Diabetic Recipes
Beep Boop Beep.
My pump tells me it’s been two hours since my last bolus and that I should check my blood glucose level.
Beep. I clear the alarm.
I slip a test strip into my meter.
Beep. It is ready for me to drop blood on it.
Beep. The machine starts the countdown.
Beep. 163.
Press the Bolus Wizard button on my pump and enter the number.
Beep. Beep. Beep. I accept the amount of insulin and get it sent on its way. As soon as the bolus amount is finished being delivered I hear one last sound.
Beep.
From the other side of cubical partition I hear, “What is that beeping?”
“Sorry, that’s me and my stuff.”
“Ugh, I kept hearing all this beeping. I thought I was going crazy.” She replied.
I apologize again and let it go, sort of. Later that day as lunch time approaches I go through the same deal. I check, bolus, and all that stuff and I get yet another, “WHAT IS THAT BEEPING!?!”
After taking in a deep breath I said, “I am sorry but believe me, if I did not have to do this I wouldn’t.” I could hear the sarcasm in my voice even though I was trying to contain it.
Now every time my pump or meter “beeps” I hear a “huff” or an “ugh” as if I am ruining her life. It makes me so angry but at the same time I understand how annoying diabetes can be.
So do I switch my stuff to silent mode or tell her to switch to silent mode?
How about the simple truth, with only slight exaggeration: "I have diabetes; the beeps you hear are the medical equipment that keeps me alive."
My goodness, she must have the hearing sensitivity of a dog if a little 'beep' bothers her that much! If it were me, I'd give her a little primer on how the little beeping machine is KEEPING ME ALIVE and it's not merely to annoy her...):-X Does she have a way to mask or block sounds (i.e. earplugs, headphones, white noise/radio), or can a helpful boss-like person instruct her that you're not doing it for funzies?!
Sheesh. People are really becoming pretty intolerant, aren't they? Seriously, though, if she's creating a hostile work environment for you, then maybe a supervisor needs to mediate...
Sorry if it sounds harsh, I'm in a grumpy mood at my own workplace today. Hang in there, George!
"So do I switch my stuff to silent mode or tell her to switch to silent mode?"
SuperG, that made me laugh out loud. I'd pop over to her cube and tell her that you're not trying to annoy her on purpose, but your diabetes devices beep. Add a "Believe me, I'd rather not have to wear them, but it's either some beeping and good health or going beepless and having trouble controlling my diabetes."
If that doesn't work, give me her extension. I'd love to give her a call. ;)
And then Kerri can forward the call to me. Put that lady on silent mode!!
Which kinda reminds me, I am totally annoyed by the obscenely loud chewing of one of my coworkers but she has never mentioned my beeping. I wonder if the feeling is mutual?!
I have one who chews ice cubes every day at 3:30 on the dot. Another one calls her family and chats away loudly, sometimes arguing, for hours at a time. Give me a little sterile beeping and I'd be a happy camper!
I would RELISH the fact that the beeping is annoying her. Let it beep baby. Let. It. Beep!
How about this.
In the middle of the day - say to her, "I keep hearing this terrible noise. Oh, it's just an awful sound..."
"Oh, really???" She'll say...
Then you say, "Oh, wait, it's just your breathing... Can you try not to do that so loud??? I think it might be making me crazy..."
If she doesn't take that hint. I would TURN the beeping up as LOUD AS IT CAN GET... To blot out her annoying huffs...
I really don't like this woman, and I don't even know her...
I had a cube neighbor once who used to get annoyed by my beeping, but I thought it was a lot more annoying to hear her over there chewing with her mouth open all the time (also, she had a preference for very aromatic snacks).
Hey George, does your neighbor by chance eat a lot of tuna and burned popcorn?
Personally, I prefer a meter that doesn't beep at me. Now the pump is a very different matter! You want that to tell you when to check and it can't be silent if it's to do its job. Tell your cube mate that she should actually be glad that your pump beeps because the alternative might be that SHE gets to call 911 when you go too low. ;-)
UGH tell HER to switch it to silent mode!!
"Stuff" wasn't really much of a description. She could think that "stuff" is your gameboy or cell phone or something. Hopefully if you tell her what it actually is she'll be mortified and apologize.
At least I hope she doesn't already know what the "stuff" is, because if she does she deserves to be put on silent mode--permanently. *evil laugh*