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I've swallowed my pride and decided to apply for disability services here at school. They can offer me a few resources that I do not have access to otherwise. Most importantly, they give me the ability to register early for class and to notify my professor's that there is a legitimate health issue that I deal with.
The past two semesters, I've considered doing it, but I've also thought it was too embarrassing. But finally, things have gotten to the point where I'm realizing that it's not embarrassing, it's reality. So I've taken the initial steps to go through with it.
First, I want to state the exact reasons why I'm asking for the service. My school has 40,000+ students. The number is only growing. When that many students are registering for classes, the classes tend to disappear quite quickly. The best times or best professors go in a matter of minutes on some days.
This can be, and has been, a real problem for me. I'm constantly stressing over my schedule. Not only do I have to manage getting all the required classes, but I have to manage the times and stress level of the classes. For instance, this semester I have classes that put me at an awkward time for breakfast and lunch. So I'm having lows constantly in the middle of my second class (despite basal changes).
On top of the diabetes, there are my other health issues that add in a completely different factor to getting the right classes. My first semester, I had 8am classes that I could not make because my early morning fatigue was unbearable. I'm best between 10 and 12 and 2 and 3, which unfortunately are the best times for everyone else. If I don't get those times, it leaves me stressing to make it to class on time and sometimes even make it to class in general.
Now, on to my journey to get disability status. I called my endocrinologist’s office this morning to ask for the letter that my school requires. It has to have the basic diagnosis, verifying tests, and functional limitations that have brought me to the point of asking for disability. I know there are dozens of other students who use diabetes as a legitimate cause for disability, so I really didn't think it'd be an issue.
But apparently, I was an alien asking for an unknown item. Disability status? You need special help? I felt ashamed. Embarrassed. Overwhelmed. I decided it was too much effort so I'd move on to my next doctor (because maybe they'd be more understanding).
Successfully, the next doctor (the doctor I see for my bio-identical treatment) was empathetic. His office didn't seem to think I was an alien. Now, I'm just waiting on a phone call back to verify all the minute details before sending it into my school.
Once I hung up the phone, I started wondering if I was really that rare. I know of other diabetics who use disability services specifically for that reason, but apparently my doctor's office doesn't think that it's a legitimate reason. Maybe it's the term disability. Maybe if we could have a different label, then people might accept diabetes as a reason. After all, I'm not a disabled person.
But what would that label be?
This has been the issue that, in some people's eyes, "stripped down" the Americans With Disabilities Act until it was "restored" last week, or the week before.
All of us, with diabetes or not, have times at which we function better (our own bodies' circadian rhythms). But until our conditions affect us to the point of visibly limiting our mobility or demonstrably changing our public behavior, society does not consider us "disabled".
Moreover, we live in a culture of "suck it up" that puts as much onus on us to cope with what is thrown at us as it does on others to accept our differences. (A parallel example: while it could be considered sexual harassment for one of your male professors, in private conference, to call you "sweetie" -- even if it's across a desk -- it's considered equally unacceptable for you to complain to the dean's office of sexual harassment as opposed to coldly-but-not-angrily informing that professor that you find that address unacceptable.)
You aren't a 'disabled person', but you are a person with a diability, according to the ADA which defines it as "a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a record of such an impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment.
The first part of the definition makes clear that the ADA applies to persons who have impairments and that these must substantially limit major life activities such as seeing, hearing, speaking, walking, breathing, performing manual tasks, learning, caring for oneself, and working."
Please tell me which one of those 'major life activities' that diabetes does not affect?!
I don't necessarily WANT to be recognized as a person with a diability, but it is nice to know that protection is there if I need it. As a person who works in the field of education, I agree that this is a perfectly reasonable request from a student with diabetes.
The day took a different turn than I expected. It turns out that the deadline online was very misleading and didn't apply for me. So now, if I register with the disability office, I do not get the one service that I was registering for (early course registration). I find it completely unfair that because I wasn't sick enough to register before, I'm now not being allowed access to all the services. Has anyone else faced this? I'm having trouble understanding how this is legal!
I'm sorry. I strongly disagree you should get this type of preferential treatment for diabetes. I went to college in 1982 without glucose monitors or rapid acting insulin.
Trust me. I was sick first thing in the morning a lot. I missed a lot of classes and was tired a lot. But that doesn't mean I should have been treated differently.
And you have the tools I did not have. You should be able to stabilize your blood sugar in a way that none of us did back in the 70's and early 80's.
And I worked part-time through college. That cost me too but oh well. Life is tough.
Stress ... please, adrenalin rushes are part of life.
Many people may disagree with me but I don't ever wanted to be babied because of diabetes. It's our responsibility to control it; we have the tools to do it. It's our fault if we do not. It is not everyone else's responsibility to work around US.
Now ... if you're not allowed to eat, take insulin or test your blood sugar in the classroom - that's different. That's comes under reasonable accomodation in my mind.
Dorisjackson,
Its not that people claim disability all want to be babied. In fact, I read into this that the poster was trying to make some reasonable accomodations to her schedule in order to prevent severe reactions.
