Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Day 14. June 19th: Hi Ho!

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it's off to work we go! *Whistle whistle* Hi Ho, Hi Ho, Hi Ho, Hi Ho,....
Thought this picture fit well.
Now that I got that song stuck in your head, I wanted to write about having Diabetes in the workplace...

My Desk!

I am so blessed to be working in an environment that is completely understanding of my diabetes and the needs I have. As you can see, outlined from the lovely Dwarfs of Snow White, there are many added "benefits" that come with the Job Description of being a Diabetic.
  1. Yesterday, I probably used the bathroom over 6 times. I was very thirsty and kept drinking water which made me have to utilize the bathroom many times. Being that I am at a desk, and set my own pace of things, It was very easy for me to make the necessary trips to the bathroom and to the kitchen for that matter (to fill up my water bottle).
  2. I think I'm becoming a better Diabetic here at JDRF. I am surrounded by Diabetes all the time, reading up on peoples stories, ideas, opinions, research, complications, etc. That alone has made me check my blood sugar more often. Besides that, I am also working with other Type 1 Diabetics. One is just kitty-corner from me. I hear his meter every time he takes a check. That makes me whip out my meter to also check myself as well.
  3. Also, if I run low and am out of snacks, I have already been told who to go to for the best "to treat low" treats! 
  4. I can eat, whenever I want, if I get hungry and/or Low. I can eat at my desk, in the lunch area, or head outside for a bit of fresh air (I've only done that on my Lunch Break though). I can also take my lunch break early or late, depending if my Diabetes is having an influence on that today. 
  5. I don't have to hide taking injections. Sometimes in workplaces, it's easier to run to a locker room, bathroom, or kitchen area to take insulin. But here at JDRF, I can just whip out my pen and shoot up right at my desk, or in the lunch room. No need to hide anything! 
Now you might be asking, what am I comparing this to? Now I am not saying that JDRF is the only organization that makes having Diabetes in the workplace easy, no. I'm just saying that I love working here for multiple reasons, one being how easy it is to care for my diabetes while on the job.
My last job, which I have held for the three previous summers was a totally different type of job. I was doing physical labor, using my hands, and not sitting at a desk like now. I was able to control my diabetes just fine at my last job. I was not discriminated, bullied, or made to have ill-feelings about my Diabetes, like many other people I've heard stories from. One of the positives of that job in terms of diabetes is I was more physically active, and had better control of my Blood Glucose because I was constantly moving around. The only issue being random low blood sugars, due to the physical activity, which would require me to stop what I was doing, if it was painting (coming indoors), production line (shutting off machines and de-gowning), or making boxes, to fix my blood sugar. Normally I would head to the Locker rooms to test and treat, which could have been at the other side of the plant, because depending on where I was working, I couldn't keep food in my pockets. At this job though, I would always head to the locker rooms to test my BG and give myself insulin for breaks, snacks, or meals, because there were sometimes tours of the company going around with random strangers, or in case other people disliked needles. (It's only when I'm in a good mood not wanting to gross others out, or don't want to be asked questions that I might relocate to give myself insulin, most times I don't bother about what other people think/say).
All I can say now is, that hopefully in the future, I have a job that is just as supportive, helpful, and understanding with type 1 diabetes as JDRF is.


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