Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Diabolical Diabetic on February 18, 2009 at 9:02pm

That's just ignorance, plain and simple, albeit ignorance that could get him slapped with a wrongful death suit if he's not careful. Let's be honest about these coaches...most of them are just teachers who happen to know a little something about some sport. Not too many of them have any medical training, and kinesiology courses only touch on diabetes. So he may have slept through THAT class.
I nearly passed out in front of my elementary school in 2nd grade because of the school administration's ignorance (they made me stand outside to wait for my mom). I actually DID pass out in her arms when she arrived. She rained down holy hellfire upon them, dropping the "L" word--lawsuit. They finally listened. Do what you've gotta do, Marybeth. We're all behind you.

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Permalink Reply by elaine peterson on February 19, 2009 at 6:52am

Marybeth, Samantha's idea is great....write or call, but edit and take your time until you are voicing more concern than venom and educating the recipients. My daughter was a sprinter, too.....she ran for years and the track coaches and kids involved were a nice group. Those idiots really do need to be educated as well as the school atheletic director and principal. Any further problems with them would constitute discrimination, I feel. They will miss Jake on the track!

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Permalink Reply by Kelly on February 20, 2009 at 4:43am

HI Marybeth,
I have been type 1 for 30 yrs...so I can feel your pain when people dont have the education in diabetes to understand it.
I have to say if I were you I would contact the school and set up a meeting with the Athletic Director/Department and your sons coaches. They need to understand that your son is a type 1 diabetic and can not "get rid" of this disease.
I have faced many challenges when it comes to peoples ignorance about the disease and the best thing to do is to come back at them with education. Some people need an explination of the two different types of diabetes and that your son could face a severe low bs, pass out and have to go to the hospital or possibly die. Im sure the school system would not want to deal with that. Your son should be reminded that he knows his body best and if he feels low to stop what he is doing and treat the low. He has two more years of the same coaches (Im assuming) and you, as a mom, need to feel that your child is safe in the company of others. There are also "diabetes care packs" for schools that are now used frequently.
If you go to the ADA website you will find education materials to give to his coaches...I hope I helped just remember if your gut is telling you something is wrong then it is! and education is key!!!!

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Permalink Reply by Moe on February 20, 2009 at 6:16am

Just one more thing to add from all the great suggestions and discussion here. I think there is a possibility of the coaches suffering from testosterone poisoning...it's a macho kinda thing, football, and there's a "what, a broken leg? I had a broken leg once, made a splint with my daisy rifle and some duct tape...good as new...just like the steel plate in my head...go ahead, hit it with this stick, can't feel a thing...." attitude for some jocks like that. Okay, maybe not that bad but in the neighborhood.

Approaching these critters head on is like poking a stick at a hungry bear, you may get their attention but after that, you'll need a really well thought out plan 'b'. That's where enlisting the help of the principal and administrator and a diabetes nurse educator (if the coaches are like this, can you really trust the school nurse to be totally up to date on diabetes?) will be of greatest benefit.

It's been a long time since I was in high school but is it possible for your son to carry a few fruit leathers to munch on before/during a practice or between sprint heats just to keep his sugars up?

moe
“There are really only two plays: Romeo and Juliet, and put the darn ball in the basket.”
Abe Lemon

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Permalink Reply by Lauren on February 20, 2009 at 6:46am

Reading this...just got my blood boiling. Probably because the "miracle cure diet" for type one diabetics is a point of irritation for me!

You've gotten a lot of good advice here. I would say, that I agree with those who suggested doing a face to face interview. I think that getting them to sit down and listen to you would help it sink in much better then if you sent them a letter. Judging them based on their comments, I'm willing to bet that these guys wouldn't sit down and take the time out to read a letter from a parent. Or, if they did, they probably wouldn't take it very seriously.

If you do end up doing a face-to-face I'd say, prepare a speech before hand. Bring in some pamplets (with lots of pictures! haha!) that explain what type one is exactly, and how comments like the ones they made could potentially make for a very serious situation...if not for your child then for any type one diabetic who may fall under their supervision in the future.

Good luck to you MaryBeth. I hope you can knock some sense into these coaches. :)

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Permalink Reply by SFMAMA on March 6, 2009 at 12:55pm

Absolutely write a letter....for every great coach/role model out there there's another boneheader ignornant fool who puts our children in harms way. Someone this out of touch with your son's diabetes care is probably dangerous to other kids as well. Do the kids hydrate while exercising? does he force them or over exert in hot weather? the level and types of stupid behavioe in teenage sports is appalling.

Once you're finished being angry (as you can tell, this sort of behavior touches a raw nerve with me) then lay out the facts simply and clearly for both the Athletic Director and the Principal.

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