Jobs and Diabetes

I have worked full time since college and have only had three jobs in 25 years or so.

I feel I don’t change jobs often because of my diabetes and moving out of a comfort zone that I create.

Do you feel your diabetes has caused you to stay in one job or has led you to pick a type of job or career?

Yes I do…I had planned on becoming a nurse and then they told me that a hospital wouldn’t hire me ( now wait guys this was about 24 years ago and the college I went to was small and there was alot of old wives tells going around at that time…the one thing that stoped this college was our local hospital and after they had checked with them and quote…“We’re afraid that any diabetic working for us as a nurse could get confused during a low bs and confuse the meds on the med cart and give out the wrong meds to the wrong person.” Needless to say after that I already had my girls and decided to become a stay at home mom. Now after alot of trouble I get to be the stay at home grandma! HA!

I’m at the end of my second year of what should be a three year position. I badly want to find a reason to stay here because I haven’t had an endo this good in ten years.

No. When I was diagnosed I told my my whole office about my diabetes and how they could support me. I take my meal breaks when I need to and warn my manager when “lunch” meeting are scheduled that I may not attend. Or if I do attend I let him know I will be eating during the meeting.

I have had only one job since my diagnosis but if I am asked during a hiring interview “is there anything that would prevent you from doing this job”, I can truthfully answer “No!”.

Diabetes hasn’t affected me in this way, but I can say that I have in past carefully considered my insurance coverage when switching jobs. I would never switch to a job where my health care was compromised. This is very rarely an issue, if ever, in my field.

Absolutely. Beyond a doubt. The job I have now is the only full-time adult job I’ve ever had.
Yes, it is comfortable, and I don’t have to prove that the db will get in the way of my work performance.
I work for a very large nationwide company that can provide good benefits, which, is a major consideration.

I havn’t had any problems with the jobs that I have held while being diabetic. The people I work with are very understanding and have no problem with me eating durring a meeting or checking sugars or anything really durring work hours. Heck, one time I even put in a new infusion set while at my desk since I had pulled it out on accident. My first day here my boss offered to pay for the pager that I carried on my belt. He was kinda confused though why there was a cord going under my shirt from it.

I have never felt like I was hindered by diabetes. I can do anything that anyone else can, just need to plan out a bit ahead on some things.