Would you consider type 1 a disability?

[JediSurfer]

Do you consider type one diabetes mellitus a disability?

[SueM]

Do you consider type one diabetes mellitus a disability?

No.
Diabetes has never stopped me doing anything I have ever wanted to do.

[ant hill]

Yes as the dissabilty is well hidden. As we cannot have some foods that makes us feel lousy. Food is a fuel for us to let us do what we want to do. :D

[JediSurfer]

I personally find that sometimes diabetes completely FUBAR's me. And has stopped me on many occaisions. Usually working, or stuck on the side of a mountain or seriously affected my days surfing. If things go bad with BG's I am stuck at home and cannot carry on normally.
I suppose it all depend what you wanna do really. I always wanted to join the police force but there was no chance, and the army also, but again no chance. Also been interested in aircraft for as long as I can remember but I will never be allowed to fly. Even a more down to earth job like bus driving is out of the picture for us.
I do consider diabetes a disabilty.

[DeusXM]

Personally? No. Legally? Yes. Currently I'm using my T1 to help me jump the queue for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office recruitment procudure - they're a three-tick DDA approved employer, which basically means if you have a have a disability as defined by the Disability Discrimination Act, you go straight through the the final interview round provided you meet the minimum requirements for the job.

In the case of T1, there's specific text from the Disability Rights Commission that translates as T1 being a disability - I know this because I chatted to them on the phone to confirm. I explained that because my T1 was controlled, it wasn't a problem. However, the legal position is that you have a disability if you have a medical condition that will affect your ability to work if you don't have regular treatment. We both agreed that not taking my insulin would make me die, and death might affect my ability to work.

So yeah, I don't consider it a disability myself but having put up with all the **** of having diabetes for the last 9 years I'm determined to swallow my principles once in a while if I can make it work for me.

[catgalla]

See I too personally don't consider it a disability either but if you really think of what can go wrong, high bg's, low bg's or poor control it can be debilitating. Now I know in the US employers can't discriminate against diabetics as long as they are in control and I believe they can join the police force but I could be wrong

[JediSkipdogg]

Definitely no. There is nothing diabetes has stopped me from doing that I want to do. During my college days I was a big into videography and rock climbing. I'd drive an hour to get to a high school football game on a Friday night. There'd be nights I'd videotape 4 games I'd go to in one night.

I even did rock climbing quite a bit and nothing stopped me. Heck, I even worked on campus security and got into some heavy foot pursuits (even though we weren't allowed to run after anyone, lol.) Diabetes never stopped me.

I can see when some people apply for certain jobs it can be taken as one, pilot, truck driver, etc and I do fully understand that. I don't want someone flying my 747 that may have the possibility of having an insulin reaction. I know there are millions of other events that could transpire, but I'd like to minimize one that can be really bad.

I personally say try everything you want to try. Don't let diabetes get in your way.

[kidvid]

Obviously we all have different criteria for defining "disability." I think it is. My spouse is deeply effected by my condition. This makes it a disability in my eyes. I have to do math in order to mow the lawn. This makes it a disability. Getting health insurance independant from an employer is impossible. This makes it a disability. Employers discriminate against diabetics. This makes it a disability. I put my pump down and walk away from it for a week...I'm dead. This makes it a disability.

IMHO - Joe

[xMenace]

I was always an emphatic no, and I guess I still am. The complications can be disabling, but I suppose that's secondary. When I became legally blind in one eye, there were things I definately couldn't do as before. People missing toes, feet, and legs are obviously disadvantaged too.

[Cyborg]

Hey, if they are handing out disability checks to type 1 diabetics, please let me know...

[June91]

Not a disability as such, but I'm with Deus when it comes to taking advantage of it. ;)

I have to do math in order to mow the lawn.

:rofl: Very good point.

This line will come in handy when I try to explain to non-diabetics that injections are NOT the worst thing about diabetes.

[gobbly2100]

Just to inform you, diabetics can be in the police force and also drive.

It was in a magazine a little while back.

