaded drink" being strawberries in ice, and I don't believe she had any legal right to comment on this.

Let's make this worse - I have no large intestine and can't absorb liquid too well on top of it all.

Right now I have to, absolutely have to, eat every two or three hours, even over night, which is very hard for me. I tried going four hours and did end up fainting. So I really have to eat. I nearly passed out at a zoo last week after an our when I couldn't find something to drink an became dehydrated very quickly, so don't want to take chances.

I don't like to admit this part of things because people often look down on those taking money, but I am on temporary disability right now (for the next year) because of how my conditions affect each other and the risks.

I was under the belief that as I have a couple of conditions that DO NOT make it possible for me to eat only candy for four hours and I MUST eat every few hours, that allowing me to take my salad, at the least, would have been a reasonable accommodation. And it seems extremely inappropriate for her to challenge my condition based on a drink. It was humiliating!

I know my night being ruined, that a movie I've waited for months to get to see on the big screen and now can't, means nothing for anything legal, but as far as not allowing a reasonable accommodation for a couple medical conditions and then yelling a challenge about one of those conditions. I am hurt and embarrassed enough, and spend enough money at this theater, that I don't want to just drop this. I sure as hell don't ever want to go back there now to see other old movies. This was just humiliating.

I need to know what my rights are here, and what I can do. I do want to be compensated for this. This theater should NOT be allowed to do this, and I suspect they're the ones in the wrong here.

Also, this theater is a small, one-screen theater with national historical landmark status. So it's not some huge chain with a manager on the premises at all times.

 

[PreggoDiabetic]

Also I am NOT on insulin, and the only way my sugar is controlled is through what I eat.

 

[CourtClerk]

You have the right to go to a theatre that will accommodate you and your "needs."

You have the right to have the price of your ticket refunded to you.

You have no right to be compensated beyond that. How are THEY to know that you are telling the truth about all your medical issues?

They have the right not to allow outside food into their establishment.

You have not won the lottery. Sorry. Thanks for playing.

 

[PreggoDiabetic]

Considering I DO carry verification on me at all times, I could have proven this to her. I also carry verification of my status as temporarily disabled (and one of the statements I keep in my purse includes how much I receive). one of the documents I keep with me is a statement from my doctor. To date, I have not had to pull out any of it, and have not expected to need to. I also didn't expect someone to YELL at me and humiliate me in front of other patrons either.

So if someone needs a guide dog and the theater doesn't allow it, should that person just take a refund and find another theater? Considering not having the dog won't lead to a potential medical emergency? No. Why is a disability requiring a dog protected by law, but I should have no expectation of any sort of protection when I can PROVE my conditions and what I need?

 

[justalayman]

maybe it is how you reacted to the person (that apparently wasn't all that great themselves) at the ticket taking booth.


When questioned, why did you get all upset and demand a refund rather than asking to speak to the manager in private where you could explain AND show him your proof of your problem?

Your situation is not all that common and most folks that work at the theaters are young and not so wise as to understand much of anything. When presented with such a situation, you cannot expect everybody to simply accept your word for everything, or anything for that matter.

A simple discussion with the manager was the proper action. Not demanding a refund (obviously deserved considering you were leaving) and expecting the kid to understand the meaning of life. You need to learn how to deal with the situations as much, no, more than those you interact with. You are the one that knows what is going on. Don;t expect them to with a quick "I have to eat" answer.

Considering I DO carry verification on me at all times, I could have proven this to her.

but you failed to offer it. You simply said you wanted your money back because you were leaving.

 

[PreggoDiabetic]

I told her part of my memorized sentence, and wasn't angry since I didn't expect a problem and was still excited about seeing my favorite movie on the big scree. "I'm pregnant and diabetic and my blood sugar can't be controlled with candy -"

It was there that she interrupted me and very rudely told me I had to throw my salad away. She was just so rude! I was stunned speechless for a moment. This is a small theater that doesn't have an on-site manager. Almost always when I'm there the only employees there at all were the ticket seller and someone who doubled both as the ticket-taker and concessions person. Only once have I seen a separate person taking tickets and working the concession booth, and that was tonight. I know there's no manager on site because I once asked since I had a question the ticket-taking concession person couldn't answer, and was informed that they don't have a manager there, but I could call during the week and speak with someone.

When she told me I had to throw it away and was loud about this, and I know there is no manager to talk to, that is when I said I'd need a refund. I was so stunned by the force of her rudeness I didn't even think to pull out my paperwork. When I took a couple steps back, the people who were waiting after me had looks of shock on their faces too, and looked back and forth between me and the lady, mouths opened. It was clear her behavior shocked others other than just me, and I was so humiliated by this point that there as no way I was thinking clearly to answer with, "Here is the proof of my conditions and verification of disability and proof from my doctor of what I need". I was close to crying at that point.

The people who work at this theater are NOT young people. To them I would be the "kid". This particular person appeared to be in her mid-40's, and the ticket-seller appeared to be a senior citizen. These aren't teens and early 20-somethings usually working at large theaters. But I AM one of those young 20-something people. How I was treated was humiliating! I was shaking and did cry when I got back to my car.

 

[You Are Guilty]

While I'm not convinced you have a valid complaint, here's the only way to find out for sure:
http://www.dfeh.ca.gov/DFEH/Complaints/eCompProc.aspx

 

[stealth2]

I seriously doubt you have the "right" to bring your own food into a privately-owned establishment. Most businesses have the right to refuse service to anyone. Welcome, anyone.

 

[ecmst12]

You have the right not to give your precious little disposable income to that theater. They are NOT required to change their policies to accomodate your dietary conditions.

 

[HomeGuru]

What theatre features Gone With The Wind? I'm going to see the Wolverine movie.