The Watering Hole

[GRGridGirl]

Which milestone, babe?

.....

Yes, I will turn the big 30 tomorrow. Thanks for all the well wishes, no breakdowns allowed.

My friend and I are throwing each other a party "Super Sweet 30" style.

I love how I share a birthday with the State of Michigan!

Rachel

[GRGridGirl]

Big plans, Triple G? gonna go do something new and different to celebrate? Wining, dining, dancing? (Whoops...see a previous post about Sunday morning/liver donor.) Dye yer hair purple? (BTDT).....

Here are some of our plans for our Super Sweet 30:

[*]Rented out Mezze Caf

[Veloise]

...

[*]A

Edited January 26, 2007 by Veloise

[egrguy]

Happy 30th! Mezze is a phenomal place, Im sure it'll be an excellent party!

[ZachariahDaMan]

I rarely post in this forum but you guys might remember the thread of GR pics I posted when I went there for the first time this past August. Anyways, my mom wants to go back to GR again this summer. Can't wait!

[snoogit]

I found this article to be particularly fascinating, mostly because I was doing this for years while I was at home:

Zeeland - Unlike a co-worker who was fired for refusing [to dispense insulin shots for students], Roosevelt Elementary School Special Ed teacher's aide Pam Michielsen took training to learn how to inject insulin into students.

But she says she still doesn't feel qualified.

"No, not at all," she says. "I am scared."

Full Article

When I was at home I was giving my mother 2-3 shots of insulin a day! Even when she was down because of surgical recovery for a couple weeks we were having neighbors come by and giving her insulin shots daily, these people weren't even trained to do it. I'm not "trained" to do it either, but I bet I'm just as good as any nurse would be since I had to do it for nearly 15 years.

Its such an easy thing to do though, and to read this article just made me giggle!

[egrguy]

How does one go about changing their avatars? I've changed it in "my controls", posted it as an attachment and Im still Darth Vader. I must be missing something pretty easy here.

[dtown]

Its not darth vader anymore. You fixed it

PS- Happy B-Day Grid Girl, hope you had a good time.

[Allison Slater]

How does one go about changing their avatars? I've changed it in "my controls", posted it as an attachment and Im still Darth Vader. I must be missing something pretty easy here.

Most browsers keep pictures on your computer, so that you don't have to download them every time you view them. (Otherwise the internet would be a LOT slower!) Your browser will occasionally check to see if it has changed and will then download the new one. It shouldn't be long before it updates for you. I THINK you can press Ctrl+F5 to force it to update (Not sure though, I've used Opera for the past 7 years and have always used the handy 'reload image' button)

[GRDadof3]

I rarely post in this forum but you guys might remember the thread of GR pics I posted when I went there for the first time this past August. Anyways, my mom wants to go back to GR again this summer. Can't wait!

That's cool ZachariaDaMan! You should check out Meijer Gardens if you didn't get a chance last time. A great unpretentious place to see some great sculptures.

[Rizzo]

I found this article to be particularly fascinating, mostly because I was doing this for years while I was at home:

When I was at home I was giving my mother 2-3 shots of insulin a day! Even when she was down because of surgical recovery for a couple weeks we were having neighbors come by and giving her insulin shots daily, these people weren't even trained to do it. I'm not "trained" to do it either, but I bet I'm just as good as any nurse would be since I had to do it for nearly 15 years.

Its such an easy thing to do though, and to read this article just made me giggle!

My uncle suffered with ALS (Lou Gehrigs Disease) and had to have a live in nurse for while. She was required to give shots into his stomach a few times a day. I believe the nurse quit after a few weeks of shots. Well, my ma suffers from fear of blood and puncturing and gladly took over (formal training.) I watched her do this a few times and seeing someone get needled in the stomach is hard to watch.

Edited January 27, 2007 by Rizzo

[Veloise]

I had to learn to give shots. It Is Not Fun.

