Anyone Else Feel Like Their Diabetes Holds Them Back Sometimes?

[indyjholtzmann]

Hello again, everyone!

I suppose this is more something I wanted to get off my chest than anything else. I'm in a bit of a career slump at the moment. I graduated university a few years back and since then have done nothing but work in a supermarket. This was fine for a while but now I'm getting bored, frustrated, and stressed though I'm unable to get work elsewhere at the moment.

Here's the thing: Normally, I'm fine with my T1 diabetes. It's there, it's a thing I have, it's a thing I need to take care of 24/7, it's something I've gotten used to. There's not really a major issue with it except for the fact that it's stopping me get the career/job I really, really want and have since before college. Before I applied for college, I had it in my mind that I wanted to be a dog handler either with the Army, RAF, police, or in private security. I told my diabetic team (paedriatic team at that time!) about it and it was never mentioned to me that it was something I couldn't do. I was going to apply for a course at college that would help with careers in the Army and police but was told at an open evening that I could do the course but couldn't get a job at the end of it because T1 Diabetics just simply aren't allowed.

I was crushed and rushed into doing something else I figured I'd enjoy, went to uni for it, and now here I am. I know I could never apply for the job I want because my condition is not going away but very recently, it's something that's popped up again and caused me more frustration and stress and the occasional depressive episode which in turn is not helping with the control of my diabetes at all.

I suppose I just wanna ask if anyone else has found themselves in a similar situation? Have you ever felt like your diabetes has stopped you from doing something you want to do? I appreciate if anyone reads through this whole thing! Just needed to get it out there really!

 

[urbanracer]

W

Hello again, everyone!

I suppose this is more something I wanted to get off my chest than anything else. I'm in a bit of a career slump at the moment. I graduated university a few years back and since then have done nothing but work in a supermarket. This was fine for a while but now I'm getting bored, frustrated, and stressed though I'm unable to get work elsewhere at the moment.

Here's the thing: Normally, I'm fine with my T1 diabetes. It's there, it's a thing I have, it's a thing I need to take care of 24/7, it's something I've gotten used to. There's not really a major issue with it except for the fact that it's stopping me get the career/job I really, really want and have since before college. Before I applied for college, I had it in my mind that I wanted to be a dog handler either with the Army, RAF, police, or in private security. I told my diabetic team (paedriatic team at that time!) about it and it was never mentioned to me that it was something I couldn't do. I was going to apply for a course at college that would help with careers in the Army and police but was told at an open evening that I could do the course but couldn't get a job at the end of it because T1 Diabetics just simply aren't allowed.

I was crushed and rushed into doing something else I figured I'd enjoy, went to uni for it, and now here I am. I know I could never apply for the job I want because my condition is not going away but very recently, it's something that's popped up again and caused me more frustration and stress and the occasional depressive episode which in turn is not helping with the control of my diabetes at all.

I suppose I just wanna ask if anyone else has found themselves in a similar situation? Have you ever felt like your diabetes has stopped you from doing something you want to do? I appreciate if anyone reads through this whole thing! Just needed to get it out there really!

Whilst it's true that armed forces don't generally accept diabetics, the Police may, depending on the department that you apply to. The Police even have their own diabetic association.........

Check this out........
http://npda.org.uk

 

[jlarsson]

I have never been told there is something I'm not allowed to do due to being a diabetic, largely due to my field(IT) not having anything to do with physical performance, but then I don't really talk about being diabetic either until the question of disabilities and such comes up. I have however had major problems getting my education done, periodically falling into major depression or whatever the appropriate word for it would be where I just feel no creativity or work rate, staring at a problem that I could under normal circumstances figure out in a matter of minutes that now takes me hours or delayed several days due to thinking process being all screwed up.
Me being of the deeply introverted variety as well that opens up to very few people, I have never really had much support or understanding for my problems either. This of course being amplified by mood swings from blood sugars out of control has led to, I think, deep distrust of people and causing myself to dig an even deeper hole for myself.
Things are better now with better monitoring technology, but better is relative. What I consider a good day for me is probably an at worst average day for a normal person. Sometimes I catch myself thinking I don't really know what being happy feels like anymore. These new monitoring technologies and my growing skill set has made more hopeful though, I just need to figure out how to implement my theories. It's incredibly annoying that these things didn't exist until recently though, and I envy the elders who somehow made it through even older ways of doing things who still have the ability to smile.