The standards have changed a lot from the 70s and 80s, and I'm not sure you're understanding of how tight of control is expected now. If those lows are happening frequently and she's made the reasonable basal and bolus adjustments as stated, the next accomodation would be schedule.
I think on occasion we all have to do something like this to make our diabetes and our life fit together. We do have a "disability" and occasionally have to be "disabled" in order to get reasonable accomodations.
Now, on the other hand, if she were asking for a service dog, or some other nonsense, I'd be totally against it because we are not that far along in the disabled category.
And the 8 am classes? Lindsey, how do you expect to work in life if you can't manage to learn the skills to be awake and working at that hour? Part of school is learning these skills and how to adjust to them in terms of bedtime, life, and diabetes.
Depending on your definition of "service dog," many diabetics actually do use dogs to help them recognize lows and prevent seizures. I'm planning on doing this within the next few years. It's certainly not unreasonable, and it would only be used at home because I have a history of night-time seizures.
As for the 8am classes, it's not a matter of managing my life or bedtime. 8am classes have nothing to do with diabetes. I deal with other health conditions that affect me so that it's very difficult for me to function that early, no matter what time I go to bed or how much rest I get throughout the day. Unfortunately, it's something that I cannot get around so my life will have to be adjusted in accordance (like finding jobs that start later or a husband who can manage my kids in the morning). Trust me, I'd much rather be up early and enjoy all the things (normalcy), but I can't.
"I'm sorry dorisjdickson, but I don't think you understand the challenges that come with aggressive treatment."
"I'm not sure you're understanding of how tight of control is expected now."
Oh, I think I do understand the challenges that come with aggressive treatment. I target a blood sugar of 85. My A1C has been 5.1 since I read Dr. Bernstein's book and found out what "normal" really is.
I test 15 times a day and take 12-15 small shots per day so I do not have uncontrollable hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia. I eat lower carb - not as low as Dr. Bernstein.
I may choices every day to alleviate the complications and side effects of diabetes and am considered one of the most aggressive in diabetes control on the ADA board as well as by my endo.
There is more to good control than "reasonable basal and bolus adjustments." And if "reasonable" doesn't get the job done, then there are other options and choices that can be made to prevent a person from feeling the need to file disability.
I have two type 1 diabetic friends who are disabled. Neither filed nor was approved because of diabetes. In fact, they were both repeatedly disapproved before social security finally saw the light. They were both approved because (among other things) they can't walk and are in excruciating daily pain. THAT is disabled in my book.
Reasonable accommodations in my book are the ability to 1) take insulin 2)test blood sugar and 3) eat as required. If that takes a disability label ... well, that's just plain sad.
Lindsey, I also just filed for disability services for the first time this semester. I can definitely identify with the way you're feeling, it was really weird to go through that process when I just don't think of myself as "disabled".
But, there were a few times last semester when I went into exams with severe blood sugar issues due to stress hormones (and once a bad set), my brain turned to mush, and I missed tricky questions I otherwise would have caught. I found myself wishing I had explained my situation to the professor in advance so I might have asked for a makeup exam or more time prior to starting. Although I hope I don't need to take advantage of my accommodations now that I have them, it's really comforting to know that my professors are aware of the situation.
About the early registration, not sure. That's not something I thought to ask for, but I tend to do really well with morning classes.
I'm sorry dorisjdickson, but I don't think you understand the challenges that come with aggressive treatment. In the past, when I was not at all proactive about managing my diabetes and ran my blood sugars in the 200s to avoid lows, I didn't face the same challenges I face today. I didn't deal with the fluctuations that sometimes come with aggressive management, and i felt okay because my body was used to my BG being high all the time.
Stress and adrenaline rushes may be "part of life", but in people without type 1 the body is able to deal with those hormones. Yes, we have better tools than you did when you were in college but that doesn't replace a functioning pancreas. Aggressive treatment may help prevent complications and allow me to spend more time in range, but it can't always prevent me from ending up at 400 minutes before a calc test. I don't think that by being proactive about my health and about my GPA that I'm asking to be "babied". I'm sorry that your college years took a toll on your body, but I fail to understand how you can be so critical of someone who is trying to prevent that from happening while also fulfilling her academic responsibilities. I don't think that's preferential treatment. I think that's common sense.
Using diabetes as an excuse to get more comfortable class schedules is an abuse of the ADA (IMO).
However, as long as we cannot get a pilot's license, SCUBA dive, or risk losing our license to drive a car, we ARE being categorized according to our health status as "not quite up to par".
In an ideal world, all of these things would be judged based on the INDIVIDUAL'S needs & abilities. We do not live in that world.
So while I think diabetes itself isn't cause for disability status, those with complications should receive both the "advantages" and restrictions that such a status involves.
For myself, I feel "healthy but with diabetes", and the last thing I want is another label.
Maybe what the author _really_ wants is "disability" on a sliding scale?
I'm not sure what you mean about disability on a sliding scale. Could you explain?
I believe the law has changed in accordance with health issues of today. Disability is not something that just includes mental or physical handicaps such as being in a wheelchair, Down's syndrome, blindness, etc.
Any one with a chronic health condition faces challenges in the world. The law has offered us resources to better handle those challenges and obtain better control of our conditions. Period.
