Teens with diabetes and a pump

[MaryBeth]

:p

Catie has had diabetes for almost 4 years and has had a pump for almost 3. She just upgraded to an Animas 1250.
Just today she called from school to tell me that she ran out of insulin-alarm went off in the middle of the night and she forgot to fill it in the morning. She also didn't have any of the 1250 cartridges at school. We never sent any new ones in when she upgraded...duh!
I babysit and had a few too many kids here at the house to drag them to school. One of the kids Dads was here so he ended up running the new cartridge to school for me. I hated asking him to do that for me! ugh

Also, Catie goes to a very large high school with all walks of life of kids there. She has a health class with a bunch of kids that are, um.... stupid,:o and a few of them keep asking her what her pump is. She used to tell them that it was 'for diabetes', but then she heard "oh, my grandma has that", or, "You have a needle in your stomah?? Gross!!!" Then they say, "you have a hole in your stomach?" etc, etc....
So, now she just ignores them, or says, you wouldn't understand.

Does anyone have anything she could say to stupid, inconsiderate, ignorant idiots like this?
Does she always have to explain what her pump is?
She has always just worn it hooked to her pocket and is comfortable with that, which makes me proud that she isn't trying to 'hide' it, but I hate it when stupid kids say things to her.
Thanks...

[Sweetkidmom]

1. She could type up a bit of info on a piece of paper the size of a calling card and hand these out whenever asked.

2. Say “I have Type 1 diabetes and this pumps insulin into my body because I don’t make my own anymore.”

3. Get her to explain it all well to a few friends and then get them to take turns explaining. Friends are a wonderful resource!

4. She can tell them to go and look up “type 1 diabetes” in the library if they really want to know.

5. She can tell them it’s her communication device so she can keep in touch with the Mother Ship, and that anyone standing too close to her could be beamed up together with her. (This is for when the questioner is being obnoxious about it!) Or that it’s a “Skunk Squirter” that squirts skunk juice at anyone who annoys her. Or some other ridiculous thing.

6. Just say “It’s an insulin pump.” Sometimes that stumps people so much that they just say “Oh” and then they shut up.

7. Say “Have you got 10 minutes for me to explain it to you?” If they seem interested, it may be a real chance to educate someone who may then become more understanding (and may educate others!) Although a hassle, every person that you educate is one more person who has some FACTS and not just misconceptions. Think of how many other diabetics this person will encounter in their lifetime and how many other people you’ll be helping.

8. When she’s sick of it and the kids are inane and not willing to be educated, there’s always the come-back line that my daughter loves: “ At least I’ve got insulin to help me with my problem. I don’t think they invented anything yet, to help you with yours!”


My 12 year old also wears her pump very visibly. Sometimes she explains, sometimes she doesn't. I leave it up to her. Humour tends to diffuse the silly attitudes of some people, so we've made up various ridiculous things for her to say, which sometimes convert an irritating person into one who says "no, really, what is it?"

Good luck!
Kay

[Sweetkidmom]

Funny I should post the above just recently. Today Jess came home from school and told me about a girl who had been hanging about harrassing her. She said "Mom, I told her that my pump was a machine that made my intestines solidify and if I didn't wear it, or took it off for too long, then my intestines would turn to liquid. And if I didn't put the cover on (the little cap that goes over the cannula site of the QuickSet) when I took the pump off (for swimming) then my intestines would squirt out all over! Then the girl asked, "how long does it take before they start turning to liquid?"
Jessie's friend piped up and said "About 30 seconds!"

Not exactly a case of promoting understanding and education! But I guess part of growing up is also holding your own in the playground rough-and-tumble and Jess seemed to think she had managed to suitably "gross out" this person...

[faithe113001]

haha, those are all great!! I'll definitly be using those in school!

Another thing to remember when replying to people who are obnoxious, it's to tempting to be rude, but they'll just think less of you if you do. You don't want to stoop to their level.

Good luck!