Am I overreacting?

[HeatherP]

We got our new washing machine and dryer delivered Friday afternoon. So, the delivery guy is in my house less than 5 minutes and he stops and tells me that I've got to move my "needles". I keep all my stuff on our kitchen table. B/s log, meter, lancets, syringes, etc. As it happened, there was also a vial of insulin on the table too.

He says to me something like, "I'm sure somebody in the house has a, um like (rolls eyes) a medical condition or whatever, but I just can't be around the needles". I moved my stuff, and he tried to explain later by showing me his t-shirt that he's a recovering addict of some sort. I'm sure he could tell by my expression I thought his "request" was ridiculous.

I think it's the height of rudeness to walk into somebody's house as a service worker, not even a guest, and tell me what I can and can't have sitting around in my own home. It's not illegal, and I thinks it's weird that he zeroed right in on that particular thing. (seems to me he must have been addicted to heroin or steroids)

I don't intend to complain, life is too short to be going around being a hard-a$$ all the time, but I was offended.

Am I being uptight?

[defibvt]

Yes, I think you are. I would let it go though. Nothing is going to come of it and so what if he thinks the wrong thing. He doesn't live there and isn't your neighbor.

[Shalyndria]

:eek: :eek: :eek:
No way are you overreacting!!! This is a man that you are
paying to come into your house to provide a service on your terms. Not only that, but a service that, like you said, took him all of 5 mins. Sounds to me like he wasn't interested so much in what you had on your counter, but what it meant to him as far as gaining attention. Gave him the opportunity to show you his shirt, which I'm sure promoted some local organization for drug addiction, didn't it?

Man, he's lucky I hadn't been there, cause I'd have whipped the cap off one of those syringes and asked him "this little thing bugs you? well gee, sorry, but it has a place in this house and you don't".

Shy

[HeatherP]

Wow! Shalyndria the Warrior Queen! Look out!

Thanks, though, for your input.

Thanks also to defibvt.

I'm sure he's one of those guys that would make a scene in a restaurant if he saw me injecting, too.

[lgvincent]

I've found a lot of people make a fuss about syringes. I sometimes carry some with me, along with insulin, if I feel there a chance I'm going have to eat away from home and I find myself feeling uncomfortable with people giving me strange looks and comments, but you were in your home and you shouldn't have to be subject to that type of behavior there.

[rzrbks]

Yep, he was out of line.

"Really? I'm sorry that they bother you but I have to have them to stay alive." (delivered with tone of "sweetness and light" to point of dripping sarcasm)

[notme]

Your not out of line Heather, he was. There are a lot of people out there recovering from a lot of things. If he is going into peoples houses daily, he is going to see all sorts of things he may not like. Tough! Get over it and get on with your job or find a new one. I probably would have done the same as you. I would have moved it and been a little hot under the collar. We have enough discrimination in our lives without having to worry about whether or not we are now offending addicts. Geeez.....

LOL ....now I am over reacting!

Nancy

[HeatherP]

Thanks all for your replies - I just wanted a "third opinion". When I told my husband, his mouth fell open.

Wish I could just hide the syringes and make it all go away!

[rzrbks]

HeatherP

Wish I could just hide the syringes and make it all go away!

If you did that you wouldn't be hangin' out with the Cool Kids Lol

[Gina]

That guy is a total shmuck....first of all who does he think he is....if that was me i would have been like ok if you cant deal with me and my health condition then maybe you should not work on my house....and tell him i can find someone else that can better understand that people use needles for other things other then shooting up...Like umm whatever lol

[Gina]

EXCUSE MY LANGUAGE LOL

[Belinda]

Idiot! is what he is! I probably would have looked at him with one of my "teacher" looks and told him straight out "are you really serious?"
Then I would explain to him that he is in my house and does the company he works for know of his problem and the fact that it could hurt their business by his rudeness. I guess I would have to give them a call and inform them. If it is like LOWE's /Hope Depot they usually contract out some of the deliveries/services and I know they would want to know of the problem.

I can't believe you were calm and cool about it I would have pretty much told him what I thought...hmmmmm that is my French mother in me...LOL

[HeatherP]

Gina, Belinda, lol!

[am1977]

I totally agree. That guy has some nerve! :eek: You are paying him to work for you and he has the right to barge in and tell you what to do with your stuff...i think not :( I applaud you for keeping your composure, b/c I know that that might have sent me over the edge...lol :D

[Teresa]

i agree, id have been pretty annoyed too!!