Hi Lindsey;
By "sliding scale" I meant that maybe there are degrees of being disabled. Of course we all need to stop everything & check (& fix) our blood sugar sometimes. On a scale of 10, I'd give that about a 1. Special scheduling options? That's more like a 3. I'd be OK with a disability classification of 1 or 2; you might prefer a 3 or 4, if such a thing existed.
I'm not entirely above the "abuse" I mentioned: I recently got out of jury duty because I'm pregnant. Of course, my *real* reason was that jury duty (the courtroom part, at least) doesn't provide for a diabetic to manage their sugar levels. I doubt they'd be happy about me munching or slurping away while the lawyer is making their best argument! I was surprised that they don't think of diabetes as a reason for dismissal, but pregnancy (a normal, healthy condition) is?!
What I was trying to say above is that I don't want to be considered "disabled" just because I'm diabetic; but I DO want consideration for the particulars of my disease. I don't want special parking, but I'd like to SCUBA dive. (Yes, that REALLY annoys me!) On the other hand, there are folks who have complications or other issues that need more assistance than I do.
I guess I'm feeling wary because the gov't has already taken things away from us; being classified as disabled won't help in my bid for normalcy!!
It sounds to me like you do not have a disability because of your diabetes. Take away the diabetes and it seems like you'll still be stressing over school and your schedule, etc. and you are using diabetes to gain an advantage in obtaining the classes and class times that are convenient for you.
First, I want to remind everyone that diabetes is NOT the only health issue that I deal with on a minute-to-minute basis.
Second, school with always be stressful, but with the added resources that are legally offered to me, I can better manage and limit that stress. Diabetes is not an excuse. I've been diabetic since I was 4 years old. I've passed out, had seizures, developed hypo unawareness, and had a multitude of other experiences that have limited me. My other issues have given me the same things, leaving me in the emergency room the night before a final and keeping me out of week's worths of classes. It's not an option. And I am not the type to let the small (or even large) things get to me. But I am not afraid to say that my health limits me in some ways and I want the resources legally offered to me.
I have been dealing with diabetes type one for almost forty years. The biggest thing I can tell you is I have become exhausted,sore all over and depressed because of the constant dealings of diabetes. Do not feel strange about going for disability because there is no doubt you are not up to par every day. Just keep moving as best you can and that's all anyone can ask.
I also am a Type 1 diabetic who was diagnosed almost 40 years ago! I am a 42 year-old female with no family members who are diabetic. I am so glad I have found someone who may understand what I am going through! I remember going to the doctor more than once to try to find out what was wrong that was causing me to be too tired to move off the sofa all day when I was at the energetic age of 5! They finally told me I have diabetes and was to go to the hospital on Monday, several days away! I know my mother learned to give injections by practicing on an orange!! Today, diabetes would be the first thing they would check for! I have since been diagnosed with MS, Talk about fatigue, memory fog, etc! I've got all the excuses I need! Now I just need some answers to my constant pain! I was told I have "frozen shoulder" and they tried all kinds of pain prescriptions, but I am back to OTC even though the pain never seems to leave entirely.
I would like to correspond with you to compare the way diabetes care has changed, what complications you experience, and solutions you may have found.
to Luvrandy-I would love to talk with you about how your MS treatments affect your diabetes control. I am a 32 year-old female that has had Type 1 since I was eight and was diagnosed with MS two and a half years ago. I've been looking to talk with someone who has Type 1 with MS as well. I am taking Rebif. I'm wondering if you are on a therapy for MS? I am finding that it sometimes raises my blood sugar, but there is no pattern. Sometimes pretty frustrating! It sure feels like managing both diseases is a full-time job. Anyway-I'd love to hear from you.
First of all the frozen shoulder seems to be very common among long time diabetics. In my case the doctors strapped me down to a table and began to force the sholder upwards to free it if that doesn't work the next thing while your still out is to surgically free the shoulder. By this time when you wake up it hurts like hell because they really bruised the area from trying to free it forcefully. Would I do it again? YES! I do want to mention afterwards they send you to therapy for a short while and at that time I met 3 other diabetics in there for the same thing. Just to let you know I was 16 years old when I was given the diagnoses of diabetes I am now over 55. Really hope this helped. Feel free to reply.
I have asthma and got diabetes from steroid (Prednisone)use. I suggest you keep fighting and don't let others discourage you. They do not deal with your life situations. I had to fight to get a handicap parking placard because to look at me I look fine. You can not see asthma or diabetes, but when I have to walk I have to do so at a slow pace in order for my lungs to keep up. When I complained to my doctor that RUDE people at the stores do not understand that a person can look fine but have a devasting disablity he suggested I use a cane, but I chose to take the road less traveled and if they say something directly to me I educate them about the law, acceptance, and disablilities. If I am coming out of the drug store I show them the 15 or more drugs I take on a daily basis, explain that I take my blood sugars 4 times a day, take insulin with meals, and they usually apoligize and leave a little wiser. I think you should fight for your rights and educate people along the way.
