im a very open person im not shy some times its a good thing and sometimes its a bad thing. im not private about diabetes either im loud and obnoxious im working on my self to stop it. but a friend who is ususally fine with everything diabetes wise said she didnt want me doing a injection in front of her it offended me and its not like im mad at her but it just struck me a little more.
Alright, I have a few things to post here.
Angie: I'm willing to bet all year. Nothing can get in between a diabetic and their shorts (excluding Mothers :)). If your son sees I bet that, we can place money on it and I'll split the winnings with him if he does so I win :D (I am totally kidding, by the way).
I think it was Meme (?) who said we'd throw a party -- aside from music, can I bring the skirt-pants-dress combo for anyone who wants em?? :D
And as far as the original post :) People don't so much as come out to request I don't inject in front otf them, as they do stare. Which drives me absaloutely nuts. I'd almost rather they say something, even if it is asking if I can do it somewhere else, than have them stare at me like I'm some sort of diabetic Godzilla (those would have to be some serious needles). On another note, I can't stand when girls squeal. I really, really hate that lol and just roll my eyes. Sometimes I do it in front of people on purpose too :)
I have never had anyone tell me not to inject in front of them, but I have had horrified reactions. I typically roll my eyes and or make fun of them for being such squeamish little babies. If anyone had the nerve to actually ask me not to do it, I can't imagine the verbal wrath I might unleash upon them!
I was beginning to think I was the odd-ball, but glad to see that I'm not the only one who doesn't want the whole world to know my business. I don't think it's an inconvenience to excuse myself and go to the restroom to test and inject. I've been doing it for 30 years and have pretty much mastered how to hold everything without having anything touch things in the restroom. Before there was blood testing you had to go to the bathroom to test so you just injected while you were there.
Alyssa, I agree about people staring. I should come up w/ some witty explanation, but I haven't yet. Anyone???
LOL I'm not witty so this doesn't count, but I'm always so close to just telling them If you have something to say, just say it. Or at least stop staring.
when i was on shots, sometimes i would go to the bathroom and others not. at a school event of my sisters, i went to the bathroom to do my shot because there were some other people with little kids sitting at a table with us. that didnt turn out well because i couldnt do my own shots then so my mom di d it and then my mom was holding the needle over my arm and some kids ran in. then they ran awy very quickly. other times i dont, like in a restaurant. once, i think the waiter came while i was doing it and she said nothing. ive seen a stranger with diabetes give herself an injection at her table in a restaurant. my mom was like hey! look, she has diabetes too!
I think sometimes people are just curious... Sometimes a friend will apologize for staring and sometimes they will ask if I mind if they watch...because they are fascinated. Personally, I don't mind this, sometimes it can open the door for discussion and you can help educate someone. God knows we need more education out there!
once at school, i adjusted my insulin for pre-planned excersice. then we didnt do it because there was a performance. after, i would have done some during our 20 minute break but it was poring rain outside and i knew i couldve given myself a shot(i could at that time.) but i didnt because i felt intimidated sticking a needle in my stomach while the classroom was full of people and my teacher would have made everyone leave if i wanted to but i felt like some people would be mad. so i let my blood sugar go high. i couldnt go to the bathroom because i could only do it sitting down and if anyone who didnt know i had diabetes saw, it would be followed by a trip to the principals office, though it would be very short
LOL I used to go to the bathroom to finger prick in school and a teacher thought I was skipping one. Sooooo emberassing to explain that one!
[quote user="Sarah"]
Alyssa, I agree about people staring. I should come up w/ some witty explanation, but I haven't yet. Anyone???
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I use to say "Oh I'm just shooting up heroin"" but I stopped since people usually freak out and walk away with this serious face. I would always laugh when I said that, to let them know I was joking but some people....
When i see people staring, I raise the syringe, kind of in a toast to them. It lets them know that I see them staring and that I'm not going to stop.
[quote user="Chris."]
[quote user="Sarah"]
Alyssa, I agree about people staring. I should come up w/ some witty explanation, but I haven't yet. Anyone???
[/quote]
I use to say "Oh I'm just shooting up heroin"" but I stopped since people usually freak out and walk away with this serious face. I would always laugh when I said that, to let them know I was joking but some people....
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i joke like that all the time with my friends. they all call me a junkie and stuff when i do it in public and we laugh.
i scared three teenage boys like that. they caught me drawing out a needle at 10pm at night while waiting outside a sports bar with some friends for a cab. they were walking and stopped.
"..excuse me..but are you doing herion?
"*big grin* only the best heroin available in town! wanna try?"
"..."
"come on, $2 for 5units! best deal in town and this stuff is AWESOME!"
their faces lost a bit of colour and one of them quietly goes "i think i hear my mom calling us.."
and they book it down the street while my friends and i laugh our asses off.
My grandparents were coming to see me for the first time since diagnosis (4 months later). In the room, just before we went out to dinner, they told me : "this is great, you can do your... "thing" right here, before we eat."
- "Hum well, no, I can't decide how many insulin I have to take before I see what I'm going to eat. I don't even know what they serve here. But don't worry, I can do it under the table, this is no..."
- "Oh, no-no-no, I can't... for me it's... well, you could... I don't really like... it's a bit..."
- "Alright I get it, I'll go to the bathroom..."
- "Yes-I-think-it-would-be-better."
This was not a big surprise, I know them quite well. They were simply ashamed to have dinner with me shooting up at the table. They probably thought : "what other people would say or believe around us ??" I perfectly understand the fear of needles, but this... from my own family... I took it really bad. It was like they were not on my side in this.
Now, with other family members, the problem is the opposite : when I move around to shoot up discretly I can hear very loud : "You can do it with us, come on!". I'm not too excited about them staring at me when I do it, and sometimes I just don't want to bring this up in front of everyone so.... yeah, again it's a matter of balance :D
Shooting up on the "Champs-élysées avenue" is very weird by the way... people have that awful look, you know. At least they walk faster! :p
in my oun home. one day my sister had friends over and i was going to give my insulin at the kitchen counter, behind most of her friends where they wouldnt see but my mom told me to do it in my room.
even worst was in the morning i went to test. my sister decided to sit right beside my tester and when i was getting everything ready, she sais go away! do that somewhere else! i dont want to see your blood!
seriously, just look away if you cant stand to see a tiny drop of blood!
I was asked once by a waiter if I could go to the restroom to inject because apparently it was "offensive" to the other patrons, meaning one person complained from their high horse. After a few choice phrases from me he let the subject drop. I do enjoy messing with people's heads if they wish to stare. I will leave the syringe in my arm after injecting for a few seconds until they turn away with a disgusted look on their face. Yes, I have morbid humor.