FURIOUS with Fox Network and the show "Touch"

DsMom · #1 05-03-2012, 12:44 PM

Not sure if anything about this has been posted. I like the Fox network show "Touch" with Kiefer Sutherland. Just watched the April 26 episode...and had to stop before it was over and write a letter to Fox. I never do this...I know D is often misrepresented in the media. I just could not ignore this, though.

In the episode, Kiefer Sutherland's character finds a man he does not know who is unconscious. He calls a number listed on the man's phone, and is told the man in diabetic, and to get some insulin out of the fridge!!!

Kiefer's character then proceeds to get what looks like glucagon out of the fridge and injects the man...who of course immediately recovers.

I was incensed by this dangerous depiction of treating an unconscious diabetic. I usually let this stuff roll off my back...but I could just imagine my son perhaps one day being unconscious because of a low among people who do not know D. Someone might remember the show and think...hey, he needs insulin! (Of course, doubtful they could ever operate his pump, but you never know what some well-meaning numbskull might do!

)

Why can't producers simply make a fast call and make the scene accurate and safe??

Has anyone else seen this episode??? I'm just still fuming! Letter is going in the mail as soon as I stop typing (can't find an email address for Fox)!! Lot of good it will do...you can't unring a bell.

Maybe, maybe, someone will think twice next time, though. Arrrghhhhh!!

OSUMom · #2 05-03-2012, 12:49 PM

I saw the episode. I couldn't hear if they said insulin or what (or whether he was on insulin?) - but I did see the red glucagon and thought he mixed it up ridiculously fast. They didn't show him mix it up. First the red container then he's injecting with a syringe the next second. I must be too desensitized to all the type 1 inaccuracies in the media - news and on tv shows. It didn't bother me.

caspi · #3 05-03-2012, 01:09 PM

In a perfect world, all TV shows would depict everything accurately.

You have to remember that this is a fictional show with fictional characters. Perhaps like OSUMom I have just become desensitized to it after all these years.

DsMom · #4 05-03-2012, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OSUMom

I saw the episode. I couldn't hear if they said insulin or what (or whether he was on insulin?) - but I did see the red glucagon and thought he mixed it up ridiculously fast. They didn't show him mix it up. First the red container then he's injecting with a syringe the next second. I must be too desensitized to all the type 1 inaccuracies in the media - news and on tv shows. It didn't bother me.

No, he most definitely said insulin.

Quote:

Originally Posted by caspi

In a perfect world, all TV shows would depict everything accurately.

You have to remember that this is a fictional show with fictional characters. Perhaps like OSUMom I have just become desensitized to it after all these years.

Yeah, I thought I was too, but this just pushed my button. It's a fictional show with fictional characters portraying a REAL medical emergency that occurs in REAL life. A two minute call is all that it would have taken...

caspi · #5 05-03-2012, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DsMom

Yeah, I thought I was too, but this just pushed my button. It's a fictional show with fictional characters portraying a REAL medical emergency that occurs in REAL life. A two minute call is all that it would have taken...

I guess I have a different take on it -- people don't tune into these shows for medical information. Now if this was Sanjay Gupta on CNN or some other medical professional saying this, I'd take issue. But it's a fictional TV show.

emm142 · #6 05-03-2012, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caspi

I guess I have a different take on it -- people don't tune into these shows for medical information. Now if this was Sanjay Gupta on CNN or some other medical professional saying this, I'd take issue. But it's a fictional TV show.

I dunno, it still kind of bothers me just by perpetuating the falsehood. I have had (numerous) friends who I have told I have D say to me "oh, okay, so if you pass out then we have to give you insulin, right?". Much as it's lovely that they show concern, and much as I'd like to think they wouldn't inject me without my express permission and would just call an ambulance.. who knows exactly what someone would do if their friend had just passed out, they were horribly misinformed and thought that injecting insulin was the right thing.

So basically, even though it's a fictional TV show I do see it as an issue.

Mom2Av · #7 05-03-2012, 03:37 PM

A new show on abc, Missing, is not accurately portraying diabetes either. It's driving my son crazy, he said he hopes his friends aren't watching it and try to treat him anytime soon!
I guess we just ignore most of the media.

MamaBear · #8 05-03-2012, 04:26 PM

I have never seen either of these shows though I did see someone post on Facebook last week about the Touch epidsode. It did bother me a little too. I'd hate for some well meaning person to inject my son with insulin by mistake as well. And lets face it some people do think these stories are exactly like real life.

Now another show I have not seen is The Doctors and I am wondering does anyone here watch that? Is it a fictional show? Or a talk show? A well meaning person was flooding my cell phone inbox yesterday because on The Doctors there was something she saw about a bionic pancreas that would be out in 4-5 years and was wondering if I would consider it for my son.

Seems like I miss all the D stuff on TV.

swellman · #9 05-03-2012, 06:50 PM

Really? Are we really worried that someone will perform a medical procedure on our children based on a TV show? If so, we REALLY need to write some letters to House, Private Practice, and Grays's Anatomy just to name a few.

sarahspins · #10 05-03-2012, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MamaBear

I'd hate for some well meaning person to inject my son with insulin by mistake as well.

Do you (or anyone) really feel that this is a significant risk? I really don't.. I really think most sensible people who either freak out and not know what to do other than call 911, or if they did happen to be trained on how to use glucagon, they might look for the kit, but beyond that, I doubt anyone would randomly inject anything into someone.

I recently had to use an epi pen on my mom (and she's fine) and the paramedics said that a majority of the time people DON'T use the epi when they should (which is immediately).. largely out of fear, especially if the person who needs it is unable to use it themselves. I can definitely understand that - if we hadn't run through that exact scenario and practiced with the training pen, I probably wouldn't have been able to do it.