Today is my 51st birthday and I have been balancing the effects of my type 2 diabetes for over 20 years. The last 3 years I have been sole caregiver for my elderly mother who recently passed. Handling the highs and lows of mom's alzheimers and my diabetes became so stressful and damaging to my health that I was not able to hold a job and was placed on antidepressants. Now that my dear mom has gone from labor to reward, I am again back in the workforce attempting to balance that 8am work start and skipping lunch to finish that project or moderating that conference when my lows are hitting 60. For me diability is a reality and should be recognized as such.
I totally disagree with the comment by Doris Jackson. So what if you didn't have the opportunity to take advantage of your disability back in the 1980's? Doris sounds like a complete whinner! Since Lindsey is entitled to these services, I say go for it! After all, I have to support all of those people taking advantage of welfare through my income taxes.
I've had DM Type I now for 37 of my 47 years of life. I have used the services of Mainstream when I was in High School and took the ADA services offered to me in College. I do not classify myself as "disabled" but it did help me register for my classes and get the times that I needed to minimize my "eating" schedule. Times & the treatment options of DM have changed a lot. If offered, use it and do not be ashamed. You will be a role model for someone in the future if you control your diabetes well and succeed in life.
hello my name is tammy and i was wondering how you found out you were disabled and what your sugars were to claim that I am a diabetic also and my sugars are out of control one day they are high the next very low I was wondering if you get back to me and let me know my email address is dalesr66@yahoo.com thank-you so very much and have a great day
I learned when I was very young not to judge another's diabetes. While my diabetes was not considered "brittle", I knew others who were. Diabetes impacts people in different ways. Some live with the disease much longer than others. I was diagnosed with Type 1 at four years of age. I'm 49 now. I found it necessary to file for social security disability at age 44. I'm very active. I have worked out 4+ times a week since the age of 12. I used to compete in bodybuilding and own fitness centers. I'm an avid skier. The primary reason I filed for disability was because of something all persons with diabetes should be aware of. Most are not. Its called autonomic neuropathy. It affects your body in multiple ways. Autonomic neuropathy is the result of long-term damage to that part of your nervous system that controls autonomic response (such as heart beat, pupil dilation, rate of stomach emtying, awareness of blood sugar level, etc.). While I don't suffer much from peripheral neuropathy or retinopathy (mostly due to years of exercise and healthy eating), I have a number of issues from autonomic neuropathy. Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but many researchers believe that autonomic neuropathy begins affecting people with diabetes only a year or two after diagnosis. Over time, it can get much worse. The aspect of autonomic neuropathy that makes my life most difficult is hypoglycemia unawareness. That means I have very little sensitivity to low blood sugar. I have to get down to 40-50 mg/dl before I realize I'm low. Last ski season I had a rather nasty experience with low blood sugar. Due to the Arthrotec I was trying for arthritis in my knees my blood sugar dropped to below what my meter was capable of reading (under 20 mg/dl). I had no awareness of my low blood sugar. I just happened to check while riding up the chair lift. Bad news is that it was one of those rare occasions where I was sking alone. I didn't panic. I didn't even feel that bad. I got angry. How dare my diabetes try to ruin my day of skiing! So I ate and kept skiing (I don't recommend that others try this!). The Arthrotec kept me in the 20's mg/dl. for over an hour. Not only can I not tell when I'm low, but I also can't tell when I'm high until I begin to experience nausea (that can be pretty high). In addition, my blood sugar doesn't respond like it used to. Correcting lows and highs can take a long time. Sorry guys, diabetes is difficult. If you havn't discovered that truth yet, you will. Its just a matter of time. All that said, I've always been a "fighter". I keep active and busy. Am I disabled? The federal government thinks so. Their primary criteria is whether or not you can perform the kind of work you've been trained to do or have done in the past. Could I work a set schedule in that vocation without being unaware of serious lows? Sadly, no. They would occur several times a week. Would I miss a large number of work days each month because of serious complications from my diabetes? Yes.
I was the "poster boy" for good diabetic health for 38 years. Now I know what it feels like to be "brittle". If you have tried everything you can to control your blood sugars and you still have serious complications then some special accommodation may be reasonable.
In the History department of a midwestern university that I work, there are three of us that are diabetic. I help set up classes for our department and definitely work with the professors that have diabetes, to give them the best chance to control their diabetes during the school day. One needs a two hour break between classes and uses it as office hours. Another doesn't like classes prior to 10am, as his mornings are highly unstable, but doesn't hesitate to teach evenings. We all have to learn the rhythm our own bodies have so that we can optimize our day. Don't be ashamed of doing what you need to do, and when you need to do it, to be safe from severe fluctuations. We all know what not-taking-control will eventually do to each of us personally, and I for one, am not going to be passive about it. I will continue to fight everyday to keep as good a balance as I can, no matter what it takes from the outside world I live in. Luckily the others in this department totally accept our situations and don't hesitate to back us at every turn. Don't take for granted the friends and family that have YOUR back! We are each other's BEST support!! Hope tomorrow is your best day yet.
Wow, I wish more workplaces were like yours! We diabetics would have a much easier time. Keep up the fantastic work!
I to have the same stress and difficult levels and I hate the term disabled but most groups or oranizations due referr to us as disabled. I have other medical problems that are considered disabled and one may become life threating for me and no it is not my diabetes. I have highs and lows and times where I can not eat the right meals or ingest the nutrients I need to stablize my blood sugars. I do agree this is a serious problem and good luck to you . Tom
Thanks to everyone who has offered me support in this endeavour! We're all dealing with the same issues, we've got to stick together! We're all going after the same goal: a cure! No matter what.