[DeusXM]

Just to inform you, diabetics can be in the police force and also drive.

It was in a magazine a little while back.

You sure? I was pretty sure there is a blanket ban against people with diabetes in the armed forces and the police. There also used to be a similar state of affairs within the Fire and Rescue Service but that has now been abolished largely thanks to Tim Hoy, who's probably everyone's first port of call for info on diabetes at work within the UK.

JediSurfer, I've had much the same experience as you. I always loved planes as a kid and I used to be in the ATC and I was a natural flyer. I was all gearing up to apply for the RAF as a pilot and then I got diagnosed.

[Gangrel]

As far as I know, here in Canada we are banned from Police, Fire, Piloting, et al. too.

So, in that respect you could call it a "disability". But I prefer to look at it simply as life's river deking left instead of right. I mean, I'd love to be in the NHL, but my lack of skill keeps me out. Is that a "disability"? ;)

Diabetes in NO way keeps me from enjoying life as I WANT to enjoy it now. I still play sports, I still golf (badly), I still do the activities I want to do......

Inconvienance, yes, disability, no.

[Aftiel]

Diabetes is absolutely not a disability in my opinion.

My friend wanted to play in the NFL, but his 40-yard dash times were too slow.

Are his legs now a "disability?" - as they "prevented" him from being a professional football player? I don't think so.

My eyesight is not good enough to be a pilot. Neither are millions of other peoples eyes.

Not all physical limitations (natural or otherwise) are disabilities.

People who have bad backs have days they are FUBAR and can't go to work or even get up.

People who have migraines.

etc. etc. etc. etc.

Diabetes is part of the human condition for some of us. Nothing more, nothing less.

- Aftiel

[Dewey]

I can understand the "legal" side of things and all, but have to say when I hear questions like this, my one & only reply is not only NO, but "He** NO!"

Diabetes has Never stopped me from doing Anything I've wanted to do. The only thing I couldn't do was join the military, but looking at the way things stand now, I quite frankly don't even care. Don't get me wrong. I have friends in the military and respect their work & all, but they only go where they're told to by the gov't, and I'm not too keen on the gov'ts decisions....of course, that's a whole other story/thread, so I won't get into it too deep. :-

[marked]

In my opinion the stigma of the term disability is the denial here. Certainly one can climb Mt. Everest having type 1. But the fact that one can go unconscious from a low, that possiblility, classifies this disease as being a disability. This is my understanding anyway.
Mark

[Jodie]

In my opinion a disability is where it stops you from doing things and if you take your insulin then you should be able to carry on with life as normal so I dont think type 1 diabetes is a disability

[GrammyByer]

Not at all. It just requires you to be a bit more diligent about your own health care.

[Dewey]

In my opinion the stigma of the term disability is the denial here. Certainly one can climb Mt. Everest having type 1. But the fact that one can go unconscious from a low, that possibility, classifies this disease as being a disability. This is my understanding anyway.
Mark
Here's where it all boils down to opinions....Like Jodie, in my opinion, I don't feel Diabetes is a disability. Am I in "denial" for saying that? No. I have Diabetes & accept that I had Diabetes since the day I heard the news. I take care of my sugar levels, get frustrated when I have highs (just like others), etc. That's in no way "denial..." that's facing things head-on.

Again, it's all in how it's interpreted by individuals....the way I was raised was that unless a person has a condition which impairs them in some physical way, they do Not have a disability. Because Diabetes can be controlled by the person who has it, (to me) it's not a "disability," because it doesn't prevent them from doing any of the things that someone else without the disease could do. This is my opinion, so it too, is subject to interpretation.

[REDLAN]

it's an odd one this one.

Do I consider myself disabled - well no.

Can I register as a disabled person - no.

BUT...

In the UK the DDA (Disability Discrimination Act), most definitely includes diabetes in it's list.

The confusion I think arises because you do not have to be registered as disabled (a UK legal definition of impairment) to be protected by the act.

You need to have an impairment that has a substantial and long term impact on the individual to carry out day to day activities.

there is a list of capacities, which include...

