Taking shots

David was diagnosed at age 10 almost 7 years ago. He was clearly told by his endo that he should take his insulin and do his BG testing where needed, and never in a public washroom. Unfortunately the school that he attended for several years post diagnosis required him to go to a “special” room to test and take his insulin. When you read the school policy it is clear that the school is concerned with the exposure to blood and the possibility of HIV, but we could have provided medical confirmation that David was not in anyway an HIV threat to his fellow students.

Going to a designated location was manageable for the first few years when the fast acting insulin that David was taking needed a 20 minute wait before lunch, but would not have worked well when he moved on to MDI and NovoRapid. Hiding him away to test and take insulin did irreparable damage. To this day, he is uncomfortable looking after his D care in public and this is causing him some grief in sports at this particular point in his life.

I think that the more exposure that your sister-in-law has to your D care, the more comfortable she will become. Next time ask her if she can express why she’s uncomfortable? You will probably find that even though she is educated in the area of special needs and psychology, that until she puts her feelings into words, she will allow her emotions or fears to rule. Once she examines those emotions and fears she will understand your position.

Cheryl

Belly or arm shots when I am out and about, thigh if I have shorts on.

Wherever whenever…the only place I have had a commen tis when my daughter was in labor–she was getting an epidural,so only one person was allowed to stay (not me)…the hospital had a comnplaint…so the nurses in a very apologetic way told me and allowed me to use the nurses lounge for the rest of my shots if I was not in my daughters room…

That’s hilarious! I feel embarrassed to waste a test strip when I’m just by myself, lol!

I agree. I didn’t have to take a shot at the moment I met a friend for coffee and catch-up and told her I now have type 1 diabetes, but I did take it as an opportunity to whip out my pen and show her how it works. We were in a very public place, but at that moment I could have shown anyone around what I now have to do to be healthy. To me it’s another interesting aspect of my life. I know… I have a weird take on having diabetes.

I still am having trouble conceiving of someone flexible enough to give themselves a true shot in the rear, lol!

Just made me think of a time my mother had the police called on her for taking her shot, in a bathroom at a restaurant. Someone had complained to the staff and instead of asking the assumed she was on drugs. Needless to say we got our meals for free.

I guess you need to consider who you are in company with and treat it on a case by case basis. When I was on shots, I was usually very good at keeping it private, while at the table. In other words, giving shots in my leg or stomach where no one else would see. My friends have never had a problem with me giving my shots in front of them, though. In fact, they would love to take turns giving me the shot.

I think you should do whatever you feel comfortable with and not worry about the sister in law.

Have you considered an insulin pump?

Mignonne

Lewis, you just do your shots wherever.
This is the century in which we no longer have to hide what’s going on. Hopefully enough people have enough education to comprehend what we’re doing and become more open to understanding therapies that used to be hidden from them. Let’s not go back to what used to be. Your school psychologist relative needs updating.
I don’t take offense, however. I take the offensive in cases like this. This is where I proudly wear my educator-of-the-family role! And if they’re with me more, they’ll learn more.

This topic has come up several times and I always feel bemused and a bit annoyed by the responses. I usually test or do shots in private because I am more comfortable this way and worry perhaps too much about making other people uncomfortable. But I don’t think that there is a right or wrong to it, just individual comfort levels. Whenever someone says they do it in private, everyone jumps on them and tells them not to be ashamed of their diabetes. I’m not the least bit ashamed, I just prefer it in private. I don’t really care what others do. I went out with another type 1 for the first time recently. She was having lunch but I was only having a cappuchino. She bolused at the table and I got to look around and see that absolutely nobody was paying any attention at all. I might change my habits one day as I have noticed in the year and a half since I start insulin some things have changed. But I really think whatever people prefer is fine, just please don’t inform me I’m “ashamed of my diabetes” if I choose to bolus in the bathroom!

Funny I was thinking about this very thing. It’s a personal choice, whether to “do it” in public or not. If you want to, then you should, with no regrets.

On another note about privacy, exposure, and taboo topics - I didn’t feel comfortable nursing in public either, and I didn’t when it was that time in my life. It certainly didn’t mean that I had a problem with nursing – I nursed both my kids till slightly past the age of 2 and proudly admit it! :slight_smile:

Lol!! One word: yoga :0)

I am on the pump now and occasionally rotate my sites to the backside (sorry if TMI) and let me tell you it’s not easy inserting an infusion set back there! I use a mirror and occasionally my hubby to help!

I agree with both you and Caprifoglio, Zoe… It is a matter of personal preference. I really do not want to make others feel uncomfortable and I consider my insulin injections as “private”. I cannot imagine exposing my midriff , lower abdomen or upper legs to the world . I have never shot through my clothes, nor in my somewhat skinny arms and I do not want to. It is just a personal choice not shame

God Bless,
Brunetta.

Yeah that would a good scene – hiking up your skirt in a restaurant and injecting your inner thighs, lol!

When I was on MDI - out loud and proud. I frankly didn’t care what anyone around may have been thinking.

I’ll never use the bathroom for shots or testing. In a restaurant, if I can’t do it at the table because of female modesty, I sometimes go out to the car and shoot there.

I’ve done the car thing too.

Lewis’s wife here

I think people are jumping to conclusions a bit about my sister. It wasn’t the blood, or the needle as she has given blood for years. I also don’t think it was that she was wanting him to hide his diabetes either. Mostly I think it was she was concerned about how sanitary it was to shoot at the table. Also I am willing to bet she didn’t think he did it much in front of the kids. (they were all out to dinner while I was at work, the jerks. lol) Although she is a psychologist, she doesn’t have much experience with diabetics and the procedures, as they are really two different two different fields. She never asked him to go to the bathroom either. This is far newer for my family than his because we haven’t had anyone with diabetes around before, but they are all very supportive. With time they won’t even think twice about his shots.

-Amanda

I mostly do my shots at home but when I am out and depending on the place we are going, I’ll either do it at home or at the restaurant. I usually excuse myself to the bathroom if I know the bathroom is clean enough for me to do so otherwise I do it right there at the table. A lot of my friends understand that I am a diabetic. Some are new and I respect that they dont want to see it until they know me. But I prefer to do it at the table than to have to get up, etc. Again it depends on where we are going for the meal. But I can’t wait to go on the pump so I can do it at the table.

I have recently started injections (Humalog 75/25 Pen), but my mother has been on insulin for over 30 years. She always did her injections at the table in restaurants. So, I had a good example. If anyone even notices, I have no problem joking about shooting up, or to really freak someone out, offer to let them inject me. LOL!

One thing I have noticed as an observer, today it is more about our attitude to injecting/testing in public than those around us. If you are uncomfortable about it, you will stand out in the crowd. If you are matter of fact about it, you probably won’t even be noticed. Case in point: I watched a man draw and inject his insulin (arm), while sitting at a table at a McD’s. Had I not been tuned in to noticing something like that, I would have missed it. He never even paused in his conversation. Nobody else at my table, including my mother, saw anything.

I make a point of looking for other PWD when out and about, and it’s interesting to see how we react to our disease.