I am one of those person that make rude comments to people parking in handicap spaces that do not belong there. You seem to be in the same position. You cannot function at 8 am. well go to bed at 10 every night and you soon will be able to. I used to think the same thing at your age. then I started world traveling. Then the reality set in that it's in your mind. If you can adjust to several hour time zone changes, you can certainly get up and function if you want. You are abusing the system, a system to help people with serious issues. You have no pride to swallow and after you do this, you find that you cannot not get the preferential treatment you think you deserve and then ask if it is legal. I hope you get a lawyer and because of you some of these loopholes get fixed.
Diabetes is something we all share. It does affect some worse than others, there are probably a high percentage of people here who deserve some help far more than you.
We are who we are because of how we deal with what life sends our way, not with what we have.
I fear this will come back to haunt you. If your transcript says DISABLED, by law it cannot stop you from being hired. but the law cannot stop them from finding a more IDEAL candidate than you. I have seen how the disabilities issues are dealt with in the real world.
I've sounded harsh, I know. I bet you are angry. But it was to make a point. I think you are smart enough to see a bigger picture and decide which path you want to follow. I do hope you the best
hi lindsay.. i was just recently diagnoised with Type 2 Diabetes in May of this year ... it's been a stressful and painful experience for me...I am also going thru the process to try to get Disabilty myself...it's been over 4 months and still on going ... my body hurts, my mental states fluxuates and my mind doesn't stop thinking about the possiblities of what can happen if I don't get it under control . and harder yet with no medical insurance and I'm 54 yrs old too boot.. I feel that Diabetes is a Disability and we should be able to get help...I hope that you get the help you need and that others do... Take care
I am surprised at all of this special treatment for registering for classes, extra class time etc...That does not happen in the work force. If you need extra time for Lunch, yes you can get it, but you have to make that up either before or at the end of your shift. There are a lot of people that work gravejard shifts, nights, evenings or early morning shifts...You think they can go to their employer and say i need a midday work schedule because that is when i am most proficiant, i cant make it to work at for 8am because i am too tired??? I am dealing with it now..i went from a 10am start time to a 6am start time and yes it screwed up my levels, so i had to think what can I do, to change it. By not eating at 5am a regular breakfast but just a snack and not taking my insulin until about 9am and see there I am back on track. It is your responsibility to work out what will help you not your school, and not your employer. Sorry no sympathy from me!!. in regards to that, but I do have a letter from the Dr turned into my employer if i need to take time of from work because my sugar levels are either to high or to low to drive...so in that respect yes, get that and use that so that you can make up test if that is what happend. But not for getting better classes and teachers. That is not right toward other students.
I'm 43 years old and got type 1 in 1987. In 1989, I entered the DCCT/EDIC study and still participate to this day. I feel I have a handle on my diabetes and my last A1c was a 6.1. I worked for an insurance (Farmers Insurance) for 9 years as an insurance fraud investigator. In mid 2007, I began to feel lethargic, tired, lack of concentration etc. I advised my manager of how I was feeling and advised him I needed to address the issue with my Dr. I was told by my Dr. to take time off of work in order to correct the problem. I took a short term disability (4 weeks)and the problem was identified and was in the process of being corrected. Upon my return to work, my manager placed me on a performance plan due to my decreased performance. Suddenly, my work began to disappear. I asked my manager if any referrals were coming in for my area to which he advised, no work was coming in and "all of the referrals dried up" for my territory. I later received calls from claims reps asking why all of their referrals were being given to investigators in other states. I knew at that point, that my manager was setting me up for failure due to his unwillingness to assist me with my diabetes. I was placed on probation a short time later, at which time, I asked my manager if he would accomodate me under the ADA and cut my responsibilities back until I got back on track. His response was "We don't have to do anything for you. If you can't do your job, that's tough". Two weeks later I was terminated. When I spoke to H/R they advised, my manager made mention of my ADA claim, but, never gave any specifics and they didn't ask.I went to the EEOC and filed charges against Farmers Insurance for discrimination. I was advised that I did have a good case (which is still pending). I feel that, diabetes is not an obvious physical impairment. It can still unexpectedly limit a diabetics ability to perform certain tasks at any given time for any amount of time. Just because, I didn't need visible assistance (Of course, I looked fine), the disability was still there. I should mention, due to my managers ignorant mindset, I've been out of work for 9 months now and I'm about ready to lose my home and everything else I have. Being that I'm single and have no other source of income, I'll literally have nowhere to go. Pretty scary!!
