anyone else get "why can't you do it in a toilet?" comments?

[Kirsten14x]

I was diagnosed August 19th 2013 and my close friends were really supportive.. I was under the impression school would be the same, it hasn't. Since going back for the first time since diagnosis it's been rubbish and I've had tonnes of grief about injecting my novorapid in the common room. You'd think at 17/18 years old people would be more accepting. I get the "go and do it in a toilet"comment and have even had people screaming and running out of the room. All this despite my headmaster being a type 1 too, he's actually been amazing. My subject teachers have been fantastic but my head of year and head of sixth form just don't have a clue and act like I'm the one with the issues and it's my fault-despite my headmaster talking to them too and my mum being on the phone several times a week-I've even been told I'm not coping and am emotionally unstable by them. It's actually at the point where I spend break and lunch in a teacher's office and just help him out so I can avoid people. How do I deal with this? I don't actually mind being diabetic (I felt so ill before and was nearly in a coma but I feel amazingly better now) but other people have a huge issue with it. What do I do?

 

[whompa73]

Re: anyone else get "why can't you do it in a toilet?" comme

Probably gonna get in trouble gor this one but here goes . Also I would start getting hm how can I put agressively defensive / righteously indignant? I can however understand slightly their misconceptions if the room is used for making brews or reheating meals and or eating but there again I don't know that that is the case and next time some moron especially a teacher asks or tells you to go do it in the toilet ask them if they would like to eat their dinner in there as that would be potentially far less dangerous that injecting in there due to the amount of bacteria. And if it is one of the teachers ask if the school would like to pay to have an appropriate room set up for doing such things as at the moment you feel you are being discriminated against and ostracised because of yur medical condition. I bet they soon shut up then

 

[Mrs Vimes]

Re: anyone else get "why can't you do it in a toilet?" comme

Well said whompa! Suggesting to them that they eat in the toilets is a goodun.

Then ignore them. You are going to be going this for the rest if your life- they've only got to deal with it at dinner.
Personally I would use foul language at them but that's me.
You sound like a nicer person - they are ignorant and god help them if they ever get something chronic.
Don't let them put you off your studies, qualifications are the road to freedom. (I'm a type 1 and a teacher).


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[Westie2]

Re: anyone else get "why can't you do it in a toilet?" comme

Hi if you have a supportive relationship with the Head why do you not ask if they could organise a short series of public health education sessions eg alcohol drug use and of course diabetes awareness, this links in the the Diabetes UK campaign to raise awareness and could then include issues around Injections etc. the staff should attend to allow them to identify when a student has eg alcohol problems..........
This type of approach would defuse the focus being on you. Otherwise you could look at the Health protection agency and public health England sites as there should be information around infection control when injecting.

Good luck


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[Kirsten14x]

Re: anyone else get "why can't you do it in a toilet?" comme

Hi,

whompa73 the room is literally just an oversized classroom where we all just sit around tables, yeah there is a microwave but it's on the opposite side of the room to where I would sit. I don't want to get overly self righteous about it but I know I'm well within my right as there is nowhere else that is suitable really and it's not like I use a syringe it's a novopen. Westie2 the head says he'll try and do a talk but with a school of 1800 pupils he doesn't know when he'll have time, also sixth formers don't exactly always turn up for assemblies, still if it would work at my school it's a brilliant idea!

Thank you a little bit of support goes a long way

 

[Robinredbreast]

Re: anyone else get "why can't you do it in a toilet?" comme

I was diagnosed August 19th 2013 and my close friends were really supportive.. I was under the impression school would be the same, it hasn't. Since going back for the first time since diagnosis it's been rubbish and I've had tonnes of grief about injecting my novorapid in the common room. You'd think at 17/18 years old people would be more accepting. I get the "go and do it in a toilet"comment and have even had people screaming and running out of the room. All this despite my headmaster being a type 1 too, he's actually been amazing. My subject teachers have been fantastic but my head of year and head of sixth form just don't have a clue and act like I'm the one with the issues and it's my fault-despite my headmaster talking to them too and my mum being on the phone several times a week-I've even been told I'm not coping and am emotionally unstable by them. It's actually at the point where I spend break and lunch in a teacher's office and just help him out so I can avoid people. How do I deal with this? I don't actually mind being diabetic (I felt so ill before and was nearly in a coma but I feel amazingly better now) but other people have a huge issue with it. What do I do?

hi Krsten People are ill informed and squeamish too. But your heath and wellbeing come first and outweigh any prejudices . If these people say that to you, have you asked why? and see what they say. Probably on the lines of' oh its horrible to see someone inject them selves, it should be done in private, it's putting us off our food' etc :x

1. Tell them of the millions of germs in a toilet area,

2. Ask if they would like to swop places with you?

3. Tell them if they were important enough it would matter, but they aren't

4. You are not doing anything illegal, underhand or nasty, just staying alive

You have enough to deal with, and can I say how well you seem to have coped since being diagnosed, I was like you extremely ill, and in hospital too.

