Doug Burns: The Kindness of Strangers
If you have diabetes and have an email account, chances are that someone in your network of friends and family has emailed you this story today. Doug Burns, reigning Mr. Universe (amateur division), was arrested and maced in a Redwood City, California movie theater after a low blood sugar episode Sunday evening. Security personnel and police report that Burns attacked an officer while in a state of confusion, while Burns (who has only scattered recollections of his hypoglycemic episode), says that witnesses have painted a different picture. The details are sure to emerge in the coming days.
Here are the facts that both parties seem to agree to: A security guard found Burns inside the theater with a ticket. He was unstable on his feet and unable to answer questions. Assuming he was intoxicated, the guard escorted him outside the theater, asked him to leave, and called police when Burns didn't.
It seems the situation could have easily been defused if security personnel, who deal with the public on a daily basis, were trained to recognize medical emergencies. Certainly someone suffering a heart attack or an asthmatic episode wouldn't have been escorted out of the building. Because the symptoms of a low can render some unable to communicate for themselves, it's even more imperative security personnel are trained to look for medical identification and ask if a person has diabetes.
Our Kerri Morrone perhaps says it best: "We are responsible for ourselves, but this is another example of how ignorance about diabetes can put lives in dangerous situations. Sometimes we need the kindness and help of strangers."
Comments
- At 01:09 PM on Tue, Apr 29, 2008 Linda wrote:
I recently started taking insulin and metformin along with glipizide. The glipizide caused me to sleep for 18-20 hours a day. Once I was taken off of the glipizide I have been fine.
- At 08:26 AM on Sat, May 19, 2007 Diana wrote:
please help, my husband a diabetic age 67 got sick last year.he saw his Dr. many times, many many test, he saw a specialest no help. no one could fine what was wrong. He almost died, in the hospital it was discovered he had gargerine of his gall bladder.they took it out, he recovered,he had lost 69 pounds in a year because his taste, it seames everything he eats taste awful to him, there is only a few things he will eat at all and these items change from time to time, he will eat one thing for weeks and weeks then can't make himself swollow it because all of a sudden it taste so bad. He also sleeps about 20 hours a day, just can't stay awake,the tiredness he feels is not normal,he has taken several meds for depression nothing changed, he takes metformin 850 mg. 2x a day for the last 18 years, he also takes glipizide 5 mg x 3 a day. when he must be awake he takes provigil 200 mg. these will keep him awake and alert for about 13 hours like his old self, without them he is asleep all day has to be woken for meals goes right back to sleep.we simple can't afford for him to take the provigill every day it is very costly and not covered by insurance.any help, advice will be so appreciated.Why has his taste changed,? why dose food taste so bad?, why is he so tired.?how can any one sleep 20 hours a day.?I am at my wits end here I just don't know what to do. He has been like this over a year now.
- At 04:40 PM on Fri, Apr 13, 2007 Judy wrote:
I can relate to the story as I'm sure I could have been mistaken for loitering or even questionable activity in a supermarket. There was one day that I had decided to get my groceries on an empty stomach. I had figured it would be a quick in and out of the store. Well, I was going down the isles of the store when I suddenly felt clammy, shakey and confused. I remember saying to myself " you need to get out of here" and yet I couldn't figure out what was taking me so long. My vision was getting dimmer and all I could remember was that I needed help and no one was able to know what was happening. Silly as it was that I was surrounded by food I could not even move properly and was practically hunched over the cart and shaking. I somehow decided to just leave the cart and stumble out of the store and to my car where I had some food. I have had hypoglycemic attacks since I was as young as 5. I am not yet diagnosed as a diabetic and just seem to be managing my condition. I have a strong history of diabetes in the family and am quite concerned about my condition. It's too bad I don't get a bracelet for my condition because I'm sure had I just decided to open a food item in the store and just eat it, I would be in hand cuffs especially if I then didn't even act appropriately. I had a habit of ALWAYS carrying food with me everywhere even as a child because of these attacks. You won't find me without food.
- At 10:45 AM on Fri, Apr 13, 2007 william k fitzwater wrote:
I also wear either a braclet or a chain as well as having some form of id. I am curious about the stick for the car . I don't what the law is as far California but I always make sure my blood surgars are in crtrol before I drive.