I'm 43 years old and got type 1 in 1987. In 1989, I entered the DCCT/EDIC study and still participate to this day. I feel I have a handle on my diabetes and my last A1c was a 6.1. I worked for an insurance (Farmers Insurance) for 9 years as an insurance fraud investigator. In mid 2007, I began to feel lethargic, tired, lack of concentration etc. I advised my manager of how I was feeling and advised him I needed to address the issue with my Dr. I was told by my Dr. to take time off of work in order to correct the problem. I took a short term disability (4 weeks)and the problem was identified and was in the process of being corrected. Upon my return to work, my manager placed me on a performance plan due to my decreased performance. Suddenly, my work began to disappear. I asked my manager if any referrals were coming in for my area to which he advised, no work was coming in and "all of the referrals dried up" for my territory. I later received calls from claims reps asking why all of their referrals were being given to investigators in other states. I knew at that point, that my manager was setting me up for failure due to his unwillingness to assist me with my diabetes. I was placed on probation a short time later, at which time, I asked my manager if he would accomodate me under the ADA and cut my responsibilities back until I got back on track. His response was "We don't have to do anything for you. If you can't do your job, that's tough". Two weeks later I was terminated. When I spoke to H/R they advised, my manager made mention of my ADA claim, but, never gave any specifics and they didn't ask.I went to the EEOC and filed charges against Farmers Insurance for discrimination. I was advised that I did have a good case (which is still pending). I feel that, diabetes is not an obvious physical impairment. It can still unexpectedly limit a diabetics ability to perform certain tasks at any given time for any amount of time. Just because, I didn't need visible assistance (Of course, I looked fine), the disability was still there. I should mention, due to my managers ignorant mindset, I've been out of work for 9 months now and I'm about ready to lose my home and everything else I have. Being that I'm single and have no other source of income, I'll literally have nowhere to go. Pretty scary!!
I'm 43 years old and got type 1 in 1987. In 1989, I entered the DCCT/EDIC study and still participate to this day. I feel I have a handle on my diabetes and my last A1c was a 6.1. I worked for an insurance (Farmers Insurance) for 9 years as an insurance fraud investigator. In mid 2007, I began to feel lethargic, tired, lack of concentration etc. I advised my manager of how I was feeling and advised him I needed to address the issue with my Dr. I was told by my Dr. to take time off of work in order to correct the problem. I took a short term disability (4 weeks)and the problem was identified and was in the process of being corrected. Upon my return to work, my manager placed me on a performance plan due to my decreased performance. Suddenly, my work began to disappear. I asked my manager if any referrals were coming in for my area to which he advised, no work was coming in and "all of the referrals dried up" for my territory. I later received calls from claims reps asking why all of their referrals were being given to investigators in other states. I knew at that point, that my manager was setting me up for failure due to his unwillingness to assist me with my diabetes. I was placed on probation a short time later, at which time, I asked my manager if he would accomodate me under the ADA and cut my responsibilities back until I got back on track. His response was "We don't have to do anything for you. If you can't do your job, that's tough". Two weeks later I was terminated. When I spoke to H/R they advised, my manager made mention of my ADA claim, but, never gave any specifics and they didn't ask.I went to the EEOC and filed charges against Farmers Insurance for discrimination. I was advised that I did have a good case (which is still pending). I feel that, diabetes is not an obvious physical impairment. It can still unexpectedly limit a diabetics ability to perform certain tasks at any given time for any amount of time. Just because, I didn't need visible assistance (Of course, I looked fine), the disability was still there. I should mention, due to my managers ignorant mindset, I've been out of work for 9 months now and I'm about ready to lose my home and everything else I have. Being that I'm single and have no other source of income, I'll literally have nowhere to go. Pretty scary!!
Any person with diabetes HAS a disability in daily life that prevents NORMAL daily routine. For instance, I returned to college after retirement, and a 4 year typeII diagnosis, realizing I must maintain a daily regimine of sleep/rest, nutrition, exercise, and treatment. Yes, I tried to make that MY regimine that was unknown to, mostly, other prople. BUT I knew that my daily regimine was closely tied to my future health; I COULD NOT neglect today's regimine because THAT WOULD catch up to me as I age. My first symptoms before typeII diagnosis were mild nausea (apparent high bloodsugar)and neuropathy in the toes, feet, and calf of each leg. A DVT in one leg shortly after retirement added to my daily concern for daily treatment of symptoms (edema)and safe movement/seating e.t.c. around campus; I needed to, of course, monitor bloodsugar and eat my meals/snacks. But I also had to monitor edema and elevate that leg often to reduce swelling. My point here is, when you're diabetic, what you do today affects your future MORE than most other people (make that students). YOU treat your symptoms. YOU report health concerns to your healthcare pro's. YOU monitor bloodsugar and physical symptoms. So, in the sense that YOU are your own primary caregiver, YOU are also the one person who keeps you living each day. That means YOU must recognize any advantage that's available for your own good health. Be sure to consider any/all such advantages seriously; the quality and length of your life depends on you.
Lindsey, hang in there. As for you others saying be tough that is not the answer. I am 59 years old, diagnosed 10 years ago and thought I had the answers.I wan't going to let it bother me and just go on with life. Then my grandson came along and last year I realized I wasn't doing enough. I was taking my meds and watching my diet and keeping active but. So I buckled down and lost 65 pounds over a year. What happened next scared me. I suddenly had an A1c of 14 and blood glucose of 304. My docter started me on lantus once a day. Some progress but not as good. We have gone to humilog at dinner and I have seen some good numbers. I have put a little weight back on but I am still more aware and trying harder. To make things worse, if you will I am a police officer approaching 30 years in uniform. Lots of stress plus my wife is disabled. She has had 6 back surgeries and 20 vascular procedures to deal with a nicked artery and infection complications since then. She uses the handicapped parking when she needs to but not on her good days.
