In early November, I had the honor of speaking in front of the Utah Chapter of the American Association of Diabetes Educators. What a great group they are! Not least because the Utah Department of Health actually supports them by funding educational initiatives. I loved that they 
sought me out to speak about the DOC after one CDE on the planning committee noted: “Just thinking about my adult children that are 18, 20, 24 and 27, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other websites are a daily life experience for them. My son, who recently purchased a home, watched YouTube videos on changing a sink faucet, as well as changing an electrical socket. We as educators need to know the things that are out there, that are accurate, to direct our patients to.” Go, internet-savvy educators!
One of the interesting folks I met through the Utah connection was Berit Bagley, who actually won a book giveaway we ran for the educators here at the ‘Mine. Berit has a special perspective, as an adult diagnosed with type 1 at the outset of her career as nurse! She agreed to share her story and her outlook with us online:
A Guest Post by Berit Bagley
- My Motto: “The very things that hold you down are going to lift you up” — Timothy Mouse (Dumbo)
- RN for over 5 years.
- Graduate of Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA.
- Finishing my BSN at BYU-Idaho (as we speak).
- Credentials: RN, CEN/CPEN and studying for CDE!!
- Two beautiful children. Not married.
- Live in Highland, Utah.
- Work in Provo, Murray and American Fork at Intermountain Healthcare.
* * *
I was sitting in my nurse residency program listening to a lecture about diabetes. I remember the lecture vividly. I even managed to raise my hand and voice my concerns of “insulin coverage” for snacks after having just given “Lantus.” The instructor smiled and basically handed me my naive understanding of diabetes on platter. I was so dumb.
After nurse residency, I decided to devote myself to the Emergency Department. This is what I truly loved. Emergency nursing is challenging, exciting, rapidly changing and a perfect fit for a healthy young healthcare worker like me. But that all changed on October 28th, 2008.
My new accessory had become the all-too-familiar water bottle. My runs had started becoming shorter and shorter, and I was allowing myself to walk them more and more. I justified all this because I was only thirsty at night and drinking my children’s juice boxes was totally acceptable.
Here I am, an Emergency Room nurse, and I am ignoring the symptoms of diabetes.
I finally borrowed a friend’s meter after a Halloween party and was shocked that it read “HIGH.” I called the ER (since I work there) and said, “Hey it’s Berit… I need a room.” I arrived 20 minutes later and my friend Julie got out the huge hospital meter. It also read “HIGH.” I started crying. 732mg/dl was my number that night. Since I was not in DKA and I am a nurse, they did not admit me. They gave me IV insulin, fluids and insulin pens. I remember the specialist they called in asked for someone to get me 15 grams of carbohydrates and not one nurse knew what would be 15 grams.
I went home around 3am wondering, “Will I end up like everyone I take care of in the ER with diabetes?” The next day, I called the diabetes clinic attached to the hospital, explaining I was diagnosed the night before. I hoped to God that the diabetes nurse who had spoke at my lecture years before would not remember the ignorant floor nurse. I spent the next week learning how to live. Overwhelmed, sad, angry, scared, lost. That pretty much summed me up.
Although I had a great crash course in diabetes, I really had no clue. I was meticulous in my testing (too much if you ask me). I over-corrected at first and dropped low very often the entire first year. The night shift at the hospital was interesting on injections and my glucose was all over the place, mostly low. Last May, I took a job in diabetes education and am currently working towards taking my CDE exam (I will be eligible in June 2012). I am no longer “lost.” I am privileged to work with the people who have raised me from ignorant floor nurse to naive emergency room nurse to baby diabetes educator. Everyday is challenging, rapidly changing and the perfect fit.
Every year I write a Top Ten List of life as an educator with diabetes. Here is a mashup of some of my favorites from the past three years:
- Even the best nurses can’t carb count.
- Getting tubing caught on a door handle hurts.
- Don’t be defined by your A1C!
- Not feeling sorry for myself and continuing to learn how to take care of myself is a MUST.
- Occasionally my blood sugar will be higher than the ER patient I’m treating for hyperglycemia.
- Sensors still drive me insane.
- Occasional “deleting” of my OWN basal rates will and can happen while helping patients over the phone.
- When training on a Medtronic Minimed pump, NEVER adjust a temp basal pattern without a double-check.
- There are people who check blood sugar more often than me.
- Not all dieticians, nurse educators or providers work or think the same.
Great insights from the “inside” of healthcare, Berit, thank you. It’s great to know there are fellow PWDs (not naive about diabetes!) out there treating patients.
I am also an RN. I too missed all the warning signs she was have. We got lucky with her too, she was only 364 when she was diagnosed. I have never told anyone that I am an RN. I never want them to feel like I know it all and miss some important information. I listen to everything they say. Sometimes they are a little surprised at what I know but again I don’t want them to think I know everything, because I surely don’t. Right now I am a stay at home mom, but have considered going back to do something with diabetes. I remember clearly in school how much I didn’t like working with diabetes, funny how life changes for you!
