Diabetic Recipes
minarai
I wanted to recognize someone who deserves credit for the amazing thing they did. This person (we'll call him Joe) performed an incredible task without even considering the consequences. Unfortunately, not many people realize the extent of Joe's actions. They carry on with their daily lives and never think twice about what Joe did. But for me, Joe is a hero.
My friend, Joe, was preparing for a test. He studied hard. He got to class on time. But moments before taking the test, something went wrong. A girl in Joe's class started having a seizure. Panic spread through out the room. Students stared. Teachers stood stunned. People whispered "Good way to get out of the test!" or "Man, I should have thought of that!" Joe didn't stare. Joe was not stunned. Joe did not whisper. Joe got up from his seat and went to the girl's aid. In the middle of all the panic and the horrendous sight of a seizure, Joe didn't even think twice. He searched through her purse, hoping to find what he needed. Was she diabetic? Did she have glucagon? Yes and yes. Joe drew up the glucagon. He gave the shot. The girl found a new hero. I found a new hero.
His simple story, his simple act leaves me in awe. It raises questions like could that be me? Or what if Joe hadn't been there? Paramedics take awhile, especially on college campuses. Where would that girl be if Joe hadn't saved her life? And if it's me, should I always have my glucagon? I don't carry it with me, rationalizing that I've never had a seizure during the day so it only seems important at night. "What if" races through my mind.
It also makes me think of how rare Joe is. How many people would (especially college students!) do that? How many people have the guts to rummage through a girl's purse? Or not think twice about giving the glucagon (I think we all know where it's going...not something I want the world to see)? How many people have the substance to be a hero?
I'd guess that it's not many considering Joe was the only hero in this story. If only we could all be like Joe, wouldn't the world be a better place?
Some friends and I had a heated discussion about this same type of "heroism" today... the conclusion is that too many people worry about legal liability if they perform any action other than calling 911... and this can include people who are medically trained, but who are out of the area in which they are licensed, or who were not formally trained for a specific procedure (such as administering glucagon).
In most places, Good Samaritan laws cover Joe's actions if he has a medical certification to administer glucagon... but he may not be covered under those laws if he does not. That's enough to scare many people away from doing the right thing.
What we need to do, for good or ill, is to build a network of, let's call them "diabetes buddies". You trust your d-buddies to be able to tell someone that you're having a low and need immediate treatment. You trust your d-buddies to get you that orange juice and fight for it to get to you pronto. You trust your d-buddies to administer glucagon if you've seized and/or gone too low to drink that OJ...
Depending on your environment, you may have a different d-buddy in each class, or you may have a couple with whom you're frequently Twittering. Your d-buddy may have diabetes, or may know other people with diabetes, or not. You may know two or three (or more) other people in your school or office who have diabetes, and come to an understanding that you will each come to the other's aid.
Obviously there is no excuse for not taking care of one's self and trying to avoid incidents... but just like the net suspended below the high-wire, your d-buddy is one more person who will make sure you are safe.
Here in Florida anybody is cover by the Good Samaritan Law. As a responder for my workplace, even if the worst happens, as long as I tried, I am protected. Thus it gives more incentive to try to save them. I just hope that I can step forward when that time comes to actually help someone, like Joe did.
Great post and amazing story Lindsey. Thank you very much for sharing this story. That guy/this story truly does deserve recognition. This is the type of story that informs and motivates people. I hope your local news station or paper picks up on this or that someone sees to it that it does make it to them. Thanks again. -Andy
Lindsey Thank you for your entry. Joe is a very big hero is my eyes too. My daughter is only 2 yrs old and I hope that she has friends like this when she is older. I am a very open parent about Halle's diabetes that this is one of my main reasons why. If people do not know that she has diabetes and I have not told them or showed them what to do, there may not be many Joe's out there that would help. The whole liability thing makes be angry. People have to think about helping the person instead of the liability of helping others in need.
I had a similar story like that. I'm a type 1 Diabetic and have been for quite sometime. When I went to my friend's 15th Birthday party everything went wrong and quick. I didn't notice any low signs besides the fact that I just wanted to lay down and die and the fact i wanted to go get my cellphone when I already had it. But before I knew it, all of my friends at the party were around me trying to help me up, but then I said I am okay, and apparently i fell back down and started seizing. My friends ran to go get me frosting, and forced me to eat it once I stoped siezing, then my friend had to hold me up from it happening again. The parmedics eventually arrived, but if it wouldn't of had been for my friends and getting the icing to help me and holding me up, I may have died.