It’s like working in the white house, not all employees are knowledgeable about what’s happening there. Just because someone works in the medical field they only have cursory knowledge about what some diseases and disorders are about. When someone asks me Type 1 or 2 I explain what the difference is…ask and I’ll educate them. Since I was a Juvenile I let them know that age is not the difference that separates the two types but it’s the type that does.
What happened - not much more hopeful and ending with almost impossible irony . . .
At the first opportunity, while going through my history in pre-surgery I told the nurse that the chart might show that I’m Type II because of the previous day’s interview, but that in fact I’m Type I.
She said “Of course you are, you’re insulin dependent.”
Aaargh!
Now for the irony. The nurse who wheeled me to surgery and cared for me in recovery is a Type II diabetic and, guess what, is insulin dependent. He wants a pump badly, but his HMO ‘doesn’t allow’ insulin pumps for Type II’s.
Anyway, I’m going to find a patient care coordinator to speak to. In fact, I recently met a diabetes educator who works at the hospital and I"m going to bring this story to her attention.
Thanks for the support, everyone.
BTW, the procedure was a success
Awesome, Terry! 
Good to hear.
That is ironic!!!
Glad to hear all went well.
I got to thinking: 1) sometimes it’s not even a nurse who does the pre - questionnaire. It’s a device sometimes used to alert the anesthesiologist where to probe deeper when he does an interview. 2) Everyone always should use the words “on insulin” or “on” whatever the medication is, rather than “Type 1” or “Type 2”. The meaning becomes specific.
In America about 80% of all deaths occur in hospitals. Moral of the story? Stay out of hospitals. LOL
rick phillips
It’s because hospitals are FULL of bacteria everywhere, and don’t get cleaned as well as we’d dream… They are cesspools of it. So most people go in feeling just fine, for some surgery, and then when they are in the healing process, they get a bacterial infection… and because it is in a hospital (were all the sick congregate), the chances of it being a more serious bacterial infection are HUGE. They are called ‘opportunistic bacteria,’ and you get a horrible taste of it every time you get an abscess or a case of cellulitis. I’ve had one of these abscesses that needed surgical intervention, with basically no anesthesia, and let me tell ya, it has been one of the worst cases of pain I have ever experienced in my life. Never have I had anything as painful as that.
Rick , I should have read this on Feb 14, ha, ha …a bit late : Happy Valentine :- ) and totally agree…likely same here in Canada …STAY away !!