In short everybody has a story. Some employers will work with you others will not. My superiors are aware of my condition as are my co-workers. It is another day at the office and I just stay alert. We are disabled, there is no doubt about it. How we deal with it and what steps we have to take are dependent on each person and his or her complications. None of us are the same and none of us can handle it the same. Get your education the best way you can and then deal with the job market. I would not be in your shoes, but I would not want you to be in my shoes.
Good luck to each and every one of you and remember we are individuals with a deadly disease. How we deal with it is individual and there is nothing wrong with taking a hand up from the government, not a hand out.
Stay upbeat as best you can and remember somewhere is someone similar to you who could be a not yet met friend with whom you can share.
As Kinky Friedman said may the god of your choice bless you.
I have applied for disability, through social security and Kansas Public Employment System. I have been rejected through social security but have reapplied, after being told to do so. I am a teacher who retired early due to last year, the troublesome students, and added stress from the principals, making me lose weight and suffer from high blood pressure, not to mention blood sugars all over the place in a brittle diabetic anyway. I wrote on the paperwork that I was unable to teach and check my sugars as often as I should to control the highs with an insulin pump. When asked if I could bend, write, and some of the other questions, I said I could unless my blood sugars were extremely high or low. For some reason, this disability due to diabetes has affected me recently, possibly due to age (59) and now 16 yrs. of diabetes. I don't know but am sure that teaching a class was not beneficial to taking blood sugars and correcting them! I do not know whether I will be accepted for disability or not but I keep plugging along, filling out paperwork that gives me a headache, because I did retire early due to my diabetes and no one can tell me I am not disabled--I have been there!
I am 59 years old and have had Type 1 diabetes for more than 40 years. I have survived more or less, though now things are starting to back up on me a little. But I want to warn you about all the medical experts who tell you to keep such a tight control on your blood sugar that you feel that you have a disability. Most of the doctors aren't diabetic and don't know what it means to live a life that way. There is an old expression..."Those who spend so much time preserving their bodies often end up losing their minds as well." Yes, you should try and control your blood sugar levels, eat sensibly limiting carbohydrate, exercise, do all the tests and try and get ahead of this only semi-manageable disease. You must do things in moderation and adapt yourself as best you can. But, as others have said, you have to deal with the real world as well. Nobody likes 8:00 classes, but as a former college teacher, you must inform your teachers about your condition when it comes to taking tests, etc. Most will help you out if you can bring a note from your doctor. If you don't like the situation at your school, well, find a smaller place that is more adapted to your needs. If nothing else, college teaches you to deal with responsibilities that hit you in the face when you enter the real world, so that you don't end up flipping hamburgers for a living. We are not cripples in the sense that you are writing about and don't have that kind of disabiliity because of the diabetes. That comes on later in life when your body really starts to shut down on you and nothing works the way it used to. But that is another issue of governmental help which doesn't fit question on this blog. I remember that I played lacrosse in college and always had a can of coke on the sidelines after I had told the coach about my condition. You do the best you can to meet each situation because you are the only one who can see your way out of each problem. It is not at all easy, but what other choice do you have?
I am sorry to say this but I actually find the fact that you used your diabetes to get a leg up on every other student disgusting. I was diagnosed when I was 10 years old and have spent my life with the knowledge that my diabetes did not make me any different than the rest of the world. I think that people that use their diabetes in order to get special treatment pushes the rest of us who fight just to be treated normally, back many steps.
Lindsey,
NEVER feel like you are doing something wrong when it comes to your health especially when you have diabetes! If you need the "label" of being diabetic to get help then do it. I worked in a hospital as a nurse for 10 years the last 2 of which I was a diabetic educator for my patients. As a type 2 diabetic myself I understand what it takes to keep blood sugars under control and how it can wreak havoc on your life. I also felt the same by stating I was not "disabled" but I too thought long and hard about it and decided that even with my best intentions and care for my diabetes I did not always have the best constant results. BEWARE if you are trying to get approved through government disability. Even with my doctors stating I was disable in part because of my condition (along with some others) when social security interviewed me they brushed off the fact that I was a diabetic until my lawyer MADE them list this as one of my conditions. Yes, there are people out there who do just fine in life being diabetic and can't understand the others who would choose to use diabetes as a disability but if diabetes affects the way you live and function or lack of being able to then you are in fact considered to be disabled. If there are resources out there for you to se then I say by all means do so, that is what they are there for. Good luck, Teresa
Just about everyone including diabetics don't understand diabetes, I have had to join several message boards,go to diabetes classes, find different doctors and learn from family members who have diabetes, even when you work well with diabetes it has other side effects including that fatigue which can be bad for some more than others and depending on what illnesses you have. One of the first problems is guilt because we have to do something required of us that we might not be really able to do at the moment. We need diabetes education for the public including the court system, it is such a serious disease which can cause death to occur early that it should be at the top with other diseases like heart disease or kidney failure and given great attention for those who don't know so that they can do what is best for those who have the disease and stop putting added pressure on diabetics,it is society's ignorance that makes the problem worst.Who can understand a low blood sugar if they have not had a low, do you think the judge will know what it is to start shaking,lose your mind can't move from the spot or any part of your body for the next 3 hours, I have lows that do that no matter how good I plan and take my insulin and the morning is gone by 3 hours before I can feel a bit of energy,I have to take many digestive enzymes to cope with my energy lost because it seems many diabetics have a lot of trouble with digestion which also adds tiredness. I discovered that after enzymes I was not as tired after eating.Diabetes affects everyone in different ways and more so those who have other illnesses they may not realize that they have. I watched my aunt sleep from morning to night and still could not function and most in my family have the same problem since diabetes runs in the family.Sometimes you have to be your own doctor if you want to get by in life. The medical community also does not always get it right, some doctors could not understand when I tried to explain the fatigue I had in the morning,they could not understand how I could be so fatigued.So the doctors need to be educated too, many general practitioners think that if your blood sugar is under control that these symptoms go away,so education across the board may make people become more serious and aware about symptoms of diabetes.It is not only diabetes awareness we need to give but more information on what you can experience with the disease so diabetics don't feel like they are crazy because they may think that they are the only people feeling a certain way,courts should not decide about something they really don't know about.
