Treament of an insulin reaction in public places

[lgvincent]

I'm at the public library in my home town and my blood sugar is 45 so I started eating the gummy bears I brought with me in case of an insulin reaction and an employee of the library who gives me a hard time told me I can't eat here. It's not like I'm doing it simply to eat while at the library, I'm doing it out of necessity. I've got a choice, consume sugar or pass out. Of course, she gives me a hard time about checking my blood sugar, too. Seems I'm not supposed to do it. Of course, I don't do it because I enjoy pricking my fingers for blood, I do it out of necessity, too. I'm kind of upset about this.

[Penny]

Lowell, This makes me angry. Someone who works in a library has to be educated, she should have known better! I hope you just kept eating the gummi bears!

[shockme]

OMG lowell! some people are too stupid to live! and the librarian is the queen...if you woulda passed out,she probably woulda said"you can't pass out here".......AAAAGH! idiots! hope you feel ok now! trish

[Dewey]

Lg, I'm very sorry this happened to you. :( I agree with the others in that this librarian ought to have known better.

I also feel that it is Not her place to make judgment calls on your necessities. If she doesn't like the fact that you have to check your blood, SHE doesn't have to look. Likewise when you have to treat for a high or low. Sounds like she has way-y-y-y too much time on her hands & needs to find other ways to preoccupy herself. Perhaps some books on Diabetes might keep her busy (& educate her)?

[JediSurfer]

You have every right to be upset. I would make a formal complaint against the libaray. Not a good way for a library to be organised.
In the same situation I would not have been able keep my composure and told the employee to get fracked.

At the end of the day your nessesity to live is far greater than any of the library rules.

This kinda thing makes me very upset and annoyed too. Don't take it lying down make a complaint. These ignorant minions must be shown how the world really works.

Be strong.

peace n love

Rich

[owlyn]

If you are in the U.S., she can't tell you squat. ADA.

[grace girl]

I'm truly sorry you had to go through this. If it were me, I'd have a talk with the head librarian about what happened. They can't say a word to you about testing or eating to treat a low...period. Considering how many adults and children that spend time at a public library, the staff should at least be made aware of the reality of testing and treating lows.

[Gizmo]

What do you think if they wood get about 500 phone calls.
We need to know what the name of the person, and the phone
number of the Public Library.

Or have some people with Diabetes check there bs in the Library.

[dar917]

wow, what a jerk. :mad:

[Alice]

We should all call the library reference desk and ask them to research diabetes.

[painthorse]

Where's my gun?!?

[RobiJo]

I'm at the public library in my home town and my blood sugar is 45 so I started eating the gummy bears I brought with me in case of an insulin reaction and an employee of the library who gives me a hard time told me I can't eat here. It's not like I'm doing it simply to eat while at the library, I'm doing it out of necessity. I've got a choice, consume sugar or pass out. Of course, she gives me a hard time about checking my blood sugar, too. Seems I'm not supposed to do it. Of course, I don't do it because I enjoy pricking my fingers for blood, I do it out of necessity, too. I'm kind of upset about this.

How annoying. If asked I just say I'm having a minor medical emergency and unless you want it to turn into a major one, I'm going to eat. I always test in public, did shots in public (when I did shots) and now when dressed up I frequently attach my pump to my bra in between the girls. I whip it out to bolus and put it back without any regard for anyone watching. If people are allowed to smoke in my air then I'm going to do my thing. If you don't like it--DON'T WATCH! It's that easy.

[notme]

If this happens again Lowell, ask her to call 911 for you and you will be happy to stop eating the gummy bears.

I am sorry buddy. Stupidity seems contagious lately.

[HiImDan]

uuuuunnnngggggggghhhhhhhttp://bestsmileys.com/freak/1.gif









































sorry, lost my mind after reading thathttp://www3.christianforums.com/images/smilies/oops.gif

[Mich]

I've gobbled my sugar fix in a bunch of places. I've only had one person hassle me and it too, was in a library. I whispered "I'm diabetic and my sugar is too low." She immediately apologized and said let her know if I needed any help.

When my sugar is low, I'm grouchy and it's sure hard to be calm and attentive and explain the situation.

Just what you need when you're feeling like that, huh?