• mobility;
• manual dexterity;
• physical co-ordination;
• continence;
• ability to lift, carry or otherwise move everyday objects;
• speech, hearing or eyesight;
• memory or ability to concentrate, learn or understand; or
• perception of the risk of physical danger.

you only qualify if your impairment falls under one of these categories, AND...

as Deus pointed out medication does not count, even if it completely controls the impairment.

you can read it here

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/dwp/2005/dda/dda.pdf

search the document for "medication" and it will take you to the relevant section...

so....

bizarrely

I qualify as disabled under the act because I would very quickly experience a substantial impairment if I stopped taking my medication.

So by any lay persons definition of disabled then I'm not - diabetes may be a pain in the wotsits, but I can still do pretty much everything someone without diabetes can do - therefore I'm not disabled.

On the other hand if I can get some benefit out this illness then I'm certainly going to milk it...

... and yes, I have reminded my employer that I qualify under the DDA on more than one occasion.

as a side note - strangely the normal activities clause does not apply to your work - they give an example of a warehouse worker suffering a heart attack and being unable to lift boxes - this wouldn't qualify, BUT...

... if he also couldn't lift a chair without difficulty then this would count as it's a normal activity.

go figure???

[Gary_W]

I don't enjoy other people's pity, therefore I would not like to think of myself as disabled. It is unfortunate that the term gives such negative emotions such that we all say 'no, that's not me' because of what we think it means. There are lots of people that you WOULD consider as 'disabled' that probably don't like the term either. In there case and ours it doesn't necessarily mean it isn't true because you don't like it.

It has only ever stopped me doing one thing, which was scuba diving; I had never done it before, and wanted to on holiday. I'd been diagnosed less than a year and was told I needed a doctors note to do the dive which I didn't have. Also, I would have liked to have learned to fly, but I am not allowed to do so in the UK. It's not a cheap hobby, so I doubt I would have done it anyway up until now.

As far as everyone saying that it doesn't stop you doing anything, I agree completely with your sentiments and live by this rule myself. However, it can sometimes delay you in your life. I have been late for appointments before due to a hypo turning up and me being unable to drive. I've had to put off giving a lecture due to an unexpected low. When my control was all over the place just prior to finding this place I was getting (on average) 3 severe headaches each week that were so bad I couldn't function. If my control is off, I am nowhere near as sharp and vibrant as I would otherwise be.

So whilst most people here (me included) would not consider it a disability, I think that we may be arguing over a dictionary definition and a state of mind. None of us can deny that diabetes occasionally gets in our way and makes life more difficult than it would otherwise be, and I guess that does make you less able bodied. For this reason, I can understand the term being applied even if I don't really see myself that way.

Gary

[BriOnH]

Only if I can get one of those handicapped parking stickers.




okok just kidding; even if I could.

[cheryl]

My thoughts on the matter, diabetes can be disabling it just can a hypo can throw you thru a loop, a high, makes ya feel crappy....

But I still had kids, I still did things i wanted to do, but lately the older or should I say the longer I have had diabetes the high's make me feel worse and the lows wear me out.

My body just wants good bg's now, the old body said enough is enough....so i dunno anymore, some have always took care of themselves, I didn't and I don't care what anyone thinks of that, so now i suffer but oh well......better health care would of done wonders and dr's telling you about carb counting and using insulin correctly instead of having to learn it on the internet.....my opinion...

Cheryl

[Tuefelhunden]

I am a type 1 and I work as a Corrections Officer in a maximum security prison. Most days I carry a semi-auto pistol and carbine rifle on the job. I also drive a cruiser when working the perimeter posts.

[kidvid]

From a pure clinical perspective we're defective, not disabled...heh, heh.

[DeusXM]

It has only ever stopped me doing one thing, which was scuba diving; I had never done it before, and wanted to on holiday. I'd been diagnosed less than a year and was told I needed a doctors note to do the dive which I didn't have. Also, I would have liked to have learned to fly, but I am not allowed to do so in the UK. It's not a cheap hobby, so I doubt I would have done it anyway up until now.

