Hi I need some advice. Every day at my new school kids were making fun of me because of my type one diabetes. the nurse won’t let me test in her office she makes me test in class. But because I test every 2 hours because I don’t feel my lows kids in my classes see what I am doing even though I try to hide it. I tried ignoring the kids for 6 weeks last year but that only made it worse. I am 15 and in 10th grade as of now. I have no choice whether to wear the pod on my arm because for the next 3 months I will be on the pod. I used animas ping over the summer and loved it not a single problem. but that was only trialing. Now I have to use the pod until I get covered for animas by insurance. Lets face for me the pod is the worst pump I have a lot of failures and inconsistant delivery. there is no vibrate option. So when it fails in class kids use it to torment me and say mean things. I try to let it roll off my back but its hard. When my pod fails I have to go to the incompetant nurses office and she yells at me. She does not understand I did not cause it. when I get an alarm in class again the kids say ella shut that thing up your distracting me. they say this to get the teacher upset with me even though it does not really bother them. they just use it as an excuse. I am very self contious about this because the teacher gets really mad at me. I have a different teacher for every class but some understand a little and some completely think I am doing it for attention when infact I do not even control it. this is unfair to me. Unfortunately I don’t have the option of switching schools.
The kids believe I did something to get diabetes when in fact they are completely wrong. they are constantly telling me to loose weight when I am not that heavy but I am on Weight watchers.
now that I have written a novel please let me know what to do
thankyou.
Please google 504 Plan. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. A 504 plan spells out the modifications and accommodations that will be needed for students to have the opportunity to perform at the same level as their peers, and might include such things as wheelchair ramps, blood sugar monitoring, etc. I have one for my daughter, co-written with the school administrators. Every teacher, bus driver, nurse, and cafertria staff member at school has a copy and must follow it. I can not comprehend the fact that a nurse WON’T let you test in her office. The definition of a nurse is - A person educated and trained to care for the sick or disabled. You are neither but clearly have medial needs. Educated she is not. Please keep your chin up!
Ella I am sorry to hear this is going on in your school and that you have to endure it. These kids are very uninformed and that is why they do this because they do not understand it. have you tried to educate them? My parents talked to my school and asked to let me test in the office or be excused to the restroom to do it and that gave me the privacy I needed to take care of things. I was blessed though my twin has type 1 as well so I was not alone as well as 2 other kids in the school who had it. So I knew I was not alone in this. If the pod is getting in your way so much have you thought to ask your parents if you could go back on shots till insurance covers the ping? less issues would arrive with nothing to make sounds? umm as for testing have you thought of testing before classes? I know you should not have to make changes to your treatment just to feel normal and not be hassled but you can’t change the kids and their behavior. have you asked them why they have a problem with you taking care of your self explain to them that without proper care you could die? not being dramatic about it just trying to get the appoint across you know? with the teachers have you talked to them about it? if they understood what what going on they may be more understanding. if you talking to the teachers does not help ask your parents to talk to them. and same for the nurse have your parents talk to the nurse as well.
thankyou SOOOO MUCH for the support. I have an IEP and I am suppose to test in class the nurse is VERY uneducated. I don’t think she is a good nurse at all. I have passed out at 28 and she told me to get over it and move on. I have a lot of emotional problems from this no matter what I will keep testing as needed but maybe I can be able to test in the hall. as for my mom I have been telling her for years kids treat me horribly all she says is ignore well that does not work because it only makes it worse!
GOOD NEWS I just met another type one whom is my neighbor she is sooooo nice and we are going to hang out tomorrow.
I don’t have any great advice, but I am sorry you are going through this. One thing I can say for sure is that things will get better for you in years to come! Kids who torment you now won’t be a part of your life when you graduate and get a job or go to college. Find people you like now, and just try to focus on them. Hang in there!
Too bad it is a surprise that the teachers and nurse do not understand. After being in the hospital, I found that nurses (and even doctors) either do not or do not want to understand. The suggestion as to checking into the law for disabilities act might give you some leverage. Best of luck.
Wow. It’s been a while since I’ve been 15 but I see things haven’t changed a bit. I don’t remember being teased a lot. I was 13 when I was diagnosed. They don’t understand. They seize on the thing that they consider a weakness and don’t know when to give it a rest. It would be a real shock if they what they were talking about and frankly, it makes them look small-minded and unfit for human company. It is illegal to be harassed for your “disability” (at least under the American’s with Disabilities Act – chronic, continuing condition/disease). If they need to call in a diabetes educator to shut those trolls up, so be it. It is hard enough to be 15 and to be “different.” Is the school nurse really a nurse or is she the school secretary who has to do double duty? Have your pod rep make a call and explain the technology to the school staff. You will get through this and will be a strong person. It’s easy for me to say don’t listen to them, but don’t listen to them. They really are a bunch of stupid cows. So picture that, every one of those snots as dumb cows chewing cud. They’ve got as much class as an udder.