I am 54 years old, diagnosed with Type II about 7 months ago, work full time and go to college part-time. I also have fibromyalgia and applied for support services from the school because the symptoms of short-term memory and concentration loss, wide-spread pain, etc. are not entirely under my control. Because of my disability, I am entitled to 100% additional test taking time and math tutoring. The school recognizes that I cannot always compete with 18-22 year olds because of my physical, not intellectual state. I have not had to avail myself of either, but it is comforting knowing that I can, if necessary. This is being realistic, not taking advantage. I still go to class, keep up with reading, do my assignments, etc. I also maintain a 4.0 grade point. (Did I mention I have two teenagers at home?) If we are going to take the approach that someone with a disability either has to suck it up or give up, there will be a whole lot of non-productive people in the world. Getting a degree will open up jobs not available to me now and anyone who would like to deny me that because I applied for support should expect to start picking up the tab for me to go on full disability because I cannot keep up with the demands of my current job for too many more years. Lindsey, keep plugging away. It's a challenge to get the classes you need even at a smaller university. I wish my school allowed my to register early!
Claiming disability for diabetes is within the parameters of a chronic illness, it is not the diabetes alone that gives cause for filing for disability, but the complications that may arise because of the diabetes. Diabetes is not a stand alone disease, as it wrecks havoc in the body, often unseen, until the symptoms are acutely advanced. Long term, diabetes affects every system in the body, but disruption is not always immediate. The stress, physical or emotional also wrecks havoc on and in the body, blood sugars can fluctuate, as well.
File for those disabilities and donot worry about what others think, as they are not the ones experiencing this chronic disease and have no idea as to the ramifications.
I know this is a late post to your problem, and I can vouch that it feels like your disabled, and in your eyes you are, just sometimes the ada doesn't agree with what we feel is a disability.
Others within all this posting hedge and haw about this all over the place, but let me give you some information at least from my personal experence.
I too am a diabetic. No if's and's or but's, but my sulution came about in a service dog that does double duty for me and my husband. See my husband is deaf, I'm a diabetic, and I have some other heath concerns brought on by this diabetes. Our dog has been a life saver to both us many times. Stoping mike from walking into the street when cars are coming, reviving me when I foget my sleeping mask, waking us up when the alarm goes off. alerting us too intruders, smoke alarms, sirens, phones, highs and lows for me. So much this dog does for us and at first it was only for my husband... he's the real handicapped one here. Yea deafness is a disability. Even though I do beleive that this Common Wealth doesn't think so.
You go and do what you got to do girl, keep searching for a dog for u if that is the way you want to go for other problems. But do this for that... go into the pen with all the puppies, and play with them all... get up and move away from them, the first one that follows u is your loyal friend. Raise and train with a good trainer that is consisious of your problerms. But raise from a pup. Tell people to resist from touching and playing with your dog. he's in training the moment u bring him home.
as u and your pet grow together he/she/it will learn about you and will begin to help in other ways. Dont forget to get your pup certified so they if you need them can go with you into stores. Your trainer should help with this.
Lastly diabetes is a disability, though we all deal with it in a different manner, it is a disability. I am like u, I don't deal with mornings or 8 am classes very well, but I can't always have my cake and eat it too. So off to bed early or late, and still raise early, take care of some of the early morning things before u go to bed or at least set things up so it's makes things quicker in the morning. I do that a lot, i try to make sure my blood supplies are all together and my pins or needles are around my monitors, my meds are right there also... leave out a glass so you can take meds. Life isn't always a rose so sometimes you have to add water before u can add that rose to get on with life.
food set out or in one area if theres lots of people around. dog fed and watered, alsong with things you will need durning the day to deal with the dog, if your using it.
Newtons law said I beleive early to bed, early to rise, makes your day go good if not better.
I'm here most of the time, write back if needed. but be carefun how much you use your disability, I can come back and bite u in your butt.....