You can still learn to do both those things in the UK. The British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) has a whole structure in place for divers with diabetes - it's a case of simple medical referral but once you've got the certificate you're fine. Helps if you've got a dive buddy who understands too.

As for flying, there is a loophole that means you can still fly. AFAIK, American pilot qualifications and courses accept people with diabetes, and you can do these courses at certain airfields within the UK. At the end of it you get an American pilot's license and you can fly as much as you want.

[JediSurfer]

I would urge any of you to push your body to it physical max and see how much adjustment is required by yourself and those around you.

Never let diabetes stop me travelled far and wide. Surfed most of the beach and reef break in the UK. Climbed a good few peaks over the last few years too. But I have required support purely because of the diabetes. Without adeququate support from freinds and family there is no way I could do what I do.
I'm lucky really always have someone to look out for me. Even my fellow surfers will keep checking to make sure I am ok and paddle me in if nessacery.
There seems to be stigma attached to being disabled. Personally I see the person before anything else.
Fortunately for us diabetes type 1 is an unseen disability and we only get judged when things go wrong.

By the way has anyone seen themselve when they are hypo?

there is no such thing as a good or bad diabetic, that was a term created by the medics when the treatment fails people.

Its all about living life to the max and having fun, fun, fun. Super tight BG's are great but if your not having a good time its all pretty pointless really. My BG's are spot on most of the time. Not sure if thats an advantage seen as the university constantly wants to study me.lol

Ive seen it from both side being type 1 all my life and my father was also the same.

[notme]

I have done scuba dives (resort) and in Hawaii with no problems. I did tell the instructor and he made me sign a waver which I did without hesitation. I ate a bit more and ran a bit high as I went in the water. I almost drowned in the Turks Caicos dive and it had nothing to do with diabetes. LOL

I do not consider diabetes a disability. I think it does stop people from doing some of the things they would like to do. That being said, being short will stop someone from being a model and being to old will stop you from joining the military. Neither one of those are a disability.

[gettingby]

I don't see it as a disability. I don't let it stop me and it doesn't define who I am.
Diabetes is a part of me but it's not all of me !!!

[Mich]

This is a good question and thread.

I personally do not see myself as disabled. But over the years others have and have denied me both an office job and a airline flight attendant position. Thank goodness that doesn't officially happen anymore and thank goodness for the people who pressed for our rights.

I laughed when I read the "do math to mow the lawn" comment.:T

We can't deny it takes us a little longer to go through the mental checklist when we leave the house or go on vacation. There have been a few times when everyone was spontaneously departing for somewhere and I cursed under my breath as I held everyone up reloading my glucose tabs and evaluating my footwear for the amount of walking I would have to do.

But the... I know people who need certain glasses or meds for a different condition who we would never consider handicapped. I prefer to keep it low-key like these things.

Mich

[dgrilli]

Regardless how you feel and your perceptions it is a disability period.

If I am limited by any law or regulation that bars my ability by any rule.

I would like to drive tractor and trailer across the good old USA but I'm barred from that period.

If I wanted to become a commercial Airline Pilot nope can't do that either.

I could go on and on.

How about those 3 to 5 months of every year I'm out of the earnings game because of health.

Hay but when I'm feeling good I'm on top of the world.

Yep their are the outsiders who have perceptions of you also perspective employers and co-workers.

Health issues with this DB has really put a damper on my earnings capabilities even when I forcefully will it not too.

[Dewey]

Regardless how you feel and your perceptions it is a disability period.
Sorry, but I disagree. As I said before, it's ALL subject to interpretation. You have yours and I have mine. I do Not consider Diabetes by Any means to be a "disability." Unless we have control issues (of our sugar levels), or complications that impair our health, we have the ability to see, walk, etc. Most of us do Not have those problems, so how can we be considered "disabled?"

I think you are looking at it from one point of view: The working one....In some cases, we're limited in terms of what we can or cannot do (i.e. cannot be a commercial pilot), but that does not mean we are "disabled."