Keep up the good work folks, one person at a time. Let's keep educating public employees who need to know better. We have the right and maybe the obligation to do it. Give that head librarian a call and fill her in.

[slipperyelm]

I think it would be a good idea to go back to the library solely for the purpose of talking to that librarian and possibly the supervisor. Truly, they need to have a little consciousness-raising!

Most librarians would be reasonable about testing and treating, if they understood the urgency and importance. If you are responded to brusquely or with a something like, "I'm sorry but that's policy," then I think you should write to the director of the library to explain the what happened to you and the need to change library policy. You could ask for a written response and also send a copy of your letter your mayor and your city/county council rep if you like.

I've certainly checked BG in the library and eaten my share of Smarties there, but no one had their eye on me. I usually sit in a cozy out of the way spot, anyway. Hey, another thing I have done is to pace through the aisles while reading--as a type 2 I was looking for a little more activity than just sitting on my tush reading for 3 hours. :) That was another sort of diabetic "treatment" going on in the library. It probably did annoy somebody, too---this weirdo slowly walking up and down all the aisles, over and over, nose stuck in book.

I did have a health in the library issue I took up with the system director by letter. My local branch was using a very strong, perfumey air freshener. It permeated the books, which could not have been good for them. I mean if I checked out a book, when I returned it three weeks later, it was still reeking from perfume. My husband who has asthma could not visit that library because of the perfume in the air. I wrote and got quick results---though it was months before the perfume smell seemed totally gone. Anyway, reasonable library directors took care of the matter.

Hope you won't just grump to us about it, but will take it up to set things right.:)

[SueM]

I'm at the public library in my home town and my blood sugar is 45 so I started eating the gummy bears I brought with me in case of an insulin reaction and an employee of the library who gives me a hard time told me I can't eat here. It's not like I'm doing it simply to eat while at the library, I'm doing it out of necessity. I've got a choice, consume sugar or pass out. Of course, she gives me a hard time about checking my blood sugar, too. Seems I'm not supposed to do it. Of course, I don't do it because I enjoy pricking my fingers for blood, I do it out of necessity, too. I'm kind of upset about this.

Now in defence of the employee did you actually tell him/her that you were diabetic?
All library's have the rule no eating..........sticky fingers ruin books.
But to solve the problem in future please make sure you have a neon light on your head that is switched on saying you are diabetic and having a hypo. :D

[BriOnH]

Not everyone understands what being a diabetic means. Personally I would just continue to eat the sugar and tell her she better give me at least 15 min to let this sugar catch up...If she calls the ultimatum, she best call the police at that point and we can straighten it out once the news crews I called showed up.

[DeusXM]

She shouldn't have hassled you, but to play devil's advocate, most people don't know about this sorta stuff but tend to be understanding once it's explained to them.

As a suggestion, maybe taking a bottle of regular Coke in with you might help - quicker than gummi bears, and less likely to draw a reaction.

[lgvincent]

Now in defence of the employee did you actually tell him/her that you were diabetic?
All library's have the rule no eating..........sticky fingers ruin books.
But to solve the problem in future please make sure you have a neon light on your head that is switched on saying you are diabetic and having a hypo. :D



Sure, she knows I have diabetes and the paramedics have been called to the library when I've passed out here so that should pretty much prove it.

[shockme]

omg! so she IS an idiot then........trish

[Jan B]

I am sorry this happened to you. Hopefully, you'll see the opposite side soon to restore your faith in people.

I recently traveled w/a friend of mine and she was all excited about where I would store my insulin in our hotel room. I told her as long as it's not over 80 degrees, my insulin would be fine in my purse or the room. She was still arguing w/me when a hotel employee overheard, and immediately went to bring a "free" refrigerator to the room. I didn't know this was done for anyone w/insulin, but apparently it's common in some areas.

When I was 8 months pregnant and 23 yrs old, a pharmacy wouldn't accept my gold ID bracelet as proof of being a diabetic, and wouldn't sell me syringes. They said anyone can have a bracelet made, and their were a lot of druggies in the area. I was so mad, I slammed the door on my way out, drove to my dad's house and sicked him on the store manager. They were just about all crying up there after he got through w/them!!