Diabetic Recipes
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?
It's a little of each, I think... it is up to us to manage and control our diabetes to the best of our abilities, based on the current state of medical knowledge. That's simply being adult and professional about one's self. It is expected even of non-diabetic persons.
Being professional about yourself means having on hand the means to detect and treat trends before they become extremes -- if that is special treatment, then that "special treatment" should be plain common sense. And there should be no penalty for checking your blood glucose or, if need be, bolusing or sucking on LifeSavers at a meeting.
Regardless, there are times Diabetes will throw you for a loop you did not expect -- a slight cold will throw your numbers off, or a malfunctioning pump or a bad bottle of insulin. As long as you've been professional about your self-care to the greatest degree to which you have been educated and you have educated yourself, the rest is the same sort of slack that should be allowed any human being/valued employee when s/he is feeling ill. Does Belinda have to report in when she's got bronchitis and the flu? Can't Asok call out when he has a migraine? Can't Harry schedule a half-day to see his cardiologist?
In that respect, diabetes is no different than any other chronic condition, and a person with diabetes is no different than any other person who has illnesses that cannot be predicted. Any employer who would not allow leeway in case a staff member took ill or needed time off, is not an employer who will hold onto competent employees for any length of time.
Alright- Here we are TRYING to live a SEMI NORMAL life and all the while fighting the worlds view on this LIFE CONSUMING thing, I soooooooo dont think(i know)that "NORMAL" people cant and wont EVER get the seriousness of it. Ive been in some pretty ugly corners fending off the evils of insensitive people through the loss of 2-count them 2 babies and just dealing with the sheer fact that im in my 20's and there went ALL aspects of a normal life(or so i thought) and the people of the world are against me!!! That SUCKS ya know- yes this is a "self Help" kinda deal however NOT ALWAYS, WE JUST WANNA BE NORMAL and for the world to say "sorry you gotta deal on your own and nope your no diff then anyone else-GO EAT A SALAD WITH OUT CROUTONS OR DRESSING" is WRONG!! Sometimes like was said a cold or allergies or a headache for heavens sakes can send your wold upside down, and to "SUCK IT UP" and kill ourselves to please others is not condusive to a healthy mind set or physically sound- we have drs appts to help us LIVE! THEY NEED TO DEAL, maybe they should have a cookie or something! Sorry Ive just been beat down too much bout it, im just a bit bitter, an u tell. :~(