A few of my LEAST favorite things

Coping & Support
1

Okay – everyone feel free to chime in here –

                Since we are coming into the season of relatives, friends and gatherings, I thought I’d list a few of the things that have made me (just a little) batty:

(in no particular order)

“Oh- you shouldn’t eat that, it has sugar…”

Mistaking my actually being annoyed with low blood sugar and asking “did you test recently?” :P

Being thrown out of a restaurant when the manager had followed me to the restroom and had convinced himself that it “wasn’t insulin” and wouldn’t listen to reason (it was 1987 – yeah- I should let it go…lol) …

The announcements at family gatherings that they made something sugar-free “just for you” – we have home made pumpkin and apple pie, a fruit salad with all sorts of exotic fruit, a 7 layer whatever, a tray of sweets – and OH we made you some sugar-free pudding (I appreciate the thought – I do- but c’mon – REALLY!?!?!?!?)

Whoever decided maltitol was a good idea… I mean YIKES! – that stuff does NOT play well with me L

The clueless and helpful:  “Well, it’s just diabetes, right? What’s the big deal???  My [insert relative here] had it and only had to test like once a month…  Don’t you just need to exercise more???”

Doctors like the physician who told me that she wouldn’t recommend me to an endocrinologist because it was completely unnecessary.  I had just switched insurance and got this gem of a primary care doc. - I offered her the card of my endo – I told her I didn’t have the heart to break it to him but I was willing to wait while she called him to tell him that he didn’t really need to spend all those extra years in school…

The ER doc, who, after reviewing my chart (following a hypo that was brought about by a lot of extra activity and a bit of poor planning on my part) – came in to completely change my entire insulin regimen to include changing the type of insulin I was on.  When I asked if he’d called my endo – he looked shocked and said “You’re going to need to take my advice here.” – ummm – yeah – errr NOT

The charm-school graduate who insists on coming up to you as soon as he/she finds out you are a diabetic so that they can share every story of every friend and relative who has lost eyesight or a limb from diabetes… 

What’d I miss???

2

I hate people's reactions sometimes. A girl at school said, "I thought only old people got that." Thanks for making me feel better!

At a friends birthday party her grandma said, "We have froot loops but you can't have that, so you can have grapenuts." -I can have some sugar!!! I know myself and my diet better than you!!!

People who think they know everything about diabetes!(such as the school nurse who doesn't know anything about type 1)!!!!!

3

Oh, how beautiful...well, you asked for it...so here goes:

We have a radio station around in South Carolina that likes to tackle the problem of the er...diabetes epidemic...and the announcer talks about how we all need to get in shape in order to stave off diabetes. And he talks about how we all need to watch what we eat, in order to...you guessed it...stave off diabetes. So I never knew that I contracted an auto-immune disease because I ate too much and was obese! Wow!

I had an insulin reaction at a so-called friend's house. She accused me of being high on drugs, but she didn't do it to my face. And she warned people around who knew me that I was a "taker" because I drank her cherry juice (evidently, cherry juice is off limits even in medical emergencies). Of course, she knew all about type 1 because her mother had diabetes (her mother took pills).

I had a man tell me when he saw my insulin pump that all I needed to do was lose fifteen pounds, do everything my doctor told me, and I would be "just fine."

People who inform me of their amputated relatives, experienced of every imaginable medical horror relatives, who inform me of their relatives' nightmarish circumstances...and then, as comfort, inform me that I'm safe because, after all, the aforementioned people were "bad" diabetics. I was good; therefore, it wouldn't happen to me. But...and this is astounding...I had better do what I ought to! Or else!

The herbal wizard who came into the dime store where I worked and handed me a flyer that said, "Stop taking insulin! Take this herb, and cure your diabetes!" The same person called and complained to my manager that I was, evidently, rude to her in response. She had thought I was a potential customer...

The well-meaning person who said that with prayer, it was possible to cure my diabetes...if I had enough "faith," that is...so evidently, I was just on insulin because I was a secret heathen. Who knew?

The guy who told me that he saw a commercial with BB King wailing away and singing, "Oh, it hurts me soooooo bad." And quoting me the line from the meter commercial (with a serious look...I mean, he was serious!) which stated, "Diabetes doesn't have to hurt." Because there was a new lancing device that took (less reliable) measurements from the appendages other than the arm. Thanks, BB, really...thanks.

Watching the nth commercial and running to change the channel where several whiny, elderly people (nothing wrong with the elderly...I'm getting up there myself) complaining with blood-curdling petulance that they hate pricking their fingers. Evidently, there's nothing worse than ouchy fingertips...I mean, ouch! Ugh...

