Diabetes Training School for the Uncaring

I was pretty appalled to read a post from one of our forum members this morning in which she explained how dreadfully her daughter had been spoken to when she went to have a foot injury examined at the minor injuries unit. The nurse gave the daughter (only 16 and not long diagnosed) a lecture with dire warnings about false legs and amputations! Where do they get these people from? It’s almost as if there is a special school where such people are trained to be as tactless and ignorant as possible – hopefully not all students at that school comply with their training!

Hello, I’m your instructor for the diabetes course,
I’ll teach you how to make them weep and tremble with remorse!
And if I ever hear of patients leaving with a smile,
That’s immediate suspension –no ifs, no buts, no trial!

I’ve got a few scenarios, and I’d like you to explain
How badly you would handle them, and inflict the greatest pain!
Nurse Jenkins, you look dubious, so I think I’ll start with you –
Your patient says she’s hurt her foot, so tell me what you’d do.

‘Well, first I’d put her at her ease, and say it’s very good
She decided that she’d see me just as early as she could.
And then I would examine her as gently as can be,
And reassure her, if I can, that it’s infection-free.’

No, NO!!!!! You have to frighten her, and make the poor girl fear
Her foot’s already gangrenous and won’t survive the year!
Castigate and bully her, until the poor girl cries
And thinks that there’s no hope for her, no matter how she tries!

‘I’m sorry, I won’t do it! That’s surely not the way!
A patient needs encouragement to get them through the day!
So you can take your course and stick it where the Sun don’t shine –
I’ll treat the patients my way, and I’m sure I’ll do just fine!

Why so glum?

Lately, I’ve been reading the most appalling stories about the way people are getting diagnosed – or misdiagnosed – and the dreadful lack of proper advice, support and care they are receiving from their health care teams. How some of these medics can remain in practice and not be thoroughly ashamed of themselves, I do not know. People are being told they have diabetes and then simply being left to their own devices, or given poor and useless advice.

Of course, one of the topics that always crops up is that newly-diagnosed people are being refused test strips so that they can monitor the effects of diet and exercise modifications and determine what works best for them. This is terribly short-sighted, as establishing good habits early on is the best way for someone to remain healthy and capable of managing their diabetes well. Instead, people are either being forced to self-finance or wait until things deteriorate to a point where medication may be needed and possibly damage already done.

Given the huge effort being put into trying to alert people to the dangers of diabetes, why is it that so many are then being treated as though it’s no big deal after diagnosis? I personally received excellent care, and continue to do so, so I know that healthcare professionals are capable of delivering it. A person should leave their doctor’s surgery with a sound plan for their future care, a good basic understanding (and direction to where they can find out more) and hope for the future – that things don’t have to get worse before they are considered worthy of attention. The following may sound a little extreme, but it is frighteningly close to the truth for many people – shame on doctors who think like this!

OK, so you have diabetes,
But you don’t seem to have it too bad!
So just lose some weight, and I’m sure you’ll do great –
I don’t know why you’re looking so sad?

Why would you test your blood sugar?
It’s really not worth it for you…
It’ll make you depressed – believe me, I know best!
It’s a waste of good money in my view!

So make an appointment for next summer,
Then you should be sufficiently worse
For me to give you medication,
And a five minute chat with a nurse!

In the meantime, don’t eat any chocolate,
And be careful if you develop a cough,
For there’s every chance if you cough while you dance,
That one of your feet might fall off!

If you find that your eyesight gets blurry,
Or if you wake up and can’t see at all,
Take that as a clue it’s the right time for you
To give our receptionist a call…

Well, goodbye then, and see you next summer!
Please close the door as you go,
And don’t darken my doorstep until then –
I’ve told you all you need to know!

Nurse Ne'er Do Well

Some nurses are excellent. They listen to your troubles with a caring ear, and dispense useful, practical advice in words you will understand, yet without being patronising or condescending. However, a lady on the forum recently spoke of her encounter with a nurse who spent an hour relating all her own personal problems until eventually the lady walked out! I imagine the scene went something like this…

Ah! Come in my dear and please sit over there.
No, not in the comfy one – the grey plastic chair!
I have to sit here, it’s been quite a while
Since my bottom’s been sore on account of my piles…

Now, you’re diabetic, I think it says here.
My eyesight is awful, it’s not very clear…
Uh! You’ll have to speak up dear, what did you say?
I’ve been deaf as a post for a year and a day!

Since you’re diabetic, perhaps you will know?
I wake in the night and I just HAVE to go!
It may be my bladder, perhaps it’s my age,
Would you do my job on this miserable wage?