[Raisin]

I can't respond to police action (I would assume it is based on rules set by each precint/county).

A diabetic can be a part of the armed services. On the show D-Life by CNBC, they interviewed an army man in Iraq who was on the pump. He had to provide his commanders with medical information to support that he can do his job.

-Dale

[Carwy]

Encyclopedia definition
Disabled -
: incapacitated by illness, injury, or wounds; broadly : physically or mentally impaired.


Disability
1
a : the condition of being disabled
b : inability to pursue an occupation because of physical or mental impairment

2 : lack of legal qualification to do something

3 : a disqualification, restriction, or disadvantage

So you can say what ever you wish. If you want to continue to feel helpless then please do so. However you should quit trying to push beliefs off on other people.
I have watched people DIE from cancer who were a lot more upbeat then most diabetics.
Heck I have cancer and hemochromatosis and you will never ever let me repeat never never never never ever see me saying oh poor me I have cancer and hemochromatosis. I will tell you why you will never catch me having a pity part for myself. Because I'm way too smart for that. I know what I have to do to live and I do not even think twice about doing it. I go down every month to do phlebotomy. I know this is going to take for 3 to 6 hours to do. I also know that my blood pressure is going to drop to 90 over 30 I turn white as a sheet and get real real sleepy and still I stay awake and drink water (heck the nurses freak out whan this happens.) and they will dump IV fluids into me as fast as they can to get it back up to low normal. I do not care I do it and I did the Chemo and TBI and stem cell transplant because these are things I can do and will do to save my life and live. So if you want to have a pity parties please do not expect me to feel sorry for you because, you do not do what you have to do to live. Because I will not feel sorry for you or your medical problems if you decided to ignore what your doctor tells you to do.

[artwoman]

I agree with the poster who said "personally No, legally Yes" Like many of you I haven't let my type 1 diabetes keep me from doing anything I want. But being covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, I was able to stop a horrid supervisor from discipling me for my food stash at my desk. Just like I don't personally let being female stop me, I am glad that there are protections against discrimination of women.

[seanmarr]

Unfortunatly, I do now consider uncontrolled diabetes to be a disability.

[klpants]

When I was in high school, our English class had to do a group task where we'd pick out the people in our team who we would allocate tasks to if we were in a bomb shelter (I know great assignment!). One of the people in my team and the teacher said they wouldn't want me in their shelter as I have a disability. Now, of course I was really mad at the time, as of course when I'm contrlled I don't feel I have a disabilty. But when I think back now, I can see where the students were coming from, if there was limited food and limited/no insulin then yes I would be in a disabled state.

To sum up:
When my BS is low, I feel like I have a disability, when my BS is high I feel I have a disabilty. But the "controlled" time in between, I could take on most people without diabetes in a fitness challenge anyday!! :D

[JediSurfer]

One problem I have found over the last ten years or so is the fact that the tighter controlled bg's result in a greater tendancy to go hypo. Wether that be from from exercise, mis-calculated bolus, heat and humidity changes and with my job fluctuations in workload from minute to minute.

If getting up in a morning with everything running fine and then getting ready to go out and then having an unexpected hypo which ruins my entire day is not a dibilitating condition I don't know what is.
I also nearly died 17 years ago from influenza pushing my blood sugar levels up so high I was in a hyperglycaemic coma for a week.
And the driscrimination in the work place which cost me many jobs . This was before the DDA came into force. But people still do suffer discrimination in the work place and lose jobs. And unless you are willing to fight for your right the employers get away with such evil behaviour.
If diabetes is such a lovely straight forward illness then why the need for insulin pumps? I am stumped

[klpants]

One problem I have found over the last ten years or so is the fact that the tighter controlled bg's result in a greater tendancy to go hypo. Wether that be from from exercise, mis-calculated bolus, heat and humidity changes and with my job fluctuations in workload from minute to minute. If getting up in a morning with everything running fine and then getting ready to go out and then having an unexpected hypo which ruins my entire day is not a dibilitating condition I don't know what is.

