Well I am back from assignment in Virginia, and I am at my main office in New Jersey. Major changes in my daily routine usually leave me feeling uneasy, maybe more like restless. So I am doing a lap around the office, which consist largely of unscheduled appearances in my partner’s offices to shoot the s*it as it were, to catch up on office politics and new layoff rumors and who did what to whom and like this. I can waste almost half a day in a lap, one would get the suspicion that I like to BS =)
I found most of my friends were out of the office that day, and so I decide to go get a cup of coffee. I met my friend John in there; I did some design work for him up in Boston a couple years ago and helped him out of a real jam and so we are workplace friends. As we are talking I see his insulin pump – it’s a minimed just like mine. Lately I have been putting my pump in my pocket, more discretely out of site although it’s no secret for me, I don’t think I ever talked about it in front of my friend John.
I wanted to ask him how long he’s been hooked up – I wanted to BS a little about diabetes and see how he’s doing. Since I put my pump on I have had many, many conversations about diabetes in the strangest of situations. Sometime the conversations went well; sometimes they were awkward and embarrassing.
I decide to let it go. I think it was because I sometimes don’t want to talk about it. I tell myself I can’t be sure about his feelings. We turn and go back to our offices.
So what do you think? Am I chicken, tired, burnt out, was it cool or did I miss a chance?
Who knows??? I came in today and told my boss who is type 2 about my new A1c and he and I ended up talking for the next hour about flights and airlines and how I got my letter to take my supplies on board. We spent the next hour chatting about airport nightmares. Who knows but some people tend to be very private. I am a very open person and do not mind sharing. Its nice to know others share in the same struggles that we do day in and day out. It may not change our struggle but knowing we are not alone helps. That chance will come again and who knows it may be well worth the talk. My father in law is type 2 but he takes shots of Lantus whereas I am on Levemir before bed. We were all out somewhere and he asked me if I had my Levemir with me (which I didn’t) but, 4 months ago he would not have been so open to ask if I had not been so open.
Ron, I have had so many of those conversations I can’t even count. I have even been involved in carb ratio conversations with newbies in line at CVS. I never mind it, but I also never initiated…
I work at an Apple Retail store, and sometimes wore my pump on my belt. Customers would come up and either say: “WOW! That looks cool! You got those in Stock?” or: “Heeeeeeyyyyyy, I got one too!” Pretty cool!
One day in the iPhone/iPod accessories, a guy came up wanting some armband dealio for his bike rides. I asked what device he wanted it for. He pulls out his MM pump. I thought ‘to heck with inventory’ and opened armbands for him to try out…
Perfect one was an Incase iPod Classic armband. he stitched it down to fit his forearm and thusly could see the CGMS while on the road.
I’ve met several pumpers at work and in the mall. No trouble in conversing with them.
Well it truly is a tough call. About 3 weeks ago my wife and I were at Chevys having dinner and she noticed someone else testing their blood sugar while I was giving myself my shot at the table and she wanted me to go over and say something supportive. In that situation I did not know the person and did not walk over. I remember reading one of the forums on traveling where someone said that the TSA agent has had different reactions and thought it was a garage door opener / pager / mp3 player … to be honest the one touch ultra mini looks like several mp3 players on the market today. I could see where it becomes a situation (like security at the airport). At work I might have just to open up and maybe share with him the tudiabetes site as a great reference if he ever needed to ask a question. See how it goes from there. I think its amazing weather newbies like me or people whom have had this for 20 years we all have questions and although we are not doctors we have all been through struggles and its always nice to turn to someone or somewhere. Some of the questions medical, some social, some just living and seeing how other do the same stuff. I think when given the chance they all want or have wanted to reach out at some point. Its just a suggestion. Although I am a newbie to the big D. Chatting online is something I have been doing for for 15 - 20 years between technical forums a few social ones over the years and I have found people sometimes find it easier to chat online they sometimes feel less out there and more comfortable. Asking questions here is also much much easier than calling the doctors office. Here you get a response in less than an hour. This community is truly amazing!!!
Hi Joe!
I don’t think you are ever obligated to talk about the db - sometimes you feel like it and sometimes you don’t. No biggie whatsoever.
I think I was a bit insensitive once last summer. I was in Panera Bread on a Saturday morning and there was a cheerleading competition in downtown Minneapolis. A group of highschool girls came in, in their warmup suits and one of them head her pump on her waistband in plain sight. She was chatting with the other girls and what did I do but rush up, grab her arm and ask her how she liked her pump. What a stupid thing to do, especially to a teenager with a bunch of peers around her. If she had just been at Macy’s by herself, browsing, it might have been more appropriate.
