Working With Diabetes

One of the more painful truths about living with diabetes is that it makes it difficult to find a job. There are several reasons for that. No employer wants to deal with the "special attention" a diabetic gets to have. Employers don't like to keep up with diabetes (especially brittle diabetes) after a diabetic is hired, either. They don't want to deal with an inconvenient low or high blood sugar, or with the possibility of an employee being dangerously low and passing out on the job. That has my experience so far--mind you, I've only worked in retail. I cannot even begin to fathom the difficulty in getting a job as a nurse, officer of any kind, "normal" 9-5 job, etc.

My first job wasn't so difficult, because I had known the manager from Church before I was hired. He also had another diabetic working for him, so he already knew how to handle diabetes in a work setting. That was a painless experience, for the most part. The problem had been trying to find a job in the first place. It took me 6 months to find someone who would hire me, mostly because employers feared my disease. 

After I left my first job, it took me 6 months to find a new job. I didn't know anyone at this second place, but I bothered the management until I got an interview and eventually they hired me. I worked there for only seven months because it totally destroyed my diabetes. They were not diabetes friendly at all, and they treated me like I could choose when my blood sugar bottomed out or went so high I could not function properly. If I had the choice, would I be a diabetic? Nope! My blood sugar used to drop low enough that my dexcom and meter could not read a number, and the management would still tell me I had to wait to take a break. It got to the point that I stopped telling them and just started going to the break room to get a snack (they would not let me keep food or a drink with me at first). One time the assistant manager followed me to the break room fussing at me about whatever was going on. To be honest, I don't even remember what he said because my sugar was that low. Someone figured out what was happening at work and called HR on management, but the problem persisted until it was even more dangerous. Needless to say, I am no longer employed there. 

Six months later, I am very happy where I am now! I enjoy the laid back environment and I love that my coworkers are all trying to learn about the diabetes. If they are nervous about it, they do not appear to be. That makes it easier to control anyway. I had shopped in this store several times before, so I kind of knew the employees. I just didn't know them on a personal level. My blood sugar finally straightened itself out from my second place of employment, and diabetes is not killing me where I am now. I am living a much healthier life compared to where I was before, and I am not stressed out at all. God has blessed me with employers who are not too misunderstanding of what diabetes means. 

I am not incapable! Although sometimes, especially to a potential employer, it does appear that way. I am completely capable of doing whatever I need to do, including working a job. I just have to fight 100 times harder (with some things) than "normal" people do. It's even more difficult when people refuse to give me a chance because they can't see past my disease. 

Just one more thing I want to say for now...