A lukewarm rant: You know they have machines to measure your blood sugar?

I'm really not upset because I'm used to it. It's just irritating.

I was out to lunch with a group of people today. The topics of pets came up. I mentioned that I had a cat who passed after 19 years. (Loved her).

Anyway, now that I zig-zag in and out of hypo unawareness and have actually passed out before, I signed up to get a service dog. There is a wait list, so it will be awhile.

The person I was talking to was like "well, they have devices to measure your sugar, you know."

Duh? I pointed out to him that I'd taken my glucose before the meal and gave myself a dose of insulin all while I was sitting at the table. (I've had type 1 for so long that it's pretty unnoticeable unless someone is watching me.)

I then explained hypo unawareness. However, I was just like, "WTF?" I always feel like people who don't have diabetes and don't know much about it have stuff to say.

(Honestly, I think it's worse if someone's related to someone with type 2 because they start talking about oral medication and other stuff that simply doesn't apply to me.)

Okay, lukewarm rant over, but the longer I have diabetes (it's been over 20 years now) the more I want to punch people who try to be smart about it around me. I didn't though. ;)

Tags: rant

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Permalink Reply by Maggi on February 2, 2012 at 6:17pm

Your right but then people who think they know it all usually are morons. I missed the fact in your posts that you are on the waiting list for a service dog. that will be such a great thing . I know someone in germany who is getting one.I think that what people do not understand is that as you keep your BSs controlled a low can feel like a high and sometimes you metabolize insulin differently. Tried to expain to family re this. The reports Ive heard on service dogs for lows BSs are fantastic. Hoping your personal Fido is on their way to you.

Permalink Reply by Regina on February 2, 2012 at 6:21pm

You're right about know-it-alls being morons.

re the service dog I'll get, I hope so too.

Initially, I forgot about the ADA, so I was thinking I would have to get a smaller dog that could travel with me. However, with a little bit of research I realized that service dogs get to come with me on things like planes and trains. Since I travel to NYC every few weeks for business, it would be a waste to get one if it couldn't be with me and driving is a once (or maybe twice) in a lifetime thing. I just did the drive this fall. I'm in no rush to do it again or do it regularly. ;)

Permalink Reply by Maggi on February 2, 2012 at 6:30pm

I cannot imagine driving in NYC,I live in a small town in Ohio.I look forward to hearing your great adventures w/ your service dog. Traveling always has a way of messing w/ my blood sugar levels either up or down.

Permalink Reply by Regina on February 2, 2012 at 6:40pm

Oh, I can drive in NYC. It was some stretches of I-80 that were a challenge. However, that drive probably would have been much more fun with a dog. Instead, I had to rely on the Internet to entertain me. By that I mean, I had a hotspot and just ate a lot of data playing Pandora radio while driving. ;)

I'll be flying back to NYC for business next week. Things really aren't that bad as, although I live in California, my clients are in NYC, so I'm on east coast time.

Permalink Reply by Maggi on February 2, 2012 at 6:50pm

Have a good time even though its work .You are getting the best of both worlds w/ living in California but still being in NYC.

Permalink Reply by JohnG on February 3, 2012 at 5:21am

Maybe you could train your Alert Dog (DAD) to deal with these ridiculous comments...maybe just a little grrrrrrrrrr...;-)

Permalink Reply by Regina on February 3, 2012 at 8:04am

LOL...good one John, but I like Karen's idea on page 6 or so on training the dog to nip at people who make ridiculous comments.

I enjoyed your lukewarm rant, Regina and hope you won't be waiting long for your pooch. I think it would be really cool if the service dogs could also be trained to nip at folks who give us inane and totally unsolicited advice!

Plus, I growl at people already. ;)
Permalink Reply by Mike on February 3, 2012 at 6:10am

And why is your glucose levels high? You know they make injectible insulin, right?

Permalink Reply by Regina on February 3, 2012 at 8:06am

"They make insulin that you can inject now? No way! Well, thank you so much for this life-saving information that my doctor neglected to share with me!!!"

Wow! Someone has actually said that to you? That makes my guy sound like a genius! ;)

Permalink Reply by Danni on February 5, 2012 at 1:04am

The majority of my family is like this. I feel you. I'm working on an arsenal of snide come-backs... haha.

And I totally get it when somebody has a type 2 husband/father/roomate/cooworker's cousin's ex-wife twice removed. They try to relate on this level that just isn't there and the misconceptions about type 1 get rampant...

Stay strong, keep calm, and carry on. :) It looks like you handle it better that I do. I just fume over it all day...

Also, good luck getting your pup! I never thought of having a service dog, but I'm super anxious over being home alone and having something crazy happen. That is a super smart idea. I hope it goes well for you!

Permalink Reply by Regina on February 5, 2012 at 6:24am

Wow! This is like the most self-esteem lifting reply, ever! Seriously, thank you.

I fume. I definitely fume. That's what inspired me to stop fuming by writing about it on the TuDiabetes forum.

Had he thrown in the type 2 relative angle, since that's my pet peeve, I probably would have been a lot more snappish.

Thanks re the service dog. Right now I'm on a wait list, so we'll see when they get to me. I just hope it all works out when they do get to me. :)

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