[DeusXM]

This story doesn't really have a point to it, but I thought I'd tell it anyway...

So, anyway, I'm in quite a posh restaurant for a friend's birthday. Food comes along, so I get out the ol' Humapen for my jab. It's then that a rather large middle-aged woman sitting with her family makes a comment, along the usual lines of 'Gasp! That's disgusting.'

Normally I'd ignore this sort of thing, but the room's kinda gone silent, so I decide to REALLY stick my oar because I'm phenomenally pissed off now.

"Well, excuuuuuuse me!" I say, "I didn't exactly choose to be diabetic."

"Do you really have to do THAT in public though?"she cries, "Can't you do it some other time, out of the way?"

"Oh I'm sorry, I'll just go without my shot and pass out here shall I? I'm so sorry that a medical condition that I didn't ask for has managed to incovenience you. Personally I find it very convenient that I can't eat without injecting"

Everyone in the restaurant's now looking, and the woman's rather aware that she's starting to lose this little fight. She's still got her last ace up her sleeve though, cuz she'll be ****ed if she's going to be shown up to be a prejudiced, inconsiderate moron:

"Well, why can't you go into the toilets and do it there then, if it HAS to be that important?" she says, her tone indicating that somehow I'm exagerating the problems caused by an inability to regulate blood sugar.

"Oh yes, because of course, toilets are a wonderfully sanitary environment in which to administer medical treatment. I'm sure people as a matter of course have operations in the men's room all the time. I'd love some secondary infection or something. So sorry that my trying to maintain my health is obviously highly offensive to you. Would you like me to go die in a corner and therefore be less of an inconvenience for you? Or would you like me to take you to court over the Disability Descrimination Act 1985? Or perhaps you'd like to shut up and let me carry on with my meal and my life."

There's a stunned silence, and then the group of people in their late 20s in the table next to us start clapping. The woman goes red and deathly silent, and then everyone goes back to their meals.

Just thought I'd tell that story because I can't believe I was quite that forthright, and it also shows how there's a lot of ignorant people out there, but there's also plenty of good people out there too.

[HeatherP]

Ha Ha! Good for you!!!!

[Musqua]

DeusXM

Hey there. You did what probaly many of us wanted to do but did'nt have the courage to do so. I know I get watched when doing my bs but no one so far has said any thing. They had better not or they will suffer the wrath of a very mad Canadian.

Heather W. Your Canadian friend

[Tina]

DeusXM

Good for you! She is most certainly self centered & ignorant. Most people with feelings would not mind, because they know it is a way that you have to maintain. I dont have to take injections, but do have to check my bs and always wondered how to go about it when out in a restaurant, in the car, in the restroom?(have thought the restroom isn't a very sanitary place) I really cant believe there are people out there that are that ignorant. Takes all kinds, I guess!
Tina

[zookeeper671]

DeusXM~

Reading about your statement to that ignorant woman made my heart pound (in a good way). I'm a very recently diagnosed type 1, and I feel somewhat self conscious when testing or injecting in public. I worry about facing a confrontation such that you experienced, and how I'd handle it.

I'd like to give you an applause for the way you dealt with that situation... and to thank you, as well, for helping me to feel better about myself and this disease.

Angie

[mg_2204]

Hello DeusXM!

Not pointless at all! Liked the story very much. And good for you!

You know, I was a bit disturbed by your story... I'm appalled someone could make such nasty comments. Not only your injection is life-saving but, in my humble opinion, there is no more to it than taking a pill before a meal. Absolutely nothing disgusting about it really.

I'm sure that woman isn't disgusted when people blow their nose at the table... or burp... or chew mouth open... or put off their cigarette in their plate. Ackl That IS disgusting in my book.

Only while I was pregnant I had to inject insulin so my experience in that field is quite limited. I can't even remember if I did inject in a restaurant or not. But I did get comments... from family and friends. That I remember! Not nasty ones... but some found the injecting disturbing. Oh! They knew all about the reasons, they understood. After all, when you care about someone, you want what is best for them!

Is it possible... that the injecting bit disgusts people because many associate it with drug taking?!?? As in drug addicts... dark street... aids... overdose... etc??? Just a thought. I did wonder about that a lot when I had to inject insulin. A friend of mine used to call me the drug addict while I had to do it. Bothered me a lot.

What do you think?

Thank you for your story!

Everyone, have a great weekend... and continue to take good care of yourselves!!!!!!

Marie

[DeusXM]

Yeah most people probably link it with drug taking, and a lot of people are frightened by needles anyway so it probably stems from that too.

As for the whole nose-blowing etc... I was offended by her noisy kids and the amount of food she and her whole tubby family were shovelling down, but I thought this time I'd be tactful!

[wook]

Deus,

your the man ! hehe, seriously well cooked and served cold !
hope this woman thinks twice next time before she decides to make another of these smart remarks !

[Andrea]

Deus,

Good for you! I have injected insulin pretty much anywhere and everywhere. Basically, i don't think that i should have to wait to find myself a secluded place to give myself the insulin i need to keep myself in good health. So be the subway, a restaurant or just walking down the street, i think people should inject where ever they are when they need to inject.

I have very fortunately never had to deal with comments like that. I don't even want to think how i might have exploded! And now i have been on a pump for 3 years, so when i take out my pump to bolus, people just think i am holding a cell phone. Of course, i have had some funny looks as i try to get the drop of blood on the end of a test strip in a rickety subway car. But i would happily give the same kind of diabetes education class that you did if anyone ever gave me trouble!

Andrea

[rzrbks]

Actually a fine show of restraint.

If/when something like that happens to me I have got my lines all worked out,--actually I kinda hope I get to use them--spent much time on them and am rather proud.

[lgvincent]

I just saw your story for the first time. I hate people like that. There are so many like her in the world. I used to work at AT&T and the center manager where I worked wouldn't let me bring my testing supplies to the job site because she said it was a danger to my co-workers. I had to leave the stuff in my car, where the heat could destroy the insulin and glucose strips. I protested but AT&T had lawyers and money so I lost.

[DeusXM]

lgvincent that's disgusting. I'm no authority on law but I'd swear that AT+T, if they did that, are discriminating against the disabled...I suppose though you've already been through that though.

Might be quite funny if you got the UN Court of Human Rights involved though....

[Jon]

Lgvincent, that makes me wonder what kind of people you work with that would be in danger from your medical supplies. Obviously they are similar to the AT&T customer service people I have had to deal with trying to get my phone hooked up.

[Belinda]

Way to go!

[dpav]

Hi all
It has been a while since I have responded here. I used to have to shoot with the old syringe. And that made me uncomfortable. But since the pens have come out it is almost ignored. I just open the end and stick it in my tummy and go on with life. I also have the pump, but if I have to bolus over 12 units I use the pen instead. Also the pump beeps. Can you imagine her complaining due to having 16 beeps go by to calculate and then 16 beeps to confirm? That would probably make her upset from the noise.
A long time a go when I would go to the men’s room to shoot up, prior to the pen, I felt like I was doing drugs or hiding to do drugs. I think it is much better to just take care of it in public. The rest rooms are always too filthy. But when I was younger I obeyed what I was told to do.
When I was a child I had to use a glass syringe with a stainless steal needle that I had to sharpen every week. That would have been really a mess with that lady watching that type of injection.
Anyway good job., You stated it just the way I would have.
Chalk one up for us. Also the ADA has great lawyers that would have taken AT&T to court about medical supplies. I would never chance my health for some ignorant person’s ideas.
Don