The book with the title, "Diabesity."

The newspaper article I read (I have one of those elephant memories as well) a year ago which talked about a federally-funded program which sent an exercise physiologist around to the local elementary schools to plop children on scales (looking for the overweight ones) in order to screen for and I quote, "Juvenile diabetes."

Thanks for letting me rant. That felt good. 

4

let see:

1- I hate it when people ask if we are aloud to have something repetitively at a party! i mean my answer will always be yes i can have anything i want i just choose not to eat somethings!

2- I don't remember this but i could have had diabetes for a year before someone did something because the doctors said that a baby that was only 1 1/2 couldn't have diabetes

3-  I don't like it when people come up to me and there like, "Hey, you can't use your cell phone in school!" when I'm blousing

4- I hate it when my friend is haveing a party and says, hey i got all diet soda so that you can have it, yeah it's nice and all but i feel bad after b/c i feel like it was my fault they had to drink diet soda

5- I hate it when a friend comes up, gives the friend next to me an invitation, and then says, " I would have invited you but you can't sleepover b/c of diabetes"

6- continuing on from 5 i also hate it that we can't sleep over since the parents don't feel comfortable with us having diabetes i had my first sleepover 2 months ago!

 

5

Alright heres mine!

The fools who think you can "catch" diabetes like a common cold...my EX boyfriend told me he didn't want to catch diabetes from me...

Anyone who thinks I can't eat sugar. I can not stand people who think that sugar causes diabetes...anyone who has any sort of an intelligence should know better.

The ER doc who one time would not give me insulin until my blood work came back...8 hours later...as I was in DKA.

Being told I can't have my "cell phone" on while I'm at work...yep let me just grab that "cell phone" and give someone a call with it!

When parents let your kids continuously ask me what my pump is...when I have no idea who they even are...

Family members (whom I don't see very often) say when we went shopping we thought of you and we bought all these low calorie, sugar free, fat free items just for you...so while they're eating their cake I get to have a nice 100 cal snack pack of crackers...yum!

Oh and the best of all...when I was first diagnosed I was told by a family member that it was my mom and dad and my own fault for developing diabetes because I ate too much candy as a child....right!

While I do appreciate everything my family does for me, sometimes  I just wish they would let me do my thing....I know what I can eat and what I can't eat...I just don't like people criticisizing me for everything I eat or do.....

6

When people ask me "are you allowed to eat that?"  Yes, now go away.

When people treat me like I have Type 2 or when they don't know the difference.

When the media spreads the hype that obesity/sugar/laziness causes diabetes.  Because then people think that diabetes only happens to fat people, people who don't exercise or people who eat too much.  AKA it perpetuates the myth that diabetics are at fault for their own disease.

When people say "diabeetus."  Ugh, makes me cringe.

When people use the term "brittle" diabetic.  No one ever says that anymore!  So old-school.

When there's no "diet" drink anywhere in site.  I bring a 2 liter of Diet Coke with to every party, just in case.

When my bloodsugar is 180 and someone says to me "wow! that's so high."  Um, not if you have diabetes.  In fact, if I starts with a "1" I deserve a medal.  (Not really but I'm definitely okay with it.)

The worst:  When I'm being cranky and my friends, family or my husband ask me to test my sugar.  Um, hello?  Aren't I allowed to just be in a bad mood?  Does it always have to be my bloodsugar?

That's all I can think of now . . . I'm sure there's more though.

7

[quote user="Layne"]When people say "diabeetus."  Ugh, makes me cringe.[/quote]

That is the worst! LOL

8

I absolutly hate the way ppl treat me b/c of my iabeties... like they will flip out if i have a milkshake cause they think it will kill me... and my teachers wont let me eat or drink in class if my sugar is low... so one ay my sugar dropped to 23 and i passed out so my friend took my glugacon thingy and shot it in me and i tried to tell the teacher i was goin low but she said u will be fine... yea okay so passin out is fine... and like i love my fiance but he trys to hard.. he wnt drinks sodas around me and he barly lets me eat or drink anything sweet... and like ppl at my school and church dnt wanna b around me cause they think they could catch diabeties... so like i have no friends anymore..

I hate diabeties!!

9

[quote user="Charley Wilson"]i tried to tell the teacher i was goin low but she said u will be fine[/quote]

My mom said that if a teacher ever says I can't go, just to go out of the room and do what I need to do. The school can get in a lot of trouble for not letting you test or do what you need.

10

I know!!!! People just dont think sometimes. We are just like everyother persone on this earth, but us type 1's have 2 wach wat we eat. We can eat sugar, but not 2 much! I meangive us a break.

