and a habit of kicking the seat in front of him. Out of politeness, I held off… for a while. But when I tried to order a snack box and Coke from the flight attendant, the boy’s dad interrupted to say, “No food for this row.” The mom doubled down, insisting “it sets him off.” By then, I was dizzy, shaking, and on the verge of passing out. So I spoke up — loud and clear: “I have Type 1 Diabetes. If I don’t eat right now, I could end up in the hospital. So yes, I will be eating.” The whole row went quiet. The flight attendant quickly brought my snack. I ate, stabilized, and refused to entertain another word from those entitled parents. When the mom leaned in later to “educate” me about her son’s condition, I shut it down: “Lady,I don’t care. I’ll manage my T1D. You manage your tantrum-prone prince. Fly private next time.” The silence was golden. That flight reminded me: You don’t owe anyone an apology for managing your health. Medical needs aren’t optional — other people’s discomfort is.