Anyway, she didn’t act embarassed and we had a short chat and I gave her a hug and wished her good health. I have always regretted this intrusion.
If it had been me I would have jumped all over the chance to talk to another pumper. I’d have pulled out my pump and said something like, “cool! I have one, too!” and see where it went.
If John didn’t want to talk about it, I’d have let it go. (I think. I hope.) But I’m actually eager to see someone with a pump and use it as an excuse to jump start a conversation.
a few years ago, I was at my quilting guild meeting, maybe 70 people, listening to a speaker, who, quite frankly was a little boring. My eyes were wandering, and I noticed that a fellow member was wearing her pump clipped to her pants pocket. I unclipped mine, which caught her eye, and held it up towards her, and said “hello sister!”. We had some casual conversations briefly later, and now she’s had to drop out for work reasons. It’s no big deal, some people want to share, compare, and some want to prosletize and show off, and others don’t talk for their own reasons. It’s very good, at least, that you both know about each others’ diabetes.
me too. it’s less about obligation but when someone asks I go right in there. it was making the first move that had me feeling “wierd”. Sarah said earlier about bumping into John at work again heck if my pump is out it may auto-ignite.
that was my first reaction - but something held me back. I am not usually one to be so worried about political correctness or HIPPA or what miss manners woulda done =)
… the office isnt THAT big so I bet there will come another time.
y’know - I went 28 years without knowing anybody with T1. Then my niece was diagnosed, then I met a guy in a kind of a support group. now with TuD I “know” a lot of people.
I am taking the first steps toward pumping. Just to put it out there…if anyone notices my pump, PLEASE feel free to start up a conversation. If you see it, chances are the owner is not trying to hide it.
On the other hand, there are times when we don’t feel like talking about any number of things. There will most likely be more ops to chat with your co-worker.
Hoping to run into a whole bunch of you out there…
Joe whatever you do is the right thing!!! I know you give lots of people support here. Me being one of them!!! Some days we feel more outgoing with the big D and some not. I dont think there ever is a “right answer” and don’t regret. If it is no secret you have a pump maybe he saw yours and never said anything either. That conversation is always a 2 way street. The fact is you are very open on here and I know for one I am grateful that you and all the others on here are.
Happy WWD
I know what you mean it is a tough call I never talked or mentioned my diabetes for years always kept my pump tucked away for some reason. Well now when I see someone who has one I get excited and want to talk. I went up to a young girl at my vets office not sure if she minded we talked a little still not sure if I should have said something but she had it outside her pants so I almost felt like it was ok to talk to her. I met a girls last week in my parking lot at work she had her car broken into I asked her if she needed any help she told me she was diabetic and her insulin and meter where in her pocketbook I felt terrible for her and also felt a bond I wanted to talk. We talked a little about the pump etc I gave her my phone number I do not know if that was a stupid thing to do or not and she probably will never call but what a strange feeling comes over you when you see someone with a pump now I just want to talk to someone and say “hey how many times has your pump tubing gotten caught in something as you walk by don’t ya just hate that!”
Until recently I had never met another workplace diabetic. This year I’ve met three…a pumper, a shooter, and a type 2.
I noticed the pumper at a dinner event for work. I told him I was thinking about getting on the pump, and he was glad to show me all the bells and whistles of his device. He answered all my questions and we spent the entire time pretty much talking about our diabetic stories. So worth it, because he was from out of town, and that was my only opportunity to bring it up.
The shooter actually noticed that I was checking my blood sugar in the gym. He said “diabetic?” and I said “yep, type 1.” Then he showed me his CGM and I asked him all the questions that I’ve had about his device, from pricing to accuracy. Since then, we see each other in the gym frequently and always talk about our current diabetic status. I think we both enjoy the opportunity to talk to another diabetic. Its also think its pretty cool that he happens to be one of the highest level executives at my company.
The type-2 guy, well, not so open. I noticed a sharps container on his desk, and so I asked him. He said that yes he was diabetic, and that was that. I see him everyday, and diabetes is simply never mentioned. He is a really great guy and is super funny and outgoing, but it is obvious that he’s not interested in talking “disease”.
Oh well, like Meatloaf says, two out of three ain’t bad. I think it’s best to always take the opportunity when it presents itself because so many of us are doing this alone. If you can help someone get out of a rut, then it is totally worth it.
Better yet…it’s always good to know where you can go if you run out of test strips at work hehe.