Being hypo can make people think you are drunk , on drug or jst psycotic. YOu just have to explain to them you have this problem and let all those help full gossipy people think what they wish to think - At 11:41 AM on Tue, Apr 10, 2007 Frances Stinson wrote:
Hello everyone,
I just wanted to reply to the Doug Burns story, I work as a cook in a Cracker Barrel Resturaunt and everyone knows I am a type II diabetic who uses insulin and metformin to manage my diabeties. There is on young lady that works everyay I work and she checks on me periodically throughout the day. I think someone should give ID bracelets away free, I mean they give away free monitors, so help us out. The sticker for the car is a good idea, where can i get one? There was this one time when i worked at Piccadilly a lady was having a low sugar episode and no one knew what was wrong, well except me i gave her some oj and she was alright. - At 10:59 AM on Tue, Apr 10, 2007 william k. fitzwater wrote:
As far as the school bus drive goes as long as your diabetes is under control it should make no fdifference. If you go to the ADA web site it will tell you your rights goes as far as discrimination in employment. My experence it to let the HR people know so they can do thier job and then to explain your situation to your manager. As long as it does not realate to safety issue as you being in danger to or others there is no grounds for dismissil. That is where in the ADA (American with Disibilties act 1990) and title VII of the 1964 civil rights act fobids any employer for discrination a employer based on his/her heath disibty mental condition. The only way around those laws is what I stated above.
- At 09:53 PM on Mon, Apr 9, 2007 Joan wrote:
Would someone please tell me where to get diabetic stickers ...for your car? Thank you
- At 12:08 PM on Mon, Apr 9, 2007 RTalmie wrote:
When I saw my brotner have a low blood sugar episode I though he was drunk or high on something, I'd had no first hand experince with this. My Mother told me what was happing to him, and from then on any time he would "act strangely" I'd instantly think to check his blood levels or call 911. I agree, with all my heart that the public and certainly those working with the public should be informed and trained to recognized or at least think that something else could be affecting that person. This is my persaonl plea, PLEASE, if you are Type I or II wear your ID bracket, or have something on your persons that ID's you as such, forget what people might think, this just might save your LIFE. My brother died as a result, of "lack of knowledge".
Thank You - At 03:02 PM on Sun, Apr 8, 2007 cheryl wrote:
I am type 1 diabetic and I can have low blood sugar episodes with no warning and luckily a guardian angel has been there. A few months ago I got a sticker that indicates a diabetic driver and it has saved me and others to have that on board besides the ID's.
- At 12:19 PM on Sun, Apr 8, 2007 kathy moore wrote:
I have a question that nobody i can answer for me. I have been a diabetic since 2000. i was taking pills to control it. Laast year i had my right kidney removed due to cancer. Because of this i could no longer take metformin. i was put on actos which my weight soared. in december 2006 i was put on lantus,cause of being on insulin i could no longer drive a school bus. in january i was put on novalog insulin 3 times aday. my question is do i have to let a prospective employer know that i take insulin? please let me know because i am confused on what to do.
- At 09:41 PM on Thu, Apr 5, 2007 Curtis M. Williams wrote:
Recognizing the signs of low blood sugar levels in yourself really helps is some cases. When I am adout to experience this one sign for me is that I experience a big rush and then a big down. I know from my experience with this event what's going to happen. And, you are right, others should be educated about this so that they will not jump to conclusion about you. Thanks Curtis!
- At 03:52 PM on Thu, Apr 5, 2007 charlene wrote:
I only hope this experience helps with diabetes awareness. although it does scare that something like this could happen to a diabetic. :and yes i wear and carry Id for awareness
- At 08:31 PM on Wed, Apr 4, 2007 Julie Deann Barton wrote:
I can relate to this also. Nine years ago I was driving home from working a sixteen hour day as a nurse and was extremely tired. I was pulled over by a state trooper who assumed I was under the influence of ETOH. I tried to explain I was also coming off a low of 59 of a half hour earlier and it took the medic alert bracelet and me checking my glucose for the officer to believe me.
- At 08:23 PM on Wed, Apr 4, 2007 b wooster wrote:
Doug Burns was wearing a bracelet to identify his condition. I believe he was mistreated. The security and police jumped to the conclusion that he was drunk and used force because of that assumption. Had they realized Burns was going into diabetic shock, they would have reacted different.
