Today I think I have reached my peak at how much I can take at work. Two of my supervisors had the nerve to pull me into the office and say, "we need to do something about your diabetes". Talking about me leaving the register to check my sugars and stuff is time away from the register and crap. I'm like it takes me 5 minutes to check my sugar and that's equal to someone going to the bathroom. She was like she seen me eat half a coffee cake and I'm not suppose to have it so that was wrong of me. I was like first of all my sugar was low at the point and time and I needed something in my system that's why I ate the coffee cake! I was like when I was on the insulin pump yes my sugars were more in controlled, but right now I'm on needles which I am still getting used to and doing like a trial and error with my doctor. The woman had the nerve to ask, "why won't you get back on the pump?" I said I don't get paid enough for the pump anymore therefore can't afford it. Then she gon say isn't there a program that gives you free diabetic supplies I see commercials all the time....really? Let me know what you talking about because I'm sure I have tried everything and my supplies aren't the issue. The issue is my glucose levels me stable. I still feel like my diabetes is being used against me. And right now I feel depressed and lower than dirt. I really don't know. What do you all think??
I think it is horrible when bosses can’t understand Diabetes. I feel for you…
Don’t let it get you down, I would find out if maybe the Jvinile Diabetes assco, can tell you where you can find out if you have rights against this mean people and self centered mean people…
don’t let them get you down, thats what they want, ignore them, and do what you need to. I bet they would hate to have to call 911 after your colapse behind the register. Gosh that is mean of them to call you in for this.
I am very sorry, but please don’t let this ruin your day or weekend, look for the good in the day and weekend:) Smile back at them, it will drive em crazy! Debbie
AAwww thank you debbie! I mean it’s like I was so upset that I wanted to explode. All my frustrations turned into tears. I was like boiling with tears. They want me to make a set schedule so they can try to give me the same lunch everyday or switch me to another department.
W-O-W!!! Whenever you get a chance, look into the Labor Laws and (Disability?) and Discrimination Laws for sure!! Then…“casually” mention that you are looking into it. 
(Shuts them up realllll quick!)
Ignorant witches.
What makes them think that they can tell another adult what to eat? Or what to do on her break?
They think they have all the answers, but they know NOTHING about your personal medical situation. They should be asking you how they can support you, not tell you what to do like they know it all.
I’m so sorry you had to go through that.
Is there someone higher you could go to? Or a personell or human resources department? These women are pretty ignorant! And it is a form of discrimination. People with disabilities (or illnesses) should be allowed by law to have regular breaks to deal with their problems. I believe the law stipulates this.
How about gathering together all the leaflets, articles etc on diabetes designed for newly diagnosed people and get them to sit down and read them, saying that you will be happy to answer any questions they might have. Explain to them that when you have lows it can be just as dangerous as highs and that sometimes you can have either without notice and need to deal with it (with the coffee cake) there and then to prevent it getting any worse! And explain that if you get low then that is when mistakes at the till can happen!
I do know where you are coming from! I was on a councelling course and was hauled into the office by the tutor and a a Pastor asking if I needed help with my “drink” problem. Stupid thing was that the tutor was an ex-nurse! They tried to stop me from doing the course and it was only when I showed them that my blood levels were high at the time in question and even offered to undergo a private blood test (at their expense) that they backed down! I had probably been leaking ketones (which smell like cider to the uninitiated - and there are many uninitiated in the medical profession, believe you me!) or been undergoing fast changes at the time! I went on to pass the course with flying colours! But still, after 12 years I am experiencing prejudice! My sister did not want me to visit her in San Francisco, in case I became ill! Yes, I managed to persuade her, had a few highs and lows, but I dealt with them quietly and apart from one of the hypos, she would not have known that there was anything wrong!
I have also been denied access to the local prisons - in case I become ill! I could get run over by a bus, but that does not stop
ADDITION. That does not stop me from walking the streets or using a bus!
I do empathise with you in your situation. I have also just lost a voluntary job because of the diabetes and the fact taht I called the police when a large sum of money was taken from my purse at that place. Their theory was that either I had not got the money (I can prove I had it with bank statements) or I left the shop where I was working and hid it somewhere during a hypo! Also not true!
Sending you warm hugs!
The sad thing about it is that I have talked to HR and the general manager of the store. What I got from them is that I may have to take a LOA until my blood levels and insulin dosages are stable. Since right now I’m new on needles my insulin dosages changes. I told them that going on LOA was not an option right now and all he had to say was “well we’re weighing out options”. He had the nerve to tell me that they didn’t mind accommadating me, but it’s just that if they accommandate me then others going to bring up their problems and he was like who is he to say my problem is more important than the next. Really? I can bring you doctor notes, test, and all kind of stuff. I’m 22 years old on the road to kidney failure and have no gald bladder. I can document whatever they need. I still do my job. Come early and leave late. Their being smart to not say fired because they know I can sue them. I’m just confused because I didn’t think it was a big issue 
You have rights, under the Americans with Disabilities Act, which protect you. Your employer has to give you reasonable accommodations - which would include allowing you to check your blood sugar and eat to correct a low. They have NO RIGHT to tell you that you might be forced to take a LOA for not having your blood sugars in perfect control (frankly that’s none of their business, unless you’re passing out at work all the time or something like that). I would recommend you find a lawyer who gives free consultations and talk with him/her. Sometimes a lawyer can write up a letter to a company, as your ‘legal representation’, threatening legal action if the threats and unlawful actions against you continue. This may cost you a small fee but could scare your bosses enough to convince them to stop nagging you about this.