If diabetes is such a lovely straight forward illness then why the need for insulin pumps? I am stumped

I'm with you Jedi, just before going into meetings I'll have a low, taking my motorcyle test BS was shy high due to the ciruculating stress hormones which we can't control (even with lots of testing).

Type 1 is a very complex disease and the more you learn about the intricate physiological aspects the more complex it is. Everyone has different control and different experiences of type 1, hence the different reactions to the term "disabilty".

I think people think a disabilty is a constant state of disabilty, where with us, there are certain stages of being "disabled", some more than others.........The word disabled doens't have ot be negative as long as you live life in a way which makes you feel happy ;)

[shabbie6247]

wow deus! i only thought my pancreas was disabled, i hadnt thought about it like that! in these days of political correctness everywhere you gotta use the tools you were given eh? ;-)

[Gary_W]

You can still learn to do both those things in the UK. The British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) has a whole structure in place for divers with diabetes - it's a case of simple medical referral but once you've got the certificate you're fine. Helps if you've got a dive buddy who understands too.

As for flying, there is a loophole that means you can still fly. AFAIK, American pilot qualifications and courses accept people with diabetes, and you can do these courses at certain airfields within the UK. At the end of it you get an American pilot's license and you can fly as much as you want.

Thanks for these bits of info :) I was aware that I could dive in the UK; the time in question I was in the Florida Keys and it looked rather inviting. Over here, I live in the Midlands and my most likely dive site would be a gravel pit which doesn't have the same appeal. If I lived near the coast I'd look into it.

The pilot loophole I did not know about. I appreciate you letting me know.

[jumper4evr]

diabetes has never stopped me from doin the things i have wanted to do i play college softball and jump horses! i am always outside and can hang w/ all my friends and team members. i may have to sit down every now and then and eat a candy bar or take some insulin but that's no biggy i don't consider diabetes a disability b/c i refuse to let it control my life! life is to short already to let diabetes dictate what u can and cannot do.

[painthorse]

Very interesting discussion! Alot of good points all around. Also different perspective from a type 2( possibly 1.5) - I do not have to depend on insulin for control but, on the other side, I can't depend on insulin for control! Which is worse? I am also a BK amputee and still don't consider myself "disabled". I still ride my horses and manage a herd of 8 EVERYDAY, alone. Weekend chores/errands are also done alone 'cause I can't get anyone to "play" with me anymore! Anybody that thinks I'm disabled is welcome for a stroll out behind the woodshed for a lesson!! I don't have time to be disabled yet from either "disability". JMHO

[TenderVittleS]

I would say yes. Even with good control I still don't have the energy like I should, If testing God knows how many times a day isn't a disability then I don't know what is. The BS swings can ruin your whole day to where you feel like sh%4 the entire day. I got food poisoning one time and my BS was low for whole time and I couldn't keep down ANY food or liquid. There are many reasons why this is a disability. We ARE NOT normal and you have to constantly keep it in check so YES IT IS TO ME even with good control.

[DeusXM]

I was aware that I could dive in the UK; the time in question I was in the Florida Keys and it looked rather inviting. Over here, I live in the Midlands and my most likely dive site would be a gravel pit which doesn't have the same appeal.

Stony Cove? :D

That's part of the reason I gave up diving. I used to dive when I was 15/16, but the problem is when you're that age, it's so expensive. Also I'm in much the same boat (or non-boat) as you in that I'm Midlands based too, which meant every time I wanted to dive I had to convince one of my parents that they wanted to get in a car at 5am and drive to Devon. Ironically, it was those basic problems that have temporarily put me off diving, as opposed to my health.

As a side note, whilst I would still recommend BSAC as the club of choice, PADI seems to be better recognised and it might even be worth joining a PADI club since then wherever you are, there's no **** from nervous dive leaders. When I was in Australia they got very funny with me because my medical was a BSAC medical. I did point out to them that Britain wasn't exactly a third-world country and I said to them that the only reason they were giving me grief was because I had diabetes, despite the fact that a fully qualified doctor (who I may have described as 'not having a convict for a father') said I was fine.

