You said it!
Thanks to everyone who sent in stories about testing blood glucose. There’s definitely a good kiwi sense of humour evident here. We select only two voucher winners, but they are all great stories. Read on and enjoy!
For the last 2 and half years I have been a Parking Officer with Auckland City Council. My job involves a lot of walking and this does effect my sugar level. To be on the safe side I always make it a point to carry some sweets and my Accu-Chek meter with me.
One day while performing my duties at Newmarket near a busy café, I felt like my sugar level had dropped. So, I stood beside a couple of parked cars ( some of which had no tickets displayed). I took my pouch containing my Accu-Chek Performa to take a reading. The next thing I see 5 car drivers running to their cars saying to me ' Sorry Officer we are leaving now please don't issue us with a ticket' . I only realised later that my Accu-Chek pouch looks almost the same as my PDA which I use for issuing tickets.
Pradeep
Auckland
(Thanks Pradeep, a $100 Westfield voucher is coming your way)!
My story involves a syringe, a glucose testing kit, little white piils, a pill crusher and a runaway child!
I was taking my usually well behaved 2 year old for a nice walk in the park when it came time for her medicine and my time to do my blood sugar. She is on medication that involves me crushing adult tablets before mixing with water and using a syringe to take out a child dose. I got all the equipment ready including my glucose needle pen and tester kit 'beeping' ready for blood when ... she RAN. And so I RAN, syringes and white pills, beeping tests kits and needles in tow.
In the end the only way I could get her to sit in one place was to hide with her in the bushes. There we were under a large tree, all the branches hanging to the ground the leaves partially hiding us from view with our assortment of pharmaceuticals. Can you believe the looks I got when I sheepishly emerged from the bushes???
Rachel
Tauranga
(Thanks Rachel - we’ll be sending you a $100 Westfield voucher)
Being a professional musician I always carry insulin and gun in my music gear bag when playing live gigs. I remembered I had forgotten my shot right in the middle of our second number ...I waited for the drum solo, turned around with my back to the audience and did the deed, The only person that noticed was the drummer ...!!! Talk about utilising a situation ..Not musical Chairs !!! Musical Shots ..Hypothetically speaking!!! A live performance and playing "Cocaine" and if the crowd noticed!! Wouldn’t a little "Mutter" go through them?
Cheers,
Badger
I am a school teacher and have recently begun testing my blood sugar levels. I lead a very busy lifestyle and frequently forget to do the tests; however while I am at school my pupils are very good at reminding me about testing. Some enjoy seeing the blood, others the number coming up on the test. Others like watching my face to see if there was an 'ouch'.
There are usually many questions about why different numbers come up after the test - such as "what have I eaten?" or "is it a good or bad result?"
I need those little 'alarms' to keep me on track with testing and putting the test kit back in my bag so that I always know where it is; because I frequently leave it in my desk drawer - or on the bench at home.
Kind regards,
Lianne
Whangarei
I tested in a punk moshpit once when I'd lost my glasses. Doh! and the lights had gone out.
Nothing's gonna stop this diabetic and I'm still here to tell the tale.
Plus I got new glasses.
Blair
Some time ago we travelled to USA, using an overnight flight via Hawaii. We flew into Hawaii in the early hours of the morning and there was a rush by the women on the flight to the toilets. My "beeline" was for the purpose of doing a blood test and having an insulin injection. When I found a long queue of women and no privacy, I decided to sit on the floor in the queue and ignore the curious stares.
What with time zones; several snacks inflight and now the toilet queue, what would be my next challenge I wondered? I still remember it well, some 20 years on. Now I do everything quite openly without embarrassment in public or in front of grandchildren etc.
Maureen
Kia ora! An unusual situation I found myself in when trying to do a blood glucose test was when a patient of mine was having a hypo. I experienced first-hand the personality change sometimes seen as she came out of it. Bam! This normally mild mannered old lady nearly knocked me out!! I'll never forget that lesson...
Gael
Other tales to tell...
Here are a few more tales from readers you might enjoy, not all on the same topic, but all are good reminders that it takes fortitude to deal with diabetes every day!
I live in Invercargill 200km from Dunedin. Early one morning my husband was taking me to the Dunedin hospital for an eye test. We always have glucose for back up. About 60km into our trip I went into a hypo. He pulled over to give me the glucose but had no water. But it had been raining the night before and there were lots of puddles on the road side. Yes you guessed it. I was not told till some time after. Just as well southland gets good rain!
Love
Beverly.
Hi all, my name is Mike, a diabetic now for some 3 years.
I remember I used to laugh at people at the shopping malls buying groceries, walking up and down the aisles and noted how long people would check prices to grams, even brands. The best deal must have taken them hours whilst I would be in and out.
Good old diabetes has now meant I'm the last to leave. In fact sometimes the last car in the carpark. I'm now the one needing to check sugar contents to starch etc so my diet is correct. Not that funny I guess but thought a mention might put a smile on ya face!
Kind regards
Mike
Here's a bloke story: My husband nagged for a flat screen TV. After 54 years of marriage we still share 50:50. So he got his flatscreen TV but I got the remote control!
Cheers
Annie
I went to the doctor's the other day for a check up, got talking about diet etc. Red wine was mentioned. A small glass a day would be ok. I asked the Doc if I could save them for week and have them all on a Saturday nite. The answer was a big NO. So back to a small glass a day (good for the blood flow).
Regards
Allan
We had a holiday booked for Melbourne with our flight leaving at 7am. I had organised my pre-breakfast injecting (in my mind) to be done in the privacy of the toilet. But by the time everyone was settled and the plane in the air, with the toilet available for use, the breakfast trolley had already started down the aisle blocking my way. I had also chosen an aisle seat for easy access and less inconvenience to my fellow passengers. I had to end up trying to look inconspicuous and carrying out my injecting in full view of the passengers sitting beside me. I found it quite embarrassing and awkward baring my tummy furtively (with varying stages of bruising) and injecting myself before the breakfast trolley reached my seat. I did explain it to my immediate 'seat buddies' before starting the procedure, but that was small comfort to my pride. I have wondered if the other passengers who saw me injecting thought I was a 1960's druggie - love child 'shooting up'.
I wonder how other fellow diabetics cope with this pre-meal procedure in such surroundings.
Allan
Doing my injection at a nice restaurant at the table as discreetly as possible still drew attention, and looks of ' oh my gosh is she a druggie'?
Myra