 

[Alison54321]

Yesss, it definitely got in the way of doing what I wanted to do, however nothing like as much as not knowing what I wanted to do. Though those things could have been related in a way, it was a bit destabilising.

..........there are other ways to work with dogs though. You could train guide dogs maybe? That would be quite interesting.

 

[laurakirkup]

Yes! It's very frustrating when diabetes gets in the way, especially as it's no fault of your own that you have it.
Don't let it hold you back though, so many people go to uni and do courses in things that then never relate to the job they are doing now but the experience of going to uni is just as important as the course itself!
Also there are so many jobs you could start right now that means you would be working with dogs, I assume you work shifts at a supermarket? Why not start my joining websites like borrow my doggy or tailster where you can start to make some extra money working with dogs, you never know what connections you will make and what other opportunities will arise from it, and you get to spend your free time with adorable dogs! (I am biased because my dog is walked through those sites when I'm working!)
Also don't beat yourself up to much, I know unis love to boast about how many students walked out of uni into the job of their dreams but I hardly know anyone who actually achieved it.
I would think of your situation now as a positive, use your time to start looking at other options, dog homes perhaps? And start building up some contacts, there's no rush, just make sure you are putting your health and happiness first!

 

[Jaylee]

..........there are other ways to work with dogs though. You could train guide dogs maybe? That would be quite interesting.

Funny enough i was counting dog related stuff that could be taken as a career path?
Dog trainer for the film industry. Dog groomer. Kennels?

& who could forget Hypo alert dogs....!

 

[Rachox]

Funny enough i was counting dog related stuff that could be taken as a career path?
Dog trainer for the film industry. Dog groomer. Kennels?

& who could forget Hypo alert dogs....!

Did you see that hypo alert dog on Davinas show This Time Next Year last night? The hypo dog featured alerted the girl as hypo live on stage. Dad took out the glucose monitor and glucogel there and then in front of the cameras. Fantastic how they do it!

 

[Alison54321]

Funny enough i was counting dog related stuff that could be taken as a career path?
Dog trainer for the film industry. Dog groomer. Kennels?

& who could forget Hypo alert dogs....!

And shepherd, and taking part in sheep trials. I'm projecting my dog related job fantasy ideas onto @indyjholtzmann

 

[indyjholtzmann]

Haha, thank you everyone! I love the direction this discussion has taken! I'm currently looking at other career options not related to my degree at all but I also need to try and sort out my stress and such at the moment. I've noticed that it's caused a big shift in the way my diabetes is controlled at the moment and I can't say I'm looking forward to my next review....

Thanks for the suggestions though. It's certainly all something I can look into!

 

[Robinredbreast]

Funny enough i was counting dog related stuff that could be taken as a career path?
Dog trainer for the film industry. Dog groomer. Kennels?

& who could forget Hypo alert dogs....!

I was a kennel maid decades ago, I enjoyed it very much, low wages though, but out in the countryside, with a pond, fields etc.......... loved it, plus the local eggs were nearly always double yokers

 

[Pura Vida]

Diabetes sure holds me back from pigging out at the dinner buffet ,

 

[Engineer88]

Haha, thank you everyone! I love the direction this discussion has taken! I'm currently looking at other career options not related to my degree at all but I also need to try and sort out my stress and such at the moment. I've noticed that it's caused a big shift in the way my diabetes is controlled at the moment and I can't say I'm looking forward to my next review....

Thanks for the suggestions though. It's certainly all something I can look into!

If your interested in film animal training I may have some contacts which could help. Let me know if your interested.