First, Ella, as a student in the US, you are entitled to be covered by a 504 plan. if you are not on one now, you and your parents need to get a letter from your doctor that says your diabetes needs can interfere with school (ie, time to test, etc). This documentation will need to go to either your school counselor or school psychologist. These people will write up a plan with you and mom that says things like, “needs opportunity to test, needs time to address needs as they arise, etc”. This is a legal document and if teachers and staff don’t follow it, they are breaking the law. 'Nuf said. (I am a school psychologist ;))
That said - your doctor may need to write up something to the nurse more specific. It isn’t really fair to make you test in class. I realize they don’t want you missing class, but you could go between to the nurses’ office and it would be more sanitary. The doctor can specify that.
As far as not being able to do what you need to do, you are protected by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 504, and the American’s with Disabilities Act. If need be, you can go to the principal with the legal information and ask that person to help sort it out with teachers and students.
I wish I had the answer for those other kids. In many cases, the less you play into their “crap” the less they will mess with you, but it is hard, I know. I’ve been there. You can try educating them, but it may not be worth the hassle and your time. Ignorance isn’t really curable in a lot who have no desire to learn, sadly.
The good news is you are almost out of HS.
Whoa! Okay - screw 504 - use the IEP. It is a legal document (sort of trumps the 504). Teachers and other kids should be aware of the IEP and should be forced to follow it. If not, go to the principal. If no help there, go to the district offices.
Your nurse can lose her job for not providing fit care. Passing out at 28 and being told to “get over it” are unfit! Document everything with your parents. Talk to the nurses’ supervisor. This is not excusable and you shouldn’t be in danger because SHE is ignorant.
Ugh, Ella. I worry more about the adults at your school!
Hang in there 
Hi Ella,
I was dx’d in 1958 at the age of 3. Went thru all of my school years with my/our BIG life challenge. As already said, there are things you can do. I chose to let it roll off my back. The more people realize that it does not seem to bother they will stop.
Have you looked into a CGM yet? It may help with your situation.
Ella, I am sorry that you have to deal with this. It is not fair. Here you are doing an amazing job taking care of yourself and there you are in school having to swim upstream against the people who should be helpful to you. I wonder if you can print out your blog post and the replies - then, take it to your guidance counselor or a teacher you think you can trust, and see if you can get them to help you. When I was 15 I had a lot of stuff I was dealing with, not diabetes though - and there were teachers who were just ignorant and without much compassion. I found others who cared and they helped me to endure and grow in spite of a few idiots. Hope this helps Ella. Good luck! D
Oh my god i know exactly what your going through being self concious with your diabetes i am 15 also!! YOU NEED TO EDUACTE THESE TEACHERS AND CLASSMATES GIRL(= people are stupid don’t let them get to you! i have a 504 plan and usually don’t end up testing in class because it’s embarrassing. good luck!!!
Ella- You are doing a wonderful job of keeping your BS on track. These kids just single you out because you do something that is different. Just tell them that NIck Jonas wears a POD and see what they say. Hang in there !!!
See if you can test in the bathroom, or find a teacher who is kind and understands - he or she may allow you to use their office area/classroom to test when no one else in there. When I was in high school I tested in the bathroom.
hey ella! my name is Brandi. we’re close in age. youre a sophomore, and im a junior. ill be 17 in december. back in middle school and the first 2 years of high school, i had problems with kids at school as well. they were never brave enough to say anything in front of teachers, because my mom made sure she kept in close contact with all my teachers and the nurse. so they’d be getting in trouble if the teachers knew. that never stopped them from telling me my pump site, my bg meter, and pretty much me in general freaked them out and that i shouldnt have eaten so much candy as a kid. i had to test often too, because like you i dont feel my bg lows or highs. i can be 30 and not feel a thing. that never stopped me from testing in class (i understand why you dont, cause i had the teachers on my side).
do you have a 504 plan in place? if not, it will help a lot. if so, get your parents to call a meeting with all your teachers and the nurse to remind them what their job is.
aside from the 504, get one of your parents involved! faculty members are way more likely to listen to a parent. have your parent explain that the pod has no vibrate, so its not your fault for “distracting other kids.” also have them give a good talkin to to your nurse!! ive had the same nurse in both middle and high school and she has helped SO much! (our ms and hs buildings are connected. we share the lunch room). if my mom cant make it to the school, the nurse will come fight for me.
this year hasnt been as bad for me, because i have a diabetic alert dog. dogs at school=instant popularity. id rather still get picked on honestly. cuz the kids that have picked on me for years are now all buddy buddy with me cuz i have a dog in school. anyhow, Shyla (my dog) was trained to smell when my blood sugar was low or high. she can let me know since i cant feel it. if your a dog person, i strongly suggest you look into getting one. if your not a dog person, look into a CGMS. they can help too, but i prefer Shyla.
