I am so tired of hearing everyone say, oh you have diabetes. Yeah, I have family that are diabetecs. but they eat everything!!
People take it lightly, there are different types and diabetes of any type sucks but because there are so many people that have it and don’t take care of themseves and dont even take any medications. We are viewed sort of as cry babies.
Oh your sugars are low, eat something. Your high, well it will go down…For other people that are struggling and have an idea of how horrible diabetes can be we need to educate the whole world. I work for the Feds and its on the list of disabilities and it should be.
I can be driving an car and pass out and I don’t get a handicap sticker, I could be waiting for the Metro and fall on the tracks .
I don’t know much about the disability aspect of diabetes or if it even is considered at all some form of disability.
Diabetes is considered a disability and as such we are protected by the Americans with Disibilities Act. We are protected from many kinds of employer discrimination, etc… Like they have to allow you to check your sugar. Should it be, I don’t know but I have come close to filing a suit before and it was nice to know I had some protection.
True, I will take it as a disability to be protected and gain my rights. But in real it is not that bad! However it disable me from doing certain things. DARN so yes it is a disability! HUH Never thought of it like this!!
I have lived with D for over 50 years and never thought of it as a disability, until after 40 years I suffered from complication that kept me from working. A close friend suggested that I apply for disability which I did, I was denied. I appealed and finally I was granted disability. If it wasn’t for my friend’s suggestion I would have never thought of myself as disabeled.
Interesting that after 40 years of this, when you are dehabilitated it isn’t such a big deal. I wonder if your outlook would have been different if you didn’t have D? I like to think I can handle more with it than if I didn’t have it. But I can’t remember not having it. So who knows.
I hope life is treating you better now.
Diabetes is considered a disability by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Personally, I don’t feel like having diabetes is a disability. I can still do everything I want to or that any other healthy person can do. However, I do beleived that some of the complications of diabetes are definitely disabling and we should be able to recieve adequate compensation and health care coverage for them. And it shouldn’t be so dificult to qualify for those benifits.
I remember my dad wanting to get a job at a major aerospace company. I was still in college, but I remember that if his medical test showed he was diabetic, they would not hire him. This was a second career after 23 years working for the state. He fasted and only drank water and tea for eleven days (11), did not eat anything to get his bloodsugar down to the normal range for the blood test. Thank god they didn’t give an A1C back then. He passed the test and held the job for eleven(11) years, until he died of pancreatic cancer. If Diabetes can keep you from getting any form of gainful employment that you want to be in, then you are entitled to disability. You shouldn’t have to settle for some job you don’t want because you are a diabetic, or because you are in any group that can be discriminated against.
While Diabetes is covered by the American Disability Act (Federal Act), not all states consider Diabetes a disability. A catch-22 if you will, which is why your friend in Jersey may be getting better coverage or more help than you are receiving from your state(example). I have used or mentioned the Disabilty Act at movie theaters or concerts when bringing in my own snacks or beverages. I have even used it at receptions when the lines are long in the restrooms and no one will use the handicap toilet. (the business only has to have it available for disabled people it is not reserved only for those with disabilities.)
If it would help with coverage for needed meds, or strips, or DMS than yes I would accept being considered disabled and proud of it! Did I mention I don’t have health insurance?