I agree with the comments of educating Diabetes awareness. I feel as though you are being bullied and looked down on and because you don't fit into the norm :roll: , pressure is being put upon you. I hope you can find a solution to THEIR problems, it's not you that's the problem.

Take care and please could you let us know how you get on?

Good luck, with my very best wishes

RRB

 

[whompa73]

Re: anyone else get "why can't you do it in a toilet?" comme

Hi kristen . I didnt say they where right in their thinking .I am recently diagnosed type 2. But one of my best friends is type1 and it has never bothered me in the slightest even when he took insulin right next to me . But you have 3 problems here 1 peoples misconceptions and equating it to a potentila contamination from blood howerer wrong this is some people are squeemish about such things . 2 drama queens some people will use this just so they can make a sceen and then try to get people on their side just to be center of attention . 3 those who either dont like you are jellous of you or whom you have had a run in with who will take any chance to make you misserable . The first lot need educating and will possably come on side the second group possable need taking to one side and talking to either telling them home truths or pointing out how you could embarrass them in front of others aswell be carefully though as they cuold then turn into number 3s. The 3rd lot is definatly where you neeed help personally I would employ my diggit but your best course of action would probably be to report the for bullying. Do this in righting as their is then a record of the complaint and the have to act upon it or risk legal action. Hope this helps

 

[sunday]

Re: anyone else get "why can't you do it in a toilet?" comme

Hi Kirsten,
when my daghter was diagnosed she was 12 years old and two girls of her class thought diabetes was infectious and ran away from her. My daughter laughed about such stupid girls.
When she was doing her injections her best friends stood in front of her so no one else could see what she was doing. After six month she got her insulinpump and she´s happy with it. Sometimes teachers told her to put her mobile away and when they were realizing that it was her pump it was o.k.
Today she´s 19 yars old. Sometimes she feels bad with her diabetes and hates ist but most of the time other things are really more important. Friends, music facebook and boys... so I´m really happy that it went all so normal for her.
Hope that things are going well for you and that people stop to say such stupid things to you. They should imagine what it means for you to live with diabetes.
Good luck for you
Vera

 

[emmerjay]

Re: anyone else get "why can't you do it in a toilet?" comme

After reading this, now I know why that I am frightened to go on to insulin injections.

 

[Kirsten14x]

Re: anyone else get "why can't you do it in a toilet?" comme

It's not the injections I promise, they're fine it's just when people get you down, I plan on printing off this http://www.behavioraldiabetesinstitute. ... e-Card.pdf poster and sticking it up in my school. Today was a better day, had a few people stared but I plan on arranging with my headmaster to talk to people who have a problem properly even get my nurse in. Thank you to people who posted it made me feel a lot better.

 

[mrman]

Re: anyone else get "why can't you do it in a toilet?" comme

Brilliant download, maybe I should print one of these on a t~shirt to wear.

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[Kirsten14x]

Re: anyone else get "why can't you do it in a toilet?" comme

I was tempted too found it on another thread on here

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[mrman]

Re: anyone else get "why can't you do it in a toilet?" comme

I think its great lol, maybe put one in the office instead

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[Giverny]

Re: anyone else get "why can't you do it in a toilet?" comme

You sound like a really positive person which is great! As others have said, you can be really proactive about this and channel your frustration in to making it a productive experience for everyone. Get together with your headteacher and see if they're willing to do some kind of session on diabetes and other health conditions :thumbup:

 

[Cupcaake32]

Re: anyone else get "why can't you do it in a toilet?" comme

Remember its their problem not yours i was diagnosed when i was 13 and im not 24 i had the same problems . Although only me and one other teacher at the school were diabetic. I was allowed to do my i sulin in her classroom or wherever the hell i wanted most people didnt have a clue about diabetes and to be honest most still dont. I am the only diabetic where i work and have only ever met 3 otjer diabetixs oitside clinic .

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