the people in your school have absolutely no right to act the way they do, and im sorry you have to deal with them. try not to let it bug you too much, and talk to your parents.
keep us posted!
b
THANKYOU TO EVERYONE!!! you have given me hope in a desperate time. I actually have an IEP but I go to a private high school. some teachers are great some are horrid. Some don’t understand there is nothing you can do in my case and in MANY to get diabetes. I come home and cry a lot mainly because I don’t have anyone to talk to. UNTIL TODAY I met a very nice girl and she is my neighbor. she is also type one and knows exactly what i am going through. there is no feeling I get when I am with another diabetic. just knowing I am not alone is amazing. I am definetly a dog person but I don’t haqve3 a service dog. however I must say my Bechon fluffy has waken me up when I did not feel a low of 37, 43. 46, 29. I have waken up to my dog licking my mouth when I was 600+ with large ketones. I have actually thrown up in my sleep and not waken up. I wish I could get A CGM but my insurance won’t cover it until I have been hospitalized for 5-7+days. I mean I have no symptoms of low till about 48 then I can no longer walk. I have generaly good control. but about 3 times a week I will have a low I have no feeling until I loose balance and fall. I have to sleep with my dog by my side as much as possible. My septuplets (blood sisters not biological) who are all diabetic range from 1-8 hours away. I have an IEP the big thing is teachers think I only need to test 4 times a day as that is the general amount of times a diabetic tests a day. But I test about 8-12. depending on if I go low I test every 15 minutes until I am above 120. Brandi what it the best advice you have with dealing with these kids. question can you pet service dogs?
First thing to do is put a little tape on the speaker that way is it low. A little tourment back is if you can have carb tabs with you is to let them know you get to eat in class hahaha and they don’t. As kids will always find a reason to pick on someone no matter what. All teachers should have to attend a class in most states it is free about diabetes may save someone’s life one day even their own.
I wish I had an insulin pump, those things are SOOOO cool, I needed one today. I did a running race and my BG was totally out-of-control and I sucked, in a big way. A pump would’ve helped.
Kids in high school are just jealous of those that are different, becuase, really, they want to be different. It takes serious pride and self-esteem to be different, and while I know you wouldn’t be diabetic if you could choose to be, it stills takes will-power to just get out the door in the morning.
And soon enough, once you’re out of high school, you have so many friends you won’t know what to do, cause people like people that have PERSONALITIES, and all this crap you’re going through right now helps you to have one. But it seems like you were a sweetheart to start with, and now you’ll be even cooler.
Just hang in there, I speak from the heart and from experience. You’re gonna be fine. Control your BG’s so that everyone can get a chance to meet you, you have lots of good people to meet, and they want to meet you.
Ella- while you cant pet a seeing eye dog, you can deff pet a diabetic alert dog if you ask the owners permission. your dog sounds like he (or she?) has great potential to be your service dog. you can even train him (or her) yourself and still be legally a service dog team. if you want, ill private message you my trainers name and number and email. she’s really good. she’ll do whatever it takes to make sure you are well taken care of.
you should deff look try to get a copy of your IEP and show it to your teachers, highlighting the parts theyre breaking. if you have a good plan, theyre so breaking something. theyre most likely breaking the law in some way, shape or form. im sure there are laws to protect disabled students in school. (i hate being labeled as disabled, but thats what we are in the eyes of the world. its sad, but its true)
as for the kids…im not entirely sure what to tell you. they just dont understand, and honestly some will never understand. some may eventually grow up though. it always helped me to look at it this way: if theyre not your friend for something as simple as diabetes, then how good of a friend would they be to you if you werent diabetic? my guess is not that good…
Hey,
Sorry to hear you are having so many problems. Highschool is hard enough with out being picked on for other things. I had similar problems ,but in elementary school. The kids didn’t understand why I got to at in class sometimes or sit out of P.E. They didn’t get why I got to go to the cafeteria 5 minutes early ,etc. I went to elementary school in a small town. My whole school was maybe 150 kids. Any way, when I told my mom about the problems I was having with the kids picking on me she spoke to my CDE who offered to come to the school to help explain things. This was easy to do at my school since it was so small. We had all the kids get together in the cafeteria for about an hour and she explained to them why I had to do some of those things.After that itr got easier and the kids would actually ask if I was ok or if I needed help.It was nice to have them asking to help instead of complaining that I was getting special treatment. Maybe this would be a good idea for you as well. Not necessarily for the whole school, but your classes, or if nothing else your instructors. Maybe then they would be more understanding and helpful. I know it’s hard to ignore kids and their rude comments, but sometimes that is all you can do. Just know that what you are doing is what you need to do , and that is what’s best. You’ll never see most of those kids ever again in your life once you graduate, so don’t let them get to you.Good luck.