Labeled as a "BAD DIABETIC"
I had quite a day today, an MRI, ABI, Physical Therapy and appt. w/ Surgeon. So as the nurse takes me back to see surgeon she goes thru the usual rigamarol. . . weight, height, medications, etc. and I tell her that I have been a Type 1 diabetic for 35 years and a Type 2 diabetic for 2 years. She looks at me and says "You cant be both." So I explain to her how yes, i can, then she responds w/ "Well you must be one BAD diabetic!" hmmmmm. . . . the "Arnold" side of me wanted to tell her to F*** off, but I told that little voice in my head to be nice. So with her back to me, I responded w/ a smile on my face and said "Yeah, its been two years of hell, thanks for asking. So it got me thinking. . What makes a bad diabetic? Did she mean I was bad at taking care of myself? I am part dietitian, insulin pumping guru, motivational therapist, and diabetic educator due to this disease. Or was she trying to make the point that I have a bad case of diabetes because I have both types? Would she tell a cancer patient that they must be a "BAD" cancer patient due to dealing w/ two types of cancer. . . that would be unthinkable. . but diabetes Type 1 or 2 or both is a chronic disease that has no cure, so why did that make her comment acceptable? So now moving on to the next appt. I meet another nurse. After same rigamarol she tells me she ran the Boston Marathon w/ a PACE MAKER!!! Wow!! You cant get more motiviation than that! She answers all my questions about the complications I am running into and gives me words of encouragement, reinforces the fact that i have a good medical team behind me, then tells me anytime i have questions or need answers or help along the way, please call her she's there for me. Wow! I went from nasty dig from one nurse to kudos & positive thinking from another nurse all on the same day!
If there is one thing this disease does, is it makes you emotionally tough! Diabetics deal w/ the food police (you know, cigarette smoking Aunt Bev over there telling u not to eat that brownie cause your diabetic), ignorant or insensitive people in the medical field, constantly fighting w/ insurance company to get medical supplies covered, piling high medical bills, daily struggle of making sure EVERYTHING that goes in your mouth is covered properly by bolus of insulin or that you will be burning it off shortly, oh yeah and that nagging extra muscle pain a diabetic deals with when exercising, I can go on but you get my drift.
So the next time you run into a diabetic, whether you think they are a "good" or "bad" diabetic is irrelevant, and just let them know you understand its a tough disease to deal with and give them some words of encouragement. Honey goes alot further then vinegar.
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Comment by David B. on May 18, 2012 at 7:59am -
All you can do is think "Thank you for your insight. Thank you for walking a mile in my shoes." It's way too easy to critique someone. It's much harder to go beyond that and come up with positive suggestions to improve the quality of life of someone coping with difficult problems.
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Comment by SF Pete on May 18, 2012 at 8:54am -
Nice. Next time you see that rancid nurse, tell her that you're not a bad diabetic, but a badass diabetic and that she has your permission to kiss you where you can't reach.
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Comment by Kathy on May 18, 2012 at 9:36am -
That was completely unacceptable. Particularly for a health professional. I have had type 1 for 38 years and hospitalized several times, most recently 2 years ago for 4 months.
I cannot tell you the number of necks I'd take pleasure in ringing.
The one that really sticks with me was when I was in the hospital during diagnosis. My room was just outside the nurses station. They were sitting around, chatting, and planning a baby shower. One said that she needed to make the rounds to do the sugar tape urine dips (yes, it was the dark ages) and her co-worker said, "oh, most of these diabetics are more trouble thn they're worth".
Well, sister, go p-ss up a rope.
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Comment by Kathy on May 18, 2012 at 9:37am
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Oops, I guess the word was "wring".
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Comment by Doris D on May 18, 2012 at 9:47am -
Kathy after having a wreck and the State Trooper being called to the site (now u have to remember my daughter had been diagnosed for 4 years too) the cop looked at her & my husband and said "I don't know why they give these diabetics a lices b/c they always wreck If I had my way they wouldn't get one" Sent my daughter off in a frendsy. I didn't like that comment after I found out what he sxaid either.
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Comment by Miss Miss on May 18, 2012 at 12:30pm -
Sadly there are ignorant people everywhere. What's more sad is that most of them are in the medical field. Very nice of the second nurse. You're not a bad diabetic, badass maybe. Ok no one tells my ma (Miss Miss I said ass)
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Comment by shoshana27 on May 18, 2012 at 5:26pm -
SOME OF THOSE THINGS HAPPENED TO ME LIKE IN HOSPITAL THE NURSE GIVING ME DIABETIC PILLS...I SAY NO...I'M ON THE PUMP...OR FRIEND SAYING YOU CAN'T HAVE THAT ( YOU'RE DIABETIC ) & I SAY I COUNT CARBS & COVER IT WITH INSULIN.OF COURSE THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
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Comment by Scott Wilkins on May 18, 2012 at 7:28pm -
It's amazing how much of a lack of knowledge there is about diabetes. Diabetes is big news these days, mainly due to basic type 2's from weight issues, since there is also a weight problem epidemic in the US. So many folks get their "training" from the news, which is so off base on reality it's sickening.
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Comment by shoshana27 on May 19, 2012 at 1:34am
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T1 & T2 SHOULD HAVE A DIFFERENT NAME---THEY ARE TREATED DIFFERENTLY MOST OM THE TIME
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Comment by Stoyan on May 22, 2012 at 4:30pm -
I agree, type 1 and type 2 are totally, completely different. Different treatments, different conditions, will have different cures. That's why I still actually prefer the name Juvenile Diabetes for type 1, it is distinctive at least.
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