www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYQcBgYm9V4

When I was in Canada a few weeksago I spoke to a group of young Type 1s and we made a list of what diabetes is and what diabetes is not…and I turned it into this video:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=39ntznkbkHU

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

And if you’re interested, here are a couple of screenshots from my presentations:

I have been spending the past couple of months working behind the scenes with some friends to re-launch the new 1HappyDiabetic website.

1HappyDiabetic is a super-positive place where I will be posting most of my diabetes stuff from here on out.  If you come here to read diabetes stuff, click through to 1HappyDiabetic.com and check it out.

If you come to WhatSomeWouldCallLies.com to read about my caffeine addiction, ex-boyfriends that refused to perform important duties and my lackluster dating life…worry not.  This website will continue to be a place for me to talk about my filthy life as a single 30-something – just remove all of the crap about injections.

But seriously, go here:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYW9YdkDen0

Walgreens fired a woman with diabetes after she grabbed a bag of chips to treat low blood glucose levels, and then she paid for the chips as soon as she could.  I read yesterday in Inc. Magazine about this story because the US Equal Opportunity Commission has filed a federal suit accusing Walgreens of discrimination.

Many of us are familiar with The American Disabilities Act that requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for employees and their disabilities.  The EOC is claiming that Walgreens failed to do that.  They are seeking monetary damages (including back pay, compensation for emotional distress, and punitive damages).

After reading the article I came to a conclusion that might not be the same as many of my friends in the diabetes community: she’s probably a big bitch.

Look, I’m an active member in the diabetes community, and it’s painful to write this.  I’d really like to come to her defense.  I’d like to demonize Walgreens.  I’d like to say that this woman deserves every last penny that the EOC can help her squeeze out of the drugstore.

Honestly, I will throw down for every one of my diabetic bros and hoes (can I call you hoes?  I don’t really think you’re all hoes…it just rhymes well).  But look at the numbers guys: diabetics are about 8% of the population…which means our little segment contains our fair share of blondes (hi Kerri), dads (hi George), West Wing fans (hi Shannon) and bitches (hi Walgreens woman).  If you’re a visual learner, perhaps this will help:

I’m not a spiritual person.  Yet I truly believe in karma.  To me, karma is very simple.  You do good and you get good.  Not because of some mystical power. And not because of anything other than basic logic.  If you plant peaches, you will get peaches.

I am a friendly person.  I am helpful when I can be.  I follow rules when appropriate.  And I challenge authority in a respectful manner.  Therefore, when I need help people give it.  When I need a friend, people are.  And when I need to be challenged, people do so respectfully.  Just about always.

I’m guessing that the story of this Walgreens woman is deeper than one incident and one bag of chips.  Really, I theorize that there are two possible scenarios:

Scenario One: this woman has been counseled before about the appropriate action to take when feeling low (or immediately after a low). She’s worked at the drugstore for 18 years. Maybe she has a track record, and this incident is just the bag of chips that broke the camel’s back.  Bitch.

Scenario Two: the managers at the Walgreens store couldn’t stand this woman.  She never did anything that would be a reason to terminate her employment, but she came in every day and just made the day-to-day difficult.  And her supervisors were just waiting for her to slip and make some mistake so they could get rid of her. Bitch.

My supervisor at work is accommodating.  Because I am.
My supervisor at work is understanding. Because I am.
My supervisor at work is sympathetic.  Because I am.

As hard as it is to write, this is one person with diabetes I don’t fully stand behind.

What do you think?

Check the vid…then browse the final product below.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNOyiO0HTaE

Diabetes Art Day is the brilliant idea of Lee Ann Thill.  As mentioned in the video, I participated last year in Diabetes Art day and loved it.  This year I felt a bit more connected to the event because I understood the “community” aspect that I mention in the video.

For the record: this new idea of painting was not a great one.  You’d be better off painting with your fingers.

Lee Ann’s awesome blog is The Butter Compartment and you can see all the artwork from Diabetes Art Day 2011 at DiabetesArtDay.com.

And here is what my final piece looked like:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NRkyKtSmSA

www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMABxzxtPOs

I met some really awesome people during this trip, and I wish that there were more community events like this one everywhere.

I know at first it sounds a bit outlandish, but hear me out.  Yesterday I was walking into Target with Andrew.  Sitting on a bench right inside the store was a woman breastfeeding (under a nursing blanket).

Andrew said, “why doesn’t she go into the bathroom to do that?”

Two of the things on my list of 10 things I do not enjoy looking at are children eating and female breasts.

Yuck.

So I was really quick to agree with Andrew.  But then as we were strategically hitting up all the clearance shelves tucked away on the endcaps, I started to compare the woman with her boob in her child’s mouth to my diabetes.

In the past I’ve been told that I should inject insulin and test my blood in the bathroom – away from people who might be squeamish when it comes to blood or needles.  When I started injecting insulin I would always go to the restroom and into a closed stall to inject.

Then in February of 2009, I had a really great conversation with Jill (Momsl8) about our “fear” of testing in public and getting looks.  She even made a cool YouTube video where she tests at a restaurant to see if anyone reacts.  And at that time something just clicked for me.

I realized that running to the bathroom to test or inject says that I’m somehow ashamed of my dysfunctional pancreas.  It says that I don’t want people to know that I may be a little unique and I manage my world differently than most.  It says that I’m so self-conscious about my diabetes that I’d prefer to go sit on a nasty public toilet instead of possibly getting a sideways glance or two.

So now I don’t hide.

I understand that, like boobs and babies, not everyone wants to see my blood and needles.  So look the other way. Just like a breastfeeding woman, I’m going to do what needs to be done quickly, then I’ll put away my boobs and get on with it.  If you happen to see me performing a diabetes trick like testing my glucose levels and you don’t like the sight of blood…just don’t watch.

Coming out of the diabetes closet was easy…it was kind of like when that kid from Who’s The Boss told everyone he was gay.  Nobody was really shocked or even cared.  At restaurants I inject at the table.  At work I test my blood a few times a day, and I don’t think anyone even notices.

About twenty minutes after spotting the breastfeeder, we approached the Target cashier.  ”Would you eat your dinner in the bathroom?” I blurted out.

“What?” asked a very confused Andrew.

“You said that the woman breastfeeding earlier should go to the bathroom.  That’s sick, man.  Why should she go sit on a toilet to feed her kid?”

“I’ve forgotten all about that,” he said.