donmimi83 ( away )
A topic came up on one of the diabetesteentalk forums which got me thinking. The topic was about how diabetics miss days from school or work because of doctor's appointments, seizures or ketones. There were alternating perspectives. Some chose to think that if you miss for diabetes related events, you should be excused or allowed time off without feeling guilty. Others chose to think that you have to suffer through at work or school and should not miss because of diabetes. After all, it is a self managed disease.
I started thinking about my past related to this issue. I remember in first grade (about a year after I was diagnosed) I missed so much school that they were supposed to hold me back a grade. Luckily, my teacher knew that I wasn't behind, just absent a lot. I was absent because of diabetes though. I was still adjusting to the newness of diabetes and I'm sure having blood sugar issues quite commonly. As years went on, I missed here and there because of doctor's appointments or severe blood sugar issues. I never thought twice about it. Missing school was something that was normal for me.
When I got to high school, I missed much less because my school wouldn't excuse blood sugar problems as a legitimate excuse. I always thought that really wasn't fair because I couldn't exactly control how my diabetes was going to react with my life. Once I started working, I tried my best not to let diabetes affect my work ethic. If I got low, I'd feel guilty having to take a break to treat instead of actually doing my job. If I wasn't feeling well because of a high blood sugar, I didn't let myself go home. Now in college, I feel the same way about missing school or having blood sugar interfere with tests/quizzes. In my first exam this year, I got low about half way through. I finished my exam quickly and went to treat. I have no idea how greatly it affected my grade, but I'm positive it did.
As I read the forum the other day, I felt indignant that we should be allowed to treat lows, miss class or work and take off for regular doctor's appointments. Despite my outrage at hearing that we should just finish our tests with a low and not have special treatment or we should force ourselves to get out of bed when we're overrun with ketones, I looked at my life. I see that diabetes interferes. I see that I let it. I don't ask for the special treatment. I don't want to have to ask. But at the same time, I don't want a lower test grade because of a low or to not be allowed to take off for necessary appointments. I still wonder though...who is right? Is diabetes self managed therefore my problem only? Or is diabetes uncontrollable and unpredictable therefore allowing me special treatment?
