At some point in life, we’ll all most likely go through a period of ill health. Whether that’s a lengthy virus, a broken bone, a struggle with mental health or a chronic disease, those who go through life without at least some suffering are the lucky ones – they’re also the minority. If you’re in that situation right now, may all the love and the best healthcare be sent your way – and may you be surrounded by people who love, care about, and support you.

Because during the difficult times in life, whether that is ill health or job loss, bereavement, stress, or otherwise, being surrounded by good people can truly aid the healing process in itself. When we’re surrounded by love, when people are supporting us through thick and thin, it shows us the very best of the world, shows us that we can rely on people. And that is a truly magical thing that we should all be very grateful for.

For the young woman in this story, however, a period of ill health has brought an unpleasant consequence, which leads her unable to eat for extended periods. So imagine her delight when she discovered that she could stomach her grandmother’s home cooking, and the excitement with which she anticipated her next grandma-prepared meal. Little did she know, her roommates had other ideas.

Read on to find out what happened.

Am I overreacting for leaving the house after my roommates ate my leftovers?

I am a 20-year-old woman, and I live with two other people: my boyfriend (20, male) and my roommate (20, female).

Christmas was yesterday, so my boyfriend and I went over to my mom’s house. My grandma always cooks for everyone and her cooking is amazing.

Before we left, I told my boyfriend to grab whatever leftovers he wanted because she always makes too much. We always do this for every holiday. My grandma always cooks too much so everyone can take some home.

He didn’t grab anything at all, and I grabbed whatever I wanted to eat for the week for lunch.

But there were more reasons than just grandma’s amazing cooking that made her excited about the leftovers.

For some side context I’m on a medication right now that makes me really nauseous whenever I want to eat food, and there’s only certain foods that don’t make me feel awful whenever I eat them (and my boyfriend knows this).

Sometimes I don’t even eat for days because the nausea is so bad, and I get really lightheaded and I feel super sick. So I grabbed the food I knew wouldn’t make me sick.

I was going to get ready for work today since I close, and they were in the kitchen and my boyfriend grabbed one of the tubberwares of food and ate ALL OF IT. I told him he was a ******** and he laughed it off.

Then my roommate opened the fridge and said, “oh your grandma made cinnamon rolls” and pulled them out and took half of them and then my boyfriend took one. There was only one left, and that was the only safe food I had.

Let’s see how she reacted to her food being taken.

I just went to my room and closed the door, and my boyfriend came in five or so minutes later and asked me why I was upset. I said it was irritating that all of the food I had just brought home was gone when I wanted that for myself, and that it was rude for them to just take it without even asking.

I said I needed to grab something from my car, and I’ve just been sitting in my car for the last thirty minutes crying my eyes out because I’m so upset.

That was the only food I had, and I haven’t eaten for like three days because I’ve been feeling so sick, and I was genuinely looking forward to actually be able to eat something that didn’t make me feel ill.

Am I overreacting? I know I could’ve told them not to in the first place, but I feel like it’s common sense to not steal people’s food without asking.

She is not overreacting. In fact, to some extent it feels like she might be under-reacting.

They took the food right in front of her, completely neglecting to ask her if it was okay – instead just seemingly assuming that they could take whatever they wanted.

She’s struggling with her health. They could at least be more supportive.

Let’s see what folks on Reddit made of this.

This person could totally empathise – and reassure her that she wasn’t overreacting at all.

While others pointed out that if he wanted the leftovers, he should have taken some when they were offered.

Meanwhile, this Redditor encouraged her to go be with someone who really cares.

Sure, part of being in relationships – whether that’s a romantic relationship or a friendship – is about making mistakes, and then facing up to the consequences. Rupture and repair actually make relationships stronger. But that means taking the time to listen and be empathetic when you’ve done wrong, which the woman’s boyfriend and roommate seem unwilling to do.

The truth is, she’s facing a health issue that makes food a very complicated thing for her. So when she finds something that she can eat, she should be encouraged to eat it to keep her strength up. That’s what a supportive boyfriend would do – that’s even what a supportive friend or roommate would do. Instead, they’re taking her food for themselves, brazenly, without even asking.

This woman is struggling and deserves to have people around her who love and support her. She deserves people who will experiment with foods and try to help find things that work, so that she can live a contented life, not people who see what works for her and then take it for themselves.

They’re being selfish and refusing to try to see things from her point of view. She deserves better; no one deserves grandma’s cinnamon rolls more than she does.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a woman whose family says they support her art career, but they still don’t want to pay her for product.