Terry, I am so sorry to hear it didn’t go as well as you would have liked. It also sounds like the jury had made up their minds and even with you pushing your point of view, it probably wouldn’t have shifted anyone or enough. Our justice system works but it sure isn’t perfect. I think you handled the diabetes side as well as you could have and I don’t think asking for a break would have been a bad thing. But that is a judgment call each person needs to make. Asking the bailiff if the jury could take a break is something that has happened during my jury deliberation. Not sure why he asked for the break, but we did. Who knows, he may have just needed a bathroom break. I hope it doesn’t put you off to serving again. I am fortunate that my company pays for as long as one serves, no time limits.
I know I could have done that but looking back I think it would have really irritated most of the other jurors. Just before the judge dismissed us from the courtroom following the verdict announcement, she said that she would come back to the jury room immediately and answer any questions or listen to comments from any jurors who wished to stay for a few more minutes.
The judge did come back to the jury room right away. Only four of the twelve stayed, but two of us were the “no” votes on the verdict. I interpret that to mean that most of the jurors had one eye on the exit during deliberations and let that desire influence them. They just seemed to want out!
I think your experience demonstrates why trying to maintain tight control in situations where the demands of others require our immediate attention is a very difficult, bordering on impossible, task. When I’m performing in a show, I know I have to let my BG run higher than I otherwise would. But I agree with others who have said your low BG likely didn’t affect the outcome of the deliberations.
I let my BG run higher in those type of situations. And I have thumbs down most of the time. Why did the rest of the jurors side with the perp ?
It was a civil trial, not criminal. Our judgements differed, some aspects puzzle me, some do not. It does not matter now.
So sad to hear that so many people don’t feel jury duty is a good thing. And how so many try anything possible to get out of it. I do understand family and job and health commitments but many companies pay for at least a week. And I have always found it so educational. I am hoping next time you get called you will remember this experience so it won’t happen again. As you have stated each day is a new experiment and as long as you use the information to move forward, that is all you could ask.
I wrote a letter explaining my health challenges and they excused me with no more questions. There are millions of people who do not need to be concerned with 24 hour/day issues of BGs, highs, lows, urine breaks, food, etc.
Let them know the truth of who you are and what you need.
Good luck.
That happened to me, Terry4 (except for the low BG part). I felt really bad when it was all over because I didn’t advocate strongly enough. If it makes you feel better, one opposing juror can often be thrown out of the jury, which is what they threatened me with, so I kinda shut up.
My case was a car accident at 5 mph where the 20 year old plaintiff was suing for $50,000. He didn’t get that, but he did get too much, in my humble opinion.
I was called and ended up seated on a jury shortly before I was correctly diagnosed as Type 1. At the time I had no problems even though the days were actually quite long (at least they seemed that way to me). I’m not sure where you guys are that allow all the accommodations but at the time in Benton County WA they weren’t very willing to accommodate anything and the bailiff wasn’t very sympathetic either.
The trial I sat for ended up lasting 9 days even though it was a “simple” civil matter where the defendant had actually plead guilty and served 3 years in prison for arson and insurance fraud. He was being sued by the plaintiff to recover damages to a rental house. The reason for the extended length was that the defendant represented himself and the judge went WAY out of his way to allow him to do so. In the end the jury found for the plaintiff and awarded them what they were asking for, although none of us believe they’ll see a dime of it.
Sitting on that jury exempted me for 2 years and almost exactly to the day I received another summons. This time it was following my correct diagnosis and when I filled in the form indicating I was a Type 1 diabetic the court requested I get a note from my Endo excusing me from duty. Personally I wasn’t bothered by this as contrary to a statement made earlier in this thread the time away from work was very disrupting for me and my employer who informed me they were not obligated to pay me because the county/state did ($20.00 a day). In the end I was asked to report the jury duty pay and that amount was deducted from my salary. This in no way accounted for the delay in the project I was working on and the extra time I put in to catch up.
Since then I’ve moved to a different county so there’s a chance I’ll be called again, I won’t hesitate to ask to be excused.
i don’t use diabetes as an excuse for anything, your list of accommodations is acceptable and what i did when i got the jury duty notice in the mail there is a place to fill our on the back of it and i let them know ahead of time about going through the security scanners with my pump/cgm etc, and that i have a pump and cgm and that i would be bringing everything necessary for treating a low or high and might have to step out to treat a low. i got picked for a 3 day trial and they said the bailiff and the judge would be watching me and if i needed anything to raise my hand and they would recess until i was ok. i served 3 days and no problems at all, i put my phone, dexcom and pump on vibrate. after the trial was over the Judge called me into chambers and personally thanked me for doing my duty and serving on the jury, and she was proud of me for not trying to get out of it just for being a diabetic.
I’ve been called for jury duty 3 times, but have never been able to attend court as my workplace cannot accomodate people being away for anything but planned holidays and study leave, or severe illness. We have a form letter to give to the courthouse asking for an exemption. We are an emergency service, so it’s not ever been an issue.
Interestingly, I think that jurors in that town at least are called by birthdate. In 2007-2010, there were 3 of us with the same birth date. We were all called at the same times. It also made for some huge combined birthday parties!
Can’t say I’d ever considered that diabetes would prevent me from jury service. I’d not even ask for an exemption. I might tell someone that I must have access to glucose gel, but other than that, I’d serve happily (if not working).
That is why I prolly won’t serve on one. Even if my back pain and work schedule etc could allow it bg going too high or low could affect my performance. Most of the time it wouldn’t but it could. You never know for sure.
I just got picked and am going in next month. All your replies are very helpful!
So I was chosen for the grand jury which will last for three months and I have already had three cases in which we handed down inditments. I have also just started my first sensor for the 670g this past Wednesday, Day 1 was a roller coaster and my bg was way off from from what my sensor was telling the pump. I ended up setting my pump to stop on low as the stop before low was shutting the pump down at 130mg/Dl. I have also silenced all my alarms to vibrate only. Within the next few weeks I will be transitioning to auto mode and hoping that it goes seamlessly… Fingers crossed
PS Diabetes is no reason for no doing my civic duty as per the judge…
@MKSSS, @Trish1, I wish the best of luck to both of you.
Trish, you certainly have a lot on your plate! I hope that the distractions of both activities do not overcome your personal resources. That’s a great deal to take on at one time, at least it would be for me. Take care.
I wouldn’t trust auto mode to keep me safe anymore than I would trust the current versions of Tesla self-driving cars. Eventually they’ll get these things far more error-free. Sensors still are not accurate enough for me that I could trust a pump to give me the appropriate amount of insulin
As I come to the end of my first week using a sensor I have been finding that the SG Vers BG has come much closer as the system learns my system more than when the week began on the new system. I plan on doing another week in Manual mode before trying auto mode. I still have my senses and should I feel out of the norm of course I will double check with a physical BG check. For those of us on a CGM we always need to remember that the CGM is just a tool just like a light bulb just because the light isn’t on does not mean there is no electricity there. Always use your senses if im shaky and the sensor says otherwise I will do what I have done all my life and correct accordingly…