[kemist]

I do...

There are a few occupations we cannot have.... sux.

[owlyn]

I consider it an inconvenience, certainly not a disability. In fact, I am more active and in overall better health now than before the onset.

OTOH, if I am discriminated against because of it, I would have no problem invoking any ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) provisions that are applicable.

[kgm0612]

AMEN Carwy...........very well said!

Karen

[Jodie]

How come on a bus they ask you to stand up for them who are disabled well if your diabetic your fine so I cant see how its a disabilty.

[marchez]

Quick answer NO!

Here in Toronto (that's Canada for the geographically impaired) the government allows tax breaks if you can prove that you are hindered at work and have to spend time managing a condition. A friend of mine who is also T1 told me about it.

For example, if i am conducting a presentation and I go low and the presentation ends or is poorly executed - end result being lost business due to the condition. I can claim a tax break for a up to $8000 to compensate.

These are vague details, but he has claimed it over the last few years.

[ubergeek]

I say no, it's not a disability. Does it require more planning or "care and feeding", yes, absolutely. Has it ever kept me from doing anything I want, no, not a single thing, I just have to plan for it better.

I was considering flight school for a while, and you can pass a FAA physical with diabetes as long as you are controlled and have been on your current treatment for 6 months or a year, I can't remember.

Diabetes hasn't stopped me from anything, so no I'm not disabled. If they offered me money for "disability" would I take it? No. Am I in denial....could be. I do think that the disease could progress into something disabling...but then those are really the complications that are disabling aren't they.

[Worldcrzr]

Diabetes a disability for me...absolutely not.

A Type I diabetic won a Gold Medal in the Olympics for swimming. A Type I climbed Mt. Everest.

I did have a disability but it was not diabetes...it was heart disease. Tomorrow, I will be five weeks out of triple bypass surgery. I won't need my handicapped placard any more. My surgeon was worried that I would not heal properly because of the diabetes but was amazed at how well I did. He released me to go home after four days in the hospital. He released me this week to drive... He said he could not believe how well I came through surgery and how well I was doing this week when he released me. I told him that I was walking 30 minutes a day for at least one mile. Before surgery, I couldn't walk from my living room to my kitchen without pain and without being out of breath. My Hba1c was 6.1 just before I went into the hospital. That contributed to my recovery and I work daily to get it even lower.

As I told folks on the Pumping Insulin forum, atitude has a lot to do with success. If you have convinced yourself that you have a diabetes disability, you will have one. I admire those of you on this thread who say you do not have a disability. Of course there are laws to protect the public which prevents us from doing everything we want to do. But, look at all the other things that are available for us to do.

[MJM]

I have a problem with this 'Disability' thing. In my opinion it's a disadvantage for the most part. It may well become a disability after a certain period of time, depending on how well you managed to control it or are a bit unlucky. I've done virtually everything I've ever wanted to do in life and never even considered diabetes in my decisions. I'm 48 years with D but am still very active.

[JediSurfer]

worldcrzr, you have been to alttitude? I could do with picking your brains. I fancy doing some high level mountaineering in the next few years.

I am disabled by every meaning of the word when laid out hypo as **** not understanding anything around me. But when I am well I have always pushed myself as far as is possible.

Good to hear from someone with type 1 whom has been to the top of the world. Don't fancy it myself too much rubbish up there. Maybe Tibet would be nice. Give me some info on how your bg's and insulin reacted so far up in the world.

[JediSurfer]

Diabetes a disability for me...absolutely not.

A Type I diabetic won a Gold Medal in the Olympics for swimming. A Type I climbed Mt. Everest.



hey they didn't do that without a massive support team. and the mountain rescue support. and the pumps stop working at around 18000 feet.

