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Not a good week.... bit of a rant....

J

Jellyb

Active Member
Messages
33
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I thought I was starting to get used to my diagnosis but this week I feel like I have taken several steps back. I know I shouldn't listen to other people's opinions - especially when they have little or no knowledge of diabetes but some days can be really difficult.
It has been a hectic week at work and I think that might have also had an effect on how I have been coping. All over Christmas I think I coped really well with all the chocolates and goodies going around. This week at work it was one of my colleague's birthdays - he brought in doughnuts for the team which is the usual practice. Bless him he was very apologetic and had considered bringing in crisps for me because I couldn't have the doughnuts. Another colleague bought a chocolate cake for him - and tried to be insistent I have a piece and looked very puzzled when I refused. Then on Friday, my team leader took in biscuits, told me and then laughed. I have told them all time and time again that I am being very careful but that does not mean I mind if anyone else eats cakes or sweets in my prescence. (Mind you - it was a little awkward when team leader brought in doughnuts for everyone to eat at a team briefing.) Another colleague constantly dismisses diabetes as unimportant and how it will just 'go away'. She is currently trying for a baby and says this is far more upsetting and if I lived her life I would be in tears every day.

Sorry for the rant but, at the moment, it all seems a constant struggle.
 
Rant away. It's cakes for birthdays where I work as well, and it's mine next weekend. I know even though I don't eat the goodies they all bring in someone will blab that it's my birthday and I'll be asked where the cakes are. I also work with some one who claims to be gluten intolerant but keeps offering me biscuits!
 
my last birthday I took in raspberries and blueberries as well as some doughnuts. The berries went faster than the doughnuts so this year I will drop the junk and take in nuts and berries
 
Jellyb said:
I thought I was starting to get used to my diagnosis but this week I feel like I have taken several steps back. I know I shouldn't listen to other people's opinions - especially when they have little or no knowledge of diabetes but some days can be really difficult.
It has been a hectic week at work and I think that might have also had an effect on how I have been coping. All over Christmas I think I coped really well with all the chocolates and goodies going around. This week at work it was one of my colleague's birthdays - he brought in doughnuts for the team which is the usual practice. Bless him he was very apologetic and had considered bringing in crisps for me because I couldn't have the doughnuts. Another colleague bought a chocolate cake for him - and tried to be insistent I have a piece and looked very puzzled when I refused. Then on Friday, my team leader took in biscuits, told me and then laughed. I have told them all time and time again that I am being very careful but that does not mean I mind if anyone else eats cakes or sweets in my prescence. (Mind you - it was a little awkward when team leader brought in doughnuts for everyone to eat at a team briefing.) Another colleague constantly dismisses diabetes as unimportant and how it will just 'go away'. She is currently trying for a baby and says this is far more upsetting and if I lived her life I would be in tears every day.

Sorry for the rant but, at the moment, it all seems a constant struggle.
Click to expand...

Hi Jellyb, I can relate to your experience as it is a frequent occurrence at work. Unfortunately people are very blinkered in their outlook or just mean spirited but the way to see it is that it is their loss. You stick to your guns and outlook and if the other people can't appreciate the effort you are making then they are not worth knowing.
 
Same at my work, seventeen in our team, now four of us have diabetes....everyone [including me] brings in chocolates and cakes for birthdays, usually have a chocolate, nobody pushes us to eat anything, they're just on one of the desks if anyone wants them.

Jellyb its harder for you I think as you're newly diagnosed and very aware...it'll get easier I'm sure.
 
My line manager brought in a gooey sickly choc/coffee cake for my birthday.
It was covered in half an inch of buttercream.
Very sweet of her. :banghead::banghead::banghead:

She knows I'm diabetic.
She knows I low carb.
She knows that the only biscuits and cakes I eat are low carb ones that I make (rarely) myself.
Since I have offered them round, she knows they are sugar and flour free.

Comprehension difficulties, or what?
 
Brunneria said:
My line manager brought in a gooey sickly choc/coffee cake for my birthday.
It was covered in half an inch of buttercream
Very sweet of her. :banghead::banghead::banghead:

She knows I'm diabetic.
She knows I low carb.
She knows that the only biscuits and cakes I eat are low carb ones that I make (rarely) myself.
Since I have offered them round, she knows they are sugar and flour free.

Comprehension difficulties, or what?
Click to expand...

Very shortsighted of her, think I'd be mad if that happened. We only bring in cakes etc if its our own birthday not as a gift for anyone else's so I tend to cater for the majority, not bothered any more, that's what they want so that's what I bring in, they can please themselves :rolleyes:
 
I think the problem is because there is so much wrong information out there in the public domaine, that a lot of people think that diabetes is not a problem illness... To be honest a small piece of a cake once in a while won't kill you or me.... But it should be a choice we make not one forced on us by other people. Now a days I'm not too bothered by all the cakes and biscuits in the office, I guess my taste buds have changed, and now I find the thought of that naughty bit of cake or biscuit is better than the actual taste. So I keep some stuff in my draw and give myself one of my own healthy treats and love the look of envy on all their faces:)
 
I work with about 60 other people so there are cakes on offer most weeks but, because they are put in a 'communal area' there is no pressure to have one. I do occasionally have a fresh cream one on the basis that it's full fat and i feel that my BS will not suffer in the longterm if I have one but doughnuts etc was something I hardly ate before my diagnosis so am not likely to have now. A couple of people bring in cheese and crackers which I will have - more cheese than crackers though and I just bring in cakes and cookies and let them get on with it!
 
Ironically no one ever brought anything edible to work when I was employed but I do admire all you who resist. There is birthday cake every so often at our skittles matches but I have a small piece and then go at the pins like a whirling dervish in the hope of working off some of the sugar.
Two of our group are also diabetics but in total denial.
 
I think this must be the norm in most work places. We have a monthly health and safety meeting with about 75 people attending. They put out boxes and boxes of donuts and muffins and plates of mostly tropical fruit. I was thinking of suggesting they also provide something low carb, like cheese, but I don't think I'll bother.
 
It is hard isn't it, especially when people have no idea what we can and can't eat or rather should/shouldn't!

We take cakes, chocolate etc when it's our own birthday and there is usually a monthly fundraiser for charity i.e. Red Nose Day, Cancer Awareness etc, etc where cakes are usually involved.

A colleague has T2 diabetes but I think she often has a cake or chocolate or whatever's going. She's also an insulin user. I try to be good and took in cakes for my birthday in January and didn't even have one myself :rolleyes: although I've not been quite so good recently but I had a period where I had a very heavy cold, cough and sore throat and just craved comfort food . . .
 
Why don't you download a pic of charcot foot or a diabetic with their feet of and pin it at your desk. Cant help with the other stuff but congratulate yourself for resisting.
 
That was another thing.....my team leader said that this year he planned to either take people out for lunch on their birthday or buy a birthday cake. I don't think either of them would be my choice! lol
My birthday lands on a Sunday this year - I'm hoping to play it very low key but I know there will be comments about lack of cakes etc. I also hope that nobody decides to do a cake on my behalf.
 
I think it's the way people think it's funny to bring the sweets/cakes etc over to my desk and then laugh and say 'Oh but you can't have this!' I don't mind so much if people do it by mistake but it took a lot of effort not to say something when it was implied that I was being unreasonable by not eating the birthday cake as if I was deliberately not joining in.
I think I will follow some of the advice and take in a packet of something I can have and keep it at hand so I can at least have something and not have to listen to the comments when I don't eat something.

And for the 'doubters' - I think I might print off a picture of the possible complications and the implications of not taking notice of my diet.
 
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