[Jon]

I am an electrician, and I have made house calls, although I usually don't work in residential. I have had to move all kinds of things out of the way, and put them back when I was done. The worst was probably having to move a mans dirty thong (the underwear, not the shoe) while working in the Castro district in San Francisco. (I used my pliers for that one). It would be very unprofessional to complain about it though.

I do try to keep my sons syringes out of sight for the most part, just because so many people are not familiar with diabetes, and many of them will automatically think of heroin when they see them. I don't want people jumping to conclusions. I sometimes wonder what would happen if the police wanted to search my car and found one of my kids syringes rolling around under the seat.

[defibvt]

Originally posted by defibvt
Yes, I think you are. I would let it go though. Nothing is going to come of it and so what if he thinks the wrong thing. He doesn't live there and isn't your neighbor.

I thought I would quote myself and try to explain myself further. You don't have to agree. It is basically a free world.

You stated that you have insulin needles, insulin, monitor, logbook, lancets, etc on the kitchen table. I hate to say it but anybody walking into your house who doesn't know you is going to think he/she wants. I personally do not keep anything out for the anyone to see. I figure it is none of there business and I also figure why invite comment if it doesn't need to happen.

Some one stated that he barged in. Actually, you invited him in to do some work for you. Some said he was rude. I think he was trying to protect himself from a relapse? How many of us have been rude when our sugars were low and we needed food. Someone said if he can't deal with my health condition why should he work in my house. Why should he have to deal with it? He doesn't have to unless put in the position too. Someone made the comment about staying alive because of that stuff. Well, great you are alive but do you have to show off your health condition to someone else. Someone said they would take the cap off one of the syringes and say what do you think of that. What would that prove?

What ever happen to discretion is the better part of valor? Come on we have to think when we do stuff like this. It does affect other people and people will react. We have no idea how or why they do react but they do.

I am not trying to start an arguement here. I am just trying to point out how silly we sound by saying the things that we do and how we look to the community. Let's face it diabetes supplies look like drug paraphanalia. That poor guy probably had a flash back.

[mg_2204]

... Were your supplies in his way Heather? If not, why did he want you to move them? If your supplies made him uncomfortable to the point of not being able to carry out his job ---we don't know what other people have been through after all--- perhaps asking you politely would have been the way to do it? I don't know.

I'm sorry it upset you Heather. Best thing for you is to let it go.

This reminds me... years ago, when my 2 youngest ones were 4 and 3 y/o, they rushed inside the house and yelled : 'Look mum what we've found!!!!' ... and my 4 y/o daughter was proudly holding up a used serynge. There is no telling you I went ballistic. Our back yard was fenced, gate was locked. I had been outside with them all the time that day and had just gone in to get juice for everyone. Where did it come from? What was it used for?!?? ACK!!! Tried to find out if they had been in direct contact with the serynge but because I was so upset, they both started to cry their eyes out. This made me panic. Turned out they were both fine. Tried to find out if one of the neighbours was on insulin but no one was. My guess is someone came in the backyard to shoot drugs and left the serynge there. We were just plain lucky.

Because of that little incident, I'm more aware of other people's fears. Justified or not. I'm more aware... but doesn't necessarily mean I'm immune to have my feelings hurt.

Marie
:)

[am1977]

Defibvt...I think you are analyzing this too much(sounds like someone else we know). I think the guy probably was a little taken aback by seeing the syringes, but like Jon said, he should have remained professional about it and went about doing his job. Now if her supplies were in the way, maybe that's different. I think that overanalyzing this is "silly".

Also, when I said barging in, it's just a figure of speech. What I meant was that she hired this man to do work for her, he was not there to tell her what to do with her own stuff. It's her house and she has the right to put things wherever she chooses.

[notme]

I agree am. The point is....if this guy is this unstable with his recovery, perhaps he should not be in peoples homes yet. If he had been a recovering alcoholic should she have put all of the glasses away in her house or bottles out of sight? If he had been a recovering sex offender should she hide all of her clothes or better yet wear a scarf and robes? Come on mg. This guy is supposed to be doing a job not confessing his addictions to people he might scare in their own homes.