The fired admin assistant keeps pointing out that she is not a medical professional, and in today's paper a couple of letters mention that she chose a career outside of health care.

You'd think the ZPS could work with her on this.

[Rizzo]

My dad was EMT and had to take special courses to give shots. I tried to learn, and practiced on a peach... Its nerve racking depending on where you must give the shot (stomach)...

Isn't this a special ed teacher? My girlfriends ma is a special ed teacher and those men and women are held to a different standard.

Edited January 27, 2007 by Rizzo

[Veloise]

My dad was EMT and had to take special courses to give shots. I tried to learn, and practiced on a peach... Its nerve racking depending on where you must give the shot (stomach)...

Isn't this a special ed teacher? My girlfriends ma is a special ed teacher and those men and women are held to a different standard.

Nope, an assistant to the principal.

"The principal's aide greeted children as they got off the bus and filled in as a classroom helper. She bandaged children's cuts and once rode to the hospital with an injured student."

[GRDadof3]

My dad was EMT and had to take special courses to give shots. I tried to learn, and practiced on a peach... Its nerve racking depending on where you must give the shot (stomach)...

Isn't this a special ed teacher? My girlfriends ma is a special ed teacher and those men and women are held to a different standard.

Trust me from experience, when you have to give shots several times a day to a child with Type 1 Diabetes (completely different condition than Type II Diabetes0, you get very used to it, even if you have a fear of needles. Everyone should have a fear of needles, they're sharp instruments that puncture your skin. However, I'm afraid of moving vehicles and it doesn't stop me from crossing the street. It's unfortunate it had to result in her getting fired, but the districts do not have the money, nor the need, to keep a full-time registered nurse stationed at every school. Most of the kids with Type 1 diabetes only need one shot a day at school, and that's at lunch.

And to the writers of the letters to the editor in the Press today claiming that shots should only be administered by trained healthcare professionals, do adults with diabetes who have to self-administer shots need an RN standing by? Of course not.

[dtown]

GRDad, if you dont mind me asking, Does one of your daughters have diabetes?

[Rizzo]

Trust me from experience, when you have to give shots several times a day to a child with Type 1 Diabetes (completely different condition than Type II Diabetes0, you get very used to it, even if you have a fear of needles. Everyone should have a fear of needles, they're sharp instruments that puncture your skin. However, I'm afraid of moving vehicles and it doesn't stop me from crossing the street. It's unfortunate it had to result in her getting fired, but the districts do not have the money, nor the need, to keep a full-time registered nurse stationed at every school. Most of the kids with Type 1 diabetes only need one shot a day at school, and that's at lunch.

And to the writers of the letters to the editor in the Press today claiming that shots should only be administered by trained healthcare professionals, do adults with diabetes who have to self-administer shots need an RN standing by? Of course not.

I agree

I don't have a fear of needles, if administered correctly. If I had to give someone a shot over and over I would get used to the idea. Its not something I've done enough that I'm confident in, that's why I fear not of the needle, but the person on the other end.

I'm afraid of moving vehicles too.

[GRDadof3]

I agree

I don't have a fear of needles, if administered correctly. If I had to give someone a shot over and over I would get used to the idea. Its not something I've done enough that I'm confident in, that's why I fear not of the needle, but the person on the other end.

I'm afraid of moving vehicles too.

The person on the receiving end gets used to it quicker than the person giving. Especially kids.

Yes, dtown, our oldest. 2 years diagnosed now, but she's an amazing child.

[dtown]

Sorry to hear that GRDad. Is type-1 the kind that you are born with?

[GRDadof3]

Sorry to hear that GRDad. Is type-1 the kind that you are born with?

Yes, it's somehow genetic (but no one else in our families have it). No worries, she's doing very well with it, and we were fortunate to get her on an insulin pump a year and a half ago, so we (and school workers) do not have to administer shots anymore. Being the old child in her school (of over 500) with diabetes, I think she likes the attention she gets.