[Dewey]

hey they didn't do that without a massive support team. and the mountain rescue support. and the pumps stop working at around 18000 feet.
Yes, but I thought that mountain rescue support teams usually go up with climbers on places like Mt. Everest. I didn't know that a pump quits working at 18,000 feet. Is there documented proof of this? :confused: Of course, I haven't climbed that high, lol, so couldn't say for sure myself. I was at 14,000 feet the other day (visiting Rocky Mtn. National park, on Trail Ridge Road) though, and my pump seemed to be a-ok.

[artwoman]

To follow up on my agreement that in a legal sense, diabetes is a disability...I see it as a disability in that disability = being in a protected group. I like being in a protected group so that ignorant and biased people can't succeed in stiopping me from dong things or having jobs etc. Often all it takes is soemone to have seen "Steel Magnolias" and bam my abilities and employability gets challenged.

[Dewey]

Artwoman, you make good sense. Legally, I guess it is considered as a disability...but physically, I think the only limits we have are those we place on ourselves. :)

[JediSurfer]

I find the limitations are those caused by the side effects of insulin regime and other peoples ignorance of the condition.

If you were on a high altitude climb and were to suffer a hypo you would have no choice but to descend because the body cannot recover from minor illness at high altitude never mind hypos or hypers. Also insurance is very expensive for diabetic climbers.

Two American climber accented Everest a couple of years ago on their 3rd or 4th attempt and had to revert back to insulin injections because the pump technology cannot cope with the altitude.

[Worldcrzr]

I didn't climb Mt. Everest but another diabetic did. Here is a link to his accomplishments:

Medical News Today (http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=441)

This man was able to do what most of us only dream of doing. I read on another link that he could only use his pump to Base Camp 2 because of altitude.

[Worldcrzr]

Sorry but the link didn't work. I'll try again.

[Worldcrzr]

I'll try another link: Mt. Everest 2005: Will Cross a type 1 diabetic takes on Everest again! (http://www.everestnews.com/everestupdatessouth2005/willcrosseverest2005u05122005.htm)

[CindyO]

Type 1 diabetes can be considered a disability under the definition provided in the Americans with Disabilities act.
Please do not defend your own abilities by saying that it is always not a disabiltiy. Many of us who work for the corporate world need this distinction to keep employers from wrongfully terminating us because we're diabetics:

The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals held in July that insulin-dependent diabetes may qualify as a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). (Baert v. Euclid Beverage, Ltd., 149 F.3d 626 (7th Cir. 1998).)

Gary Baert, a truck driver, was diagnosed with diabetes. Federal and state regulations prohibited him from holding a commercial driver's license after his diagnosis. His employer placed him on medical leave and, about a year later, fired him, offering him another position at a substantially reduced salary and with less seniority.

Baert sued his employer under the ADA, alleging failure to reasonably accommodate his disability. The trial court granted the employer summary judgment, finding that Baert was not a "qualified individual" under the ADA.

On appeal, the Seventh Circuit reversed the ruling. The court rejected the employer's argument that Baert did not show his impairment substantially limited a major life activity, as required by the ADA.

Determining whether a condition constitutes an impairment is made without regard to mitigating measures, such as medication, the court said. The fact that Baert feels "perfectly healthy" when taking insulin is irrelevant to the assessment of disability under the ADA.
The appeals court reasoned that an insulin-dependent diabetic could die without insulin and would not only be substantially limited in all life activities but would be deprived of life itself.

[CBHawk]

As a type I and practicing attorney, diabetes is not normally a disability but can be.

Diabetics should not be discriminated against by employers due to hypoglycemic reactions.

Unfortunately, they often are.

We need to work on that issue.

[Zapatka]

Type One has allowed me to cut lines at Six Flags and Disney World.... so yes, it is a disablilty in the eyes of those (monopolies) corporations.

Also, when I leave for college next year, I will have to apply for something to do with Section 504... google that and see what comes up.

[peej07]

I agree that it's all how you personaly let it affect you. I was great until I started having complications, at that point it's become mentally disabling at times. I constantly wonder what's going to go wrong today. I guess it different for everyone.

[howdysf]

I consider it more of a "Major Inconvenience" than a disability...