Too bad such a GREAT man was given such poor treatment. I think the charges should be dropped. The policy should be sentenced to attend educational classes on diabetes... How to recognize when someone is falling into diabetic shock.
- At 09:25 AM on Wed, Apr 4, 2007 Scott wrote:
As I commented on Kerri's blog, another issue is that many people (including far too many EMT's) rarely even look for MedicAlert bracelets or chains, which is another problem. Ideally, the American Diabetes Association should be using its role to educate the public, but seems more concerned with talking about prediabetes rather than anything else.
- At 05:33 PM on Tue, Apr 3, 2007 william fitzwater wrote:
part II
The other problem is also by not letting people know that you are hypo or wearing correct identification you are at risk! It is a diabetics personal responisbilty to notifie or to have a ID for responders. This is in case any one bothers to look.
In my case if you are 6'5" and 300lbs people get rather worried to see a man mountain getting all hyper, edgy , irritable, fussy, sweating, eyes bugging out , shaking or behavior in apparently odd patterns. People think you'd lost your mind. Then all those helfull gossipy people will call you anything . Guess what they have the ammmo . Because you haveing the reaction don't want to admit it.
The solution is to admit it and move on.This can make life interesting in my circle of influence.
My only advise is to come out of the closet wear your braclet dog tag or any other id . I also think like any other community there has to be arwareness made in the popular media. This awarness should be more than gee he's she's on the needle. If more positive role modles like I see on Dlife were to come out I think this would de-myitfie this disorder and make it more socialy acceptable.
Because like prejudice is based on ignorance and mis-information. Dlife is a excellent show that has hopefully sent ripples out in the community that people can life good lives and are not a dangerous out of control monster's that we all have to live with when we are in a reaction . Like jyke & hyde just give me my surgae or my isluin and Mr Hyde won't come around no more.
- At 05:14 PM on Tue, Apr 3, 2007 william k. fitzwater wrote:
I can relate as being a type 2 for 3 years and a pre-diabetic for at least 10 years . Being Hypo can ruin your life. I have had many episodes of it until I was diagnosed in Sep 2003.
Being Hypo can give people false impressions . In the case of law enforcement officers they are trying to do thier jobs but sometimes don't see or understand the warning signs. In the case of security personel they are more than likly to be untrained or even worse less interested in the persons condition as to just get it done mentality.The problems with going Hypo can case all sorts of problems in my life . It has only been recently being on Insulin and getting those ignornate helpfull people to understand what a delbiltang disease this is.
WHILE I CAN APPRECIATE HOW FRUSTRATING IT MUST BE TO FEEL THAT YOU ARE BEING MISTREATED DUE TO YOUR DIABETIC CONDITION...WOULD IT BE A TOTAL SHOCK FOR THOSE WITH THIS CONDITION TO PERHAPS WEAR A MEDICAL BRACELET???? I AM FED UP WITH HEARING ALL THE GVETCHING ABOUT ISSUES PEOPLE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF CONSIDERING MY BROTHER WAS KILLED BY A DIABETIC DRIVER. THIS MAN WAS HAVING A SUGAR ISSUE YET SOMEHOW MANAGED TO BACK UP AND DRIVE AWAY AFTER HITTING HIS CAR BROADSIDE AT 65+ MPH AND LEAVING HIM THERE TO DIE. IF YOU CANNOT SAFELY DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS BEING BEHIND THE WHEEL, LIKEWISE TAKE THE INITIATIVE TO IDENTIFY YOURSELF SO WHEN YOU ARE IN A POSITION WHERE PEOPLE THINK YOU ARE DRUNK OR OTHERWISE INCAPACITATED DO YOURSELF AND OTHERS A FAVOR, INSTEAD OF BEING OUTRAGED IDENTIFY YOURSELF AND PERHAPS THOSE WHO ARE ON THE SCENE WON'T HAVE TO GUESS WHAT YOUR PROBLEM IS. IN THE MEANTIME, DON'T DRIVE. THOSE WITH EPILIPSY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DRIVE AND I DON'T REMEMBER SEEING DOZENS OF ARTICLES ONLINE ABOUT EPILIPSY CAUSING ACCIDENTS...