One time i was at school, and i was taking my insulin 4 my food. Some girl was waching me and she thought i was on STARIODS! i was so mad!:< Is that sopposed 2 make me fell good about myself?! Well.... Guess wat it didnt! 

11

I am right there with you on the DKA. I went to the ER one time and actually walked/staggered out because either I had better chances (still throwing up) on a stretcher from an ambulance or at home trying and miraculously succeeding at staving off the DKA...it worked, by the way. Don't they call that wait thing something? Boarding or something like that? I heard something about how it is an irresponsible and cruel but all-too-common practice in ER's. And sometimes, hang it all, DKA is not due to irresponsibility!

12

i know how you feel and even when i was first diagnosed the doc at the ER started jabbing the needles in me as hard as he could to draw blood and then started telling me how i was going to lose limbs and crap. ok, thanks scare the eight year old to death.  His excuse was well, i thought she already knew she was diabetic. ugh people are such jerks.

and in school on holidays there's normally like cookies or something in some class and the principal felt it necessary to inform the teachers that i couldn't have anything sweet, no matter what i said cause you know i might be sneaking sugar so guess what i got

a lovely totally tasteless ricecake!!!!!

more than once, even after my parents called.

13

1) Of course, the "can you eat this?" question. SOOOOOO irritating! I know they're just trying to be helpful, but do they really think that I would be trying to eat it if I couldn't????

2) Non-diabetics who think they know more than me when it comes to handling my diabetes. wtf?

3) Those idiots that still don't realize that heroin DOESN'T come in pre-measured pens like insulin does.

4) The fact that I cannot be in a bad mood. If I'm mad and someone tells me to check, my temper flares up more because I'm stubborn and know that it's not diabetes related.

5) The fact that every time I don't feel well, people assume that it's because I'm not taking care of my diabetes.

6) Being compared to other diabetics and being told how I should improve BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.

7) Pump-pushing doctors. (I'm not bashing the pump, I just didn't like it when my old endo tried to push it on me)

8) Those overly open diabetics. We get it, you're diabetic, everyone knows that because you've told them 1000 times.

9) The diabetes know-it-alls who insist on imposing their way of handling everything upon you.

 

Wow... that felt really good. :)

14

Great list!!

Here's what gets to me:

I absolutely HATE IT when people say "I don't know how you can live with diabetes, I just couldn't do it." HELLO!!! I DON'T HAVE A CHOICE!!!

When my mom says, "you're acting a little cranky, maybe should go test your bloodsugar."  Because there can't possibly be any other reason that I'm upset, right?  Do I have to be happy all the time?????

When people say, "But you don't look overweight."  It's called type 1, people.

And of course, just like everyone else  with diabetes, I hate when people say (even some of my friends still!!) if I should be eating that because it has sugar in it.  Last time I checked, i wasn't restricted to a diet of veggies and meat.

My brother is a doctor and he's CONSTANTLY "giving me advice."  Thanks, but if I have a question, I'll ask.

Yes! I'm so happy to be able to rant without people thinking I'm feeling sorry for myself!!

15

I greatly dislike

-the questions about whether or not I should be eating something.

-the questions about what limitations I have because of my disease.

-the suggestions from well-intentioned people who know nothing.

-the confusion between Type 1 and Type 2.

-no, I'm not on drugs and yes, I do have to give myself an injection.

-I'm sorry if you hate needles, I am doing it under the table as discretely as possible and I'm in my own apartment. Learn to deal.

-no, it's not that hard to give yourself injections. Take the shot or die; the choice isn't that difficult- believe me, I've been DKA before= no fun!

-boyfriends/dates constantly checking to make sure that I don't need to eat something.

-people other than my doctor asking my what my A1C was. Hello, MY A1C, not your's! Go micromanage someone else!

 

I'll stop now. It's so nice to be able to read and vent with others who understand what it's actually like!

 

 

16

Hey I completely agree with your number 7, last time I went to my endocronologist it was ironically the Physician's Assistant pushing the pump.  I made the mistake of calling for information and I have a salesman hounding me even moreso when I told him that I do have insurance.  I was speaking to another doctor my family doctor who referred me to an endo and he told me that there was study regarding memory loss as a result of the pump, which made me rethink the entire idea.  But hey perhaps its just misguided good intention who knows?

17

uhhh I don't think the pump leads to memory loss. haha. I've had the pump for almost 6 years, and I have the best memory out of everyone in my family and among my friends. :)

 

My pump is the best thing that ever happened to me, and I definitely recommend it!