[dtown]

Well, im glad to hear shes doing well with it.

How old is she, BTW?

[GRDadof3]

Well, im glad to hear shes doing well with it.

How old is she, BTW?

Thanks. She's 7.

[ZachariahDaMan]

That's cool ZachariaDaMan! You should check out Meijer Gardens if you didn't get a chance last time. A great unpretentious place to see some great sculptures.

My mom was actually looking up stuff online to do in Grand Rapids and saw Meijer Gardens, thanks tho!

[snoogit]

Trust me from experience, when you have to give shots several times a day to a child with Type 1 Diabetes (completely different condition than Type II Diabetes0, you get very used to it, even if you have a fear of needles. Everyone should have a fear of needles, they're sharp instruments that puncture your skin. However, I'm afraid of moving vehicles and it doesn't stop me from crossing the street. It's unfortunate it had to result in her getting fired, but the districts do not have the money, nor the need, to keep a full-time registered nurse stationed at every school. Most of the kids with Type 1 diabetes only need one shot a day at school, and that's at lunch.

And to the writers of the letters to the editor in the Press today claiming that shots should only be administered by trained healthcare professionals, do adults with diabetes who have to self-administer shots need an RN standing by? Of course not.

Well my mother has Type 1, shes been living with it since she was 12. So I've been giving her shots since I was like 6 or 7, so my fear of needles vanished the day I realized: "Hey my mom does this everyday, and I'm a boy and I can't do it? Time to be tough mister." (I'm paraphrasing using my 6 year old logic) I quickly got over the fear, and now that shes much older, and although can giver herself shots still, its more difficult with some of the problems that come with being diabetic for 30 years (loss of sensation in the extremities, retina degeneration which made her partially blind, etc.) I still help out whenever I can, but my dad's still more then capable of helping her, which is a great thing to have.

If you talked to my grandmother, she could give you some insight on whats to come though GRDad luckily I have had such a great teacher when it comes to handling a type 1 diabetic. Can't beat her level of experience Luckily with today's technology your daughter is going to come out much better. diabetic training in the 60s and 70s was much less sophisticated then it is today.

Knowing what my mom goes through, and has gone through for so long makes it much easier to give blood, take IVs, etc. I once was giving blood, and they couldnt get my veins to go and they said "we can put it in your hand if you like" and I said "letter rip!" imagine sticking a needle between your bottom index and middle finger knuckles... didn't even bother me a bit

Edited January 29, 2007 by snoogit

[Chelle D]

Trust me from experience, when you have to give shots several times a day to a child with Type 1 Diabetes (completely different condition than Type II Diabetes0, you get very used to it, even if you have a fear of needles. Everyone should have a fear of needles, they're sharp instruments that puncture your skin. However, I'm afraid of moving vehicles and it doesn't stop me from crossing the street. It's unfortunate it had to result in her getting fired, but the districts do not have the money, nor the need, to keep a full-time registered nurse stationed at every school. Most of the kids with Type 1 diabetes only need one shot a day at school, and that's at lunch.

And to the writers of the letters to the editor in the Press today claiming that shots should only be administered by trained healthcare professionals, do adults with diabetes who have to self-administer shots need an RN standing by? Of course not.

I think that until you have to do it, you don't want to. But then when you must give (or receive) shots, then there is nothing to do but just do it. I think almost anyone can learn how and do a good job when it is someone they care about needing them.

I was scared about it when I had to give shots to myself when undergoing fertility treatments. And my fear was nothing compared to my husband's fear of having to give some of them to me. Well, after a few rounds, you rip the cap off the needle with your teeth and pop it in! Also, by round three, it was no problem to be out to dinner and excuse myself to go to the bathroom and give myself a quick shot.

As for schools - I think all schools should have at least two people on staff comfortable with giving a simple injection. There are children with diabetes who need insulin, and there are more and more children being diagnosed with severe allergies to where a school official may need to use an epi pen.