Nancy

[HeatherP]

All my stuff was on the kitchen table which was moved up against the wall to give them enough room to move the appliances. I do not hide my supplies, I ck my b/s and inject openly in restaurants. I realize some people may think that I'm an addict, but I'm not, so I don't worry about being thought a drug user - I can't control what other people are thinking. If the police or another authority showed up on my doorstep or pulls me over, I can explain my condition, and any tests done would confirm my explanation. (he just told me to remove them from his sight - being in the way was not an issue)

I have pretty much let it go - like I said I'm not going to be making any phone calls.

I made this post because I was insulted by his attitude, and wondered if I was out of line, just in case I overreacted.

Defibvt, obviously we disagree, by I certainly appreciate your input and perspective.

thanks to all,
HeatherP

[lgvincent]

I have to keep my glucose monitor and strips nearby in case I need to check my blood sugar quickly. I carry it with me almost all the time now. I go into insulin shock so fast I sometime don't have time to run and hide. I've passed out many times within a few feet of something with sugar in it so I don't like to take chances.

[mg_2204]

... Maybe I've expressed myself the wrong way? Sorry if I have offended anyone! That's what you get when you read and write in a second language...???

If the supplies made him that uncomfortable, he should have been more tactful about it. I'm not implying it was right to ask her to move them. Her home, her castle! :) -- It's rather the way he said it that annoyed me.

Just a matter of personal preference... I like polite tactful people. Many wouldn't get so hurt if there were more of them...?

Marie
:)

[HeatherP]

You didn't offend me Marie!

[mg_2204]

... Well I'm glad Heather! :) :) Because I would feel really bad about upseting you or anyone else as a matter of fact.

Phew!!!!

Marie
:)

[Jenny]

Heather,,,,,
I don't think you are over-reacting.......I agree that he was out of line....he should have went about his business and not said anything...if he is some kind of recovering addict or soemthing, he shouldn't be getting on you about your needles...maybe he shoudl find sopme other kind of work to do where he doesn't go into other ppl's homes.......:confused:

[Gary]

Heather, I don't believe you were overreacting. It was just a rude comment by someone who, hopefully, you will never have to deal with again.

[HeatherP]

Hopefully he won't be delivering the rest of our appliances in May **fingers crossed**

[snakeye]

You're quite right. And you've also done the right thing if you did not to comment about and did what he said at that moment being surprised of the situation...That sort of things happen.

In thoses cases I just focus on solving the problem.
If ever I had argued with each and every person driving on the streets like crazy in Istanbul, I'd probably be a cop... Instead I drive and pass em @ 140km/h at the mostleft lane which is both safer and fun as I leave all of "em" behind.

[Harold]

but I just can't be around the needles". I moved my stuff, and he tried to explain later by showing me his t-shirt that he's a recovering addict of some sort.

First off it's you home.

Secondly if he has not recovered enough to even see needles without relapsing he should stick to wharehouse work. Obviously he has not recovered enough to be in someones home and I would consider using a different delivery service. Saving a few dollars is not worth letting addicts in your home,

[lumplump]

Sometime sI find myself worrying that a non needle user would jump to the conclusion that I was an illegal drug user. I tend to be pretty sloppy about policing after myself.

This guy seems to be trying to get attention though and I would dismiss his attitude with a laugh. I have used illegal drugs in the past and believe me this guy wasn't really a seriuos user. Needles are omnipresent these days and having them laying around is only a safety hazard.

[lumplump]

to Gina:

Your reply to this thread said almost what I was thinking. What I'm thinking is "if you know so much about illegal syringe use you're fired".

[shamsul]

Hate to be the Devil's Advocate here but maybe we want to remember one of Stephen Covey's 7 habits (Remember the book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People?) "Seek First To Understand And Then To Be Understood".

I've met some doctors (sheesh) who still don't understand. I don't expect everyone to be a diabetic before they can begin to understand but hey, I wouldn't expect too much from your delivery man. On top of which, he has a problem with needles and it looks like he was trying to be understood himself. Everyone has problems.

Hope you don't think too much about this and we can all learn from it.

Regards,
Shamsul

[zookeeper671]

Originally posted by rzrbks
Yep, he was out of line.

"Really? I'm sorry that they bother you but I have to have them to stay alive." (delivered with tone of "sweetness and light" to point of dripping sarcasm)

Bravo. :)

[HeatherP]

:topic: but................

It's nice to see you back Angie! I missed you!

HeatherP