18

So I was in Spanish class the other day and we were working on this
stupid, story packet thing that talked about this girl that makes candy for her friends every tuesday, so my teacher walks over (he's seriously, no really, I'm serious,
 the most moronic person I've ever met) and this kid Reggie in my group
 asks him "What kind of person makes candy for their friends every tuesday??"

and my brilliant teacher responds, "Well I dunno. Maybe she wants to give her friends diabetes!! HAHAHAHA!"

and my whole table looks at me, and I'm in shock this idiot just said that, so I look at him and say "Mr. Maloney, that's not what causes diabetes."

"Well yes it is."

"No, it's really not."

"Well some types are caused by that."

"No, there are no types caused by eating too much sugar."

"Well how would you know?"

"I'm diabetic."

"Well some type 2 you get when you're born, and type one you get from being fat and eating too much sugar."

"Wrong. I'm type 1. There are NO types you get when you're born."

"Well yes there are. Some people are born with it."

I'm done arguing, so I let it go, he obviously wasn't getting it. So he then walks over to the table next to mine, and they overhear him being "knowledgeable" about diabetes, so they ask him questions about it, and I overheard him telling them:

"Well type 2 you get when you're born fat, and type 1 you get when you're REALLY REALLY skinny." (I'm skinny, so he probably got it from that, but c'mon, really??)

 

 

 

I HATE IGNORANT IDIOTS!! Especially when they're your teacher!

 

 

Oh! and another time I got pissed off about diabetes was when I was selling the JDRF Walk for a Cure sneakers at lunch one day, and my friend was helping me sell them. She called over her friend to buy one, and he says to us "Why would I try and help find a cure for a fat person disease? It's their own fault."

So I said to him, "First-off, I'm diabetic. Second of all, you're thinking of type 2, I have type 1." and he just answers back saying whatever. and walks away.

 

 

Then of course I hate the "Can you eat this?"

or the relatives making me something sugar-free. I mean it's a nice gesture, but really, I hate all that sugar-free
 stuff, it has no taste.

 

Or when my mom screams at me and makes me really angry, then starts screaming at me to test my blood sugar because I'm "acting irritable".... nooooooo, ya think?!

 

 

Or little kids trying to press buttons on my pump and then take it as a challenge when I tell them "Don't touch" because they're too young to explain it to.

 

 

Or when someone really stuck-up asks me about my pump and where it's connected and if they can see it, so to be nice I show them and they just reply with "THAT'S DISGUSTING!"   well gee, thanks.

 

 

Or when my best friend (of 4 years) sees me bolusing after we eat and asks me "Is it high?"

 

 

Or people asking me if they're going to catch it.

 

Or my own mother asking me what my pressure is.... you'd think of all people she'd say it right...

 

whew. That felt good. :)

19

Yeah on number 5 I remember that when I was in school...but hey at least they told you why you couldn't sleep over. I had to figure it out on my own years later...the only two people I got to spend the night with had moms that were nurses in the hospital. I thought no one liked me for years, then it hit me what the real problem was when I ran into a grade school friend who divulged that it really made her mad that her MOTHER would not ever let me stay over, because she thought I was such great friend.

 

Also been kicked outta class because of the "cell phone" thing as well...but hehe the Professor (i was in college) got written up and I got an A by barely even trying. I think it might have had to do with the coversation the college had with my mother, and the mention fo the lawyer and discrimination. Priceless.......

20

Ok...so I just realized that I messed up my last post...I am smooth like that.

I've had this disease for 18 years now. I wanna tell people to kiss my behind on a regular basis. I have encountered every type of circumstance you guys have posted about here. But let me tell ya...it gets worse in the "work" world, because then you have to explain things like this to people you work with and getting snotty with them can get you fired.

The only way to explain to people about Type 1, is for YOU yourself to explain it to them. Otherwise they are NEVER gonna get it.

Also, as for the friends, teachers, co-workers, and MEDICAL so called professionals....yeah you gotta explain it to them too. ALWAYS be prepared to stand up for yourself at ALL times.

I once had a so called doctor hold up my insulin pump in the ER and say, " I have never seen one of these before, its kinda neat." To which I replied, "Take that neat little thing you got right there and go outside and find someone that HAS seen one before, with the letters MD on the end of their name, and give them my chart....you aren't going to be able to help me." Several hours later, two threats to have me "restrained" and three threats of me suing them for all they are worth and bam....I gott me another doctor who knew what they were doing.

Oh....and make a friend that is a lawyer. They don't have to actually perform medical malpractice, but just having the number of one that you know personally usually does the trick in scaring them to get them to listen to you instead of their PC.