My throat feels quite dry, I might have some tea,
You probably wouldn’t cope if you had troubles like me!
Some patients are awful, they just ramble on,
Now let me just see where your…oh! She’s gone!

Disgusted nurse gets just desserts

More escapades in the life of the nurse who found the idea of people with diabetes injecting in restaurants abhorrent. Imagine if, one evening, she was in a restaurant that just happened to be filled with insulin-dependent diabetics…imagine her horror…!

The scene: Luigi’s restaurant in downtown Birkenhead,
Full of hungry diners all waiting to be fed,
And there, amongst their number, a very special guest,
The nurse who failed her 101 would face another test…

The customers chatted pleasantly, as wine was passed around,
Our nurse was unaware of how her evening would be crowned…
A secret nod, a knowing wink, would all ensure the plan
Co-ordinated smoothly by each woman and each man.

Spaghetti carbonara and lasagne were brought in,
And all at once was silence – you could have heard a pin!
The nurse’s ears pricked up to hear a host of tiny clicks
As a hundred insulin users prepared to take their fix…!

Airshot after airshot was squirted in the air,
Like tiny dancing fountains from each and every chair!
And then the men exposed the flesh that lay beneath their shirts,
The ladies smiled as they pulled down the waistband of their skirts!

The nurse just stared in horror as the needles all went in,
And pierced the fatty layers that lay beneath the skin!
Well, then she just exploded, it was more than she could stand!
And now she’s pushing daisies up in Nighty-night Nurse Land!

Nurse Unbalanced

Diabetes UK took the rather unwise (in my opinion) editorial decision to allow further space in their ‘Balance’ magazine for the nurse who had previously ranted against people with diabetes injecting in restaurants. In this latest letter she reached a new level of apoplexy, insulting, deriding and attacking those who had responded to her original tirade of vitriolic nonsense. I think the thing that hurt most people that I have spoken to was that DUK should choose to perpetuate her views in a publication whose intent should surely be to provide support and backing for people with diabetes. Moreover, the fact that the letter writer was a nurse (thankfully now retired), might have suggested a greater tolerance and more caring attitude.

This is what I expect in the next issue of Balance from ‘the Nurse’ who will no doubt by then be afforded her own regular column in which she can freely castigate those self-centred junkie diabetics…

You can’t be human if you think
Injecting where I eat and drink
Is something that you can’t avoid,
You’re junkies and you’re paranoid!

And don’t tell me to look away,
I’m nosy and I’ll have my say!
You might as well just slit your throat,
Or hang a sacrificial goat!

Would you display your toilet parts?
Or fill the room with noisy farts?
Or flick your bogies round the room?
You diabetics make me fume!

Of all these things that trouble me –
All anti-social you’ll agree,
But diabetics shooting up
Wins the ‘Nurse Disgusted’ Cup!

So thank you Balance for this page,
Where I can vent my frequent rage,
I’m sure your readers all agree
They’re all disgusting, just like me!

Nursing 101

Diabetes UK stirred up quite a controversy when they published a letter in their magazine ‘Balance’ from a nurse who said that the sight of diabetics injecting in public places was ‘disgusting’. It’s not the greatest thing in the world to have to inject insulin every time you want to eat, but it’s certainly not made any easier when we read of such intolerance and lack of understanding – particularly from a member of the ‘caring’ profession. Injecting is done discreetly, usually with tiny needles on pen devices, and should draw censure no more than an asthmatic using an inhaler, or a person blowing their nose into a handkerchief. To be sure, there are people who are scared of the sight of needles, but these aren’t huge hypodermics, they are barely discernible – particularly across a crowded restaurant. Here’s what I imagined about our ‘nurse’…

Nursing 101

‘You’ve been a nurse for some time now,
So, let’s put you to the test.
We’ll give you some scenarios,
And you say which one’s best.’

‘You’re in a busy restaurant
And see across the way
A person injecting insulin.
What do you think you’d say?’

‘Would you, (a) Think it’s disgusting,
And should be out of sight?
Or (b) Think ‘What’s the problem?
I think that that’s alright.’?’

‘My goodness! You are seething!
Your face and neck’s gone red!
I think you’d better lie down!
Can someone find a bed?!!’

‘And now you’re spitting feathers!
And you can hardly speak!
You’re going apoplectic!
You’re staring like a freak!’

‘What was that you just spluttered?
They should be in a cage?
Don’t think a nurse has ever shown
Such incandescent rage!’

‘Now, calm down dear, and listen.
I think this test is done,
And you have failed, without a doubt,
Your Nursing 101!’