If this was happening to me I would start documenting everything right away.
I would write down the date and time I was called into the office and the names of the supervisors and the comments they made, and how I responded, and how their comments made me feel. I would include the date I am writing down what happened, like keeping a diary.
In this “diary” I would include every remark, especially ones like “Why won’t you get back on the pump?,” comments about a food you consumed, and questions about free medical supplies.
If I could not remember exactly what someone said, I would write “_____ (name) said something like…,” or "to the effect of…"
I would include any action that I felt was unfair, for example, "Today, at about 2 p.m., I was told by ____ that I was working too slowly for only folding 5 shirts in 5 minutes, while I saw that another employee, John, got no scolding for folding 4 shirts in the same amount of time."
At the end of each day I worked, I would document, to my best recollection, how many times during each shift I had to step away from the register to check my bg. I would document it if anyone stared at me or looked at me like they were cross at me, or rolled their eyes at me upon my return.
When keeping this documentation, I would remember that someday it may need to be shared with others, so I would keep it on subject, detailed, yet to the point, (I wouldn’t write that my cat just threw-up in my shoe, or that my boyfriend gave me a rose today), and not doodle in the margins or express myself in curse-words or sloppy language and avoid miss-spellings.
I would never take my “diary” to work with me lest it accidentally fall into the wrong hands.
I would keep any written warnings or possibly important papers that my employer might give me.
When at work, I absolutely would not, let me repeat that, absolutely would not threaten them with any legal sort of action, or mention or try to explain my legal rights to them. I would be very, very careful o
(continuing my previous comment) I would be very, very careful of what I say back to them, and I would not share any details about my medical status with them, such as the fact that I am struggling with adapting to shots. I would act very professional at all times, even if they are not.
If I were asked a nosy or rude question I would respond politely by saying that I preferred not to discuss such personal private matters, and of course, I would write what they said and how I responded in my “diary.” This does not mean that I would not be friendly, or not answer if someone asked me an innocent question, like "What are you going to cook for your boyfriend for his surprise birthday dinner tonight?"
If I needed to leave the register to check my bg and was told I could not, then I would nicely ask how soon I could. If I were told in 30 minutes, then I would say “I really can’t wait any longer than 10 minutes.” (Try to be reasonable, even if they are not.) Then in 10 minutes I would go and check my bg regardless, or I would simply stay at the register and check my bg right there on the spot if that is what I felt I had to do.
I would not discuss any of these matters with any of my co-workers, even if I hung out with them away from work, or considered them a friend. I would certainly not tell anyone at work that I was documenting these events.
I absolutely would not hand over any documentation such as medical reports or records to my employer. I don’t think I should have to prove that I need to check my bg when I’m feeling low, and my employer might try to use any such written evidence of my medical issues against me.
The lunch issue is a little tricky. If my employer wanted me to set a time to take lunch everyday, I would agree to that because that does not sound unreasonable; however, I would contact my local department of labor and inquire how many breaks I’m entitled to for the length of the shift I am working, unless of course I already knew. If I found out that I c
(continuing my two previous comments)
If I found out that I can take, lets say, two fifteen minute breaks for an 8-hour work day, with at least a 1/2 hour lunch in the middle, then I might ask my employer if I could instead take 2 ten minute breaks, and consider the added-up time I needed to check my bg the remaining 10 minutes. (Again, I am trying to be reasonable with my employer here, as I am sure you have been). And I’m assuming it probably does not really take you all of five minutes to check your bg, but probably more like 2 or 3 minutes. If my employer refused to agree to this, then I would stick to the 2 fifteen minute breaks, and check my bg as often as I needed to. Of course I would have documented my offer at a compromise. And again, this is a little tricky, so you would have to figure out what could work for you.
Then, if I were forced to take a leave of absence, or fired, or repeatedly and continually harrassed or snubbed or treated differently than other employees in an attempt to get me to quit, I would immediately contact the EEOC.
At that point my documentation would be extreamly helpful, if not crucial.
As for the emotional turmoil I would surely experience while this stuff is going on at work, I would try to think of it as a game, and I would try to stay focused on playing it smarter than them.
Out-fox them foxy.
sounds like discrimination you have rights and furthermore i dont appreciate how they are even aproaching you!