Monday, August 6, 2012

Testing Everytime You Drive

                I had an experience several years ago that changed the way I currently do things with my diabetes. My mother had passed away and I was not handling my grief well. I was not doing what I should of been for my diabetes or other parts of my life. It was like my whole world was crushed. It was a normal work day in June and I had a therapy appointment. I was going to a grief support group and seeing a therapist to help me through the grief process. I thought I was doing better since I had made some key decisions to get help. I was driving home after a therapy session. I believe my blood sugar had dropped during the session and therapist did not know what to do and sent me home but she did call my roommate. She called me on the phone to see if I was okay. I told her I was fine, but anytime I use the word fine really means I'm low and don't realize it. So I headed home even though normally I would be headed to my grief support group that evening. All I remember is that I needed to get home. I remember getting on the free way and that's the last thing I remember. I remember coming too in an ambulance. There was a copy yelling at me and I was extremely confused. The EMT asked the cop to get out of the ambulance so they could treat me because I was low.

                  They tested my blood sugar and it was 52. They started treating me. I know the EMT explained to me what had happened. I had hit a car on the off ramp from the freeway and had five cops chasing me as I drove 25 mph to this elementary school about three miles from my house. I guess I had drove in a circle for several minutes near the school before I randomly stopped. I meet a witness that saw the whole incident. I pulled over I guess and then cops surrounded the car and I got out when they asked. She then said they threw me down on the ground bashed my body into the cement and against the car even though I was not resisting the directions I was given. They searched me and then handcuffed me. They were searching my car and then found a bottle of insulin. They then called the EMS because one of the cops realized i might be diabetic. The EMS arrives and I was moved to the ambulance. I know when I woke up I was handcuffed. The EMT made the cop remove the handcuffs. I have never been so scared and confused in my life. The EMT's protected me that day which was a blessing. They called my roommate who fought with them about the fact that I could not take a sobriety test because I had just experienced a low. The next day I woke up with bruises all over my body from the rough treatment by the cops. I know that experience I learned some tough lessons.

                    The end result of this incident was me losing my driver's license for a while. Even with my endocrinologist writing a note saying I could drive the medical board disagreed. It was revoked for a while and the sad part is that I still drove because I needed to get to work and appointments. I have made changes that not matter where I'm going or what I'm doing I always test before I drive. If I'm running late I always test before no matter what. I know this one incident I was treated like a person who had a DUI in many aspects , but sadly a person who had a DUI has more right in Texas that I did. The reason I tell this story is in hopes that maybe someone will test every time as I do. I know my Dr.'s never mentioned to me to ever test before you drive, but I did because luckily my mom had told me. I know that day this happened there was quite a few things I had not been doing at that time sadly and testing before driving was one. I do currently have my drivers license but Duchess is a big reason I do. I know I had to have a detailed letter from my Dr on a regular basis stating that yes I am capable of driving. I was lucky that day no one was injured or hurt that day and I had EMT's who helped me. It has been over four years since this happened and I have seen an increasing number of diabetics being beat up by the cops like I was and much easier to avoid if you test frequently.

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