There are certain things throughout my day that remind me of my initial diagnosis with Diabetes…one of the biggest is an ORANGE. I had to practice on one the first few days of my hospital stay. They said "It feels exactly like injecting yourself/ human skin."
Is there a particular method (practice) you had to do the first few days after diagnosis?
No orange. Day one of my daughter’s dx (age 7) I was injecting using pens - it was scary!
They wouldn’t let me out of the hospital until I gave myself a shot. It took me a while to muster up the courage. I had already practiced on an orange - which they also said was just like injecting human skin. Yeah, right. I did eventually do it, however, - even without the nurse helping me push the needle in, as she had done earlier. My doctor was pleased when he visited me in the hospital that day. That was in 1968. It would have been much easier today with the needles that you can hardly feel. (An orange would probably break or, at least, bend one of those needles today.) And cheers to your comment that people can used to just about ANYTHING. And I also say to that, Thank God.
Danny
I know that I did not get a house call. I was an “out patient” at the children’s medical center for a week, but other than that, they didn’t even do a follow up phone call that I know of. Diagnosed 1998
I don’t think my parents did (they both had medical training), but my dad practiced on himself to see which techniques were better. As for myself when I was older I just decided to try it myself one day after seeing it done so often to me.
I did for a long time use this metal injector that you just clicked a button and it would push the needle in for you. After a while though I preferred having total control 
Re: house calls. I had no house calls (probably due at least in part to parents background), but I was hospitalized in a city three hours away from home and my first endo was about 2 hours away…so that might have played a part too.
I was diagnosed 1998 at 14 years old. I didn’t know crap about the disease other than what Julia Roberts protrayed in the movie Steel Magnolias. I was scared shitless. I was pretty “numb” to it all, as if it were happening to someone else. I’m a first gen diabetic in my family so no one knew a thing about it.
My parents were divorced, but both went with me to the children’s medical center. I was 14 years old, surrounded by a whole bunch of little kids. It was so surreal.
The nurse brought us into a conference room and talked about charts (I blocked out most of the conversations and can’t remember them now) The nurse had me inject myself. It was scary and like Dave_ said, I broke out into a sweat and would hold my breath, closing my eyes tight to inject. (I used to do this with the pump too)
Then the nurse had my parents try it on me. My mom pinched too hard, but she was slow and gentle with the needle. She was wicked nervous. She is really really bad at medicine and stuff. My dad, though, carefully took the flesh from my arm, and then “bam!” stuck the needle in. He said he thought that’s how you were supposed to do it because they do it like that on TV. That one hurt and left a bruise almost immediately. haha.
I can laugh about it now because I can’t blame them for being clueless. It’s scary and I can’t imagine the way that they felt seeing their daughter in the hospital, knowing she’d have to do this stuff for the rest of her life on her own.
I started doing my own injections within two days at home. I can remember most of it now that I’m thinking about it. Used to be on a wicked strict schedule using Regular and NPH, mixed in one needle.
I was diagnosed in 1995. They had me give one practice injection on an orange, then the nurse had me shoot her up with some saline on the back of her arm, then I drew up some insulin and gave my first shot in the leg. I disagree that the orange felt like human skin…I definitely thought it was tougher. But I guess that’s as close as it probably comes…but way to ruin a perfectly good orange with smelly insulin 
I am in the medical field and I have no problems giving other people shots, but I used to have such an aversion to giving my shots…I used to have to ‘trick’ myself when giving shots (which sounds ridiculous I know, but it worked!!). I would tell myself I was “going to give my shot on the count of 3” when I knew full well that I was actually going to give my shot on 2. It doesn’t make sense, but ‘my wiring’ would let me do it that way
I forgot, but I used to do the 1,2,3 countdown and jump the gun (or the syringe), too.
The hospital I was in had me practice giving a shot to my mom. She didn’t wince, but I felt like hell doing it. I decided sometime between then and when they threw me out of the hospital that I would give my own shots - my parents would not. It was a matter of trust - and avoiding pain. That’s how it stayed.
me too. I hated seeing her face and the tears in her eyes when she was injecting me in the arm. I hated that I was making her uncomfortable, so I asked her to just sit with me while I did my shots after only 2 days after diagnosis. She sat with me for injectiosn for a week- and then I was on my own!
I have to think that learning to inject as a child is a fundamentally different experience than as an adult. My son when he was young had a terrible fear that if he got cut, all his blood would drain out and he would die. Pain is there for a reason, and as a child you have an intuitive sense that injury is bad. To injure yourself purposefully is absolutely wacko. It is fascinating seeing this discussion. Danny asked about practicing, going through the motions so you know what it feels to give an injection. He did not ask how people felt about being injected, and yet the experience almost everyone has related is about that experience. Clearly, until you are used to it, you have a built in self protection that make you just revolt at the idea that you are poking something inside your body, doing injury and that pain must mean that something horrible is happening.
I learned to inject two years ago. It was coldly logical, I just did it. I knew the mechanics and I was the test dummy. But for many newly diagnosed adults, I am sure that many must deal with similar feelings.
MyHotComments
No orange either. They just started me on my thigh. I guess they thought I could do it because of all the hospital volunteer work I did. Don’t know what that would be, but they must have sensed I was comforable around certain things and always made sure I knew what I was doing and would research if I didn’t.
Lois La Rose
Milwaukee, WI
OMG yes - except it was my Mum who practised on the OJ. In my days, the closest children’s hospital was too far away, so I was stuck in a 6 bed room in a hospital for 2 weeks in the Geratrics ward (right next to the kitchen - guess you can tell where I slipped off to at night). When it came for my Mum to practise on me INSTEAD of the innocent OJ, I ran under the beds to hide from her, I was that scared (I was also only 7). When I got to 8 years old, and my Mum went back to work, I took care of my own injections without the OJ practise. I just jabbed it in, and went off to school (only one shot a day in the Dark Ages).
I was 13 when i was diagnosed and my first practice run was on my stomach… i remember it quite well… was in a subway in winnipeg.
I didn’t know Winnipeg had a subway! Only been there once, you know the 4-corners where you can always meet someone you know . So, really, 1st time, in a subway. LOL
Hey Lois!
You sir need some help, but then again, look at me.
“What, me worry?”
Subway Fast Food Place I think …not the same as subway in Montreal , TO, Van , Anna ?? I laughed , when this past by me.
The Pump Nurse here in our area at initial set up , including one on one CGMS set up , comes to one’s home . This is so for Medtronic pumpers .She charges Medtronic a fee for this service . I am uncertain if other brand pumps are included, however would not be surprised , if that is the case as well . Nurses are working out of same Diabetes Center , Vernon , BC and are trained in Animas as well .
VON Nurses come to the home .
I didn’t get an orange. In fact, I was given a prescription, picked up my supplies (syringes & NPH insulin, glucometer & test strips), along with instructions of how many units to take per day and when, and that was about it. My first injection was into my abdomen, without any practicing. I sat on the couch for about a half hour, holding the syringe over my abdomen, talking myself into do it. It was frightening! But that guy I married is a good kidder and helped me get over the heebie-jeebies, and I took the plunge.
I had the same experience learning how to pump, on my own. I did a lot of reading of the manuals and off I went.
I remember the orange. I also remember I had on my Madras plaid shirtwaist dress, Bass weejuns and kneesocks (very cool gear for 1967). Nobody told me why I was going to the hospital. I remember the receptionist at admitting saying “oh, so this is the little girl who has diabetes!” - that’s how I found out. I wish my parents or my doctor had told me instead. It’s shameful.