Thanks so much for writing this!! I was diagnosed as with Type 1 3 weeks ago in the emergency room. I’m 34. I feel lost, confused, angry, and really really sad. It’s so good to know that others feel that way…and that they share it with us. Oh, and the emergency room nurses were good, but didn’t really know about adult onset type 1. I was diagnosed initially as type 2 (because I’m too old to be type 1), and given metformin and sent on my merry way. Two hours later my bg was nearly 500.
My daughter was getting up at night, going to pee, and drinking water out of the bathroom sink. I had type 1 diabetes for almost 20 years at the time. When my then mother in law (surgical nurse) insisted something was wrong, I checked my sweet 5 year old daughter’s blood sugar… HI. How could I have been so blind to the symptoms that I had lived through decades ago? Nurses rock.
I’ve been a RN since 1995, and worked in the ER for 10 years. I had just transitioned to work in L&D when my daughter was dx in 2005.
For a month, I ignored, ignored, ignored. Ignorance was bliss. Besides, the symptoms were intermittent…so it was easy to reassure myself.
Then, at her 2 year well visit, I discussed my concerns with her pedi. I was told not to worry — since there’s no family history and all. I felt like I was being “that mom”, and by the end of the visit I felt completely silly for even bringing it up.
Three weeks later, she was in DKA — cerebral edema and all.
In fact, one of the pedi’s partners was our neighbor. The day before her dx, my husband went down to talk to her and she told him just to call the office the next day.
Nursing school did NOT prepare me for the task of raising a child with diabetes. Neither did 10 years of ER nursing. I’m not sure anything can prepare you for this.
Recently I blogged about our daughter’s 1st shot…everyone in the room was staring at me as the obvious choice to be the one to do it….
http://www.candyheartsblog.com/2011/12/her-first-shot.html
Welcome to the Type I club. I will have been a member of this club for 40 years, this coming July. I have no complications. I spent the first 10 years of this disease with no blood glucose meter; I tested my urine for sugar and once monthly I got either a fasting or afternoon blood glucose sample drawn. (The lab wasn’t open at night, so that wasn’t an option!)
I feel lucky, in that I was diagnosed back in the days when we Type I’s were admitted to the hospital for a few weeks (2 in my case) so we could learn all about this disease. Even though the care was primitive by today’s standards, we left the hospital knowing we had a serious but treatable chronic illness.
Good luck to all of you (above) who posted. You (or your offspring) will be just fine. Remember that a diagnosis of Type I back in the early 1900′s meant death. Treat every day as a gift, because it is one. Yes, there will be bumps, and surely life WITHOUT Type I would be easier, but get over that and you will survive and flourish.
what a great post! Thank you for sharing, I think you have so much to offer not only our community but your RN friends…you get IT!
Awesome guest post Amy!
You are not alone. I am an RN also. 32 years. I’m also the author of some of the original grant work done to help people take care of their diabetes. Mostly, I have worked ICU and ER. Does that mean I am any better at managing my own diabetes. No. I know what to do when it gets high. I don’t go to the ER. But, do I have a free pass on the emotional struggles of managing this disease? No way. I face them everyday. And, sometimes I don’t do to well. I worked as a substitute school nurse a while back and was amazed at some of the issues the parents of some of my students faced even in this enlightened age. We have a long way to go. And, it can get really personal. I still want to be the hungry young woman who could consume tons of calories and stay thin. (I always ate healthy. My mom was a fanatic about that. No junk food.) But, my struggle continues, and I don’t always feel in control.
As an RN myself, CDE and Type 1 for 26yrs. I work with Berit in the Diabetes Center. I’m lucky to be one of her coaches. She has taken a hold of her Diabetes, standing tall and full of fight. I learn from her on a daily basis. She is Bright Star in the Diabetes Community and her willingness to teach others as she is learning herself. I’m proud of her. I know the ER staff relys on her for her knowledge and her abilities to improve policies for best patient practices. Her future in the Diabetes world will benefit from her strengths in helping improve many lives also with diabetes.
I am lucky to be able to work with Berit in the Diabetes Center. She is a marvelous addition to our staff and is loved by all. She thrists for knowledge and is very willing to share with and teach others. Her understanding of what our patients deal with is apparent and she has a special way of reaching out to others.
Berit-you are an inspiration! I have never looked back with regret from the moment we met and you were hired in the ED. Thank you for your example as well as your friendship. I don’t doubt for a minute that you will bless many people who need you throughout your career as a nurse as well as diabetic educator. It is a privilege knowing you.
I too, am an ER nurse. I was diagnosed with Type 2 last October. My doctor is a wise man, he said “we’re going to pretend you know nothing and have you go through the classes” which begin, for me, this month. I know all about caring for the diabetic in the ER but nothing about the daily live of a diabetic.
For the last few years I have had fatigue, blood glucose at my annual check that were usually 104 or 105 and was told I was pre-diabetic. No one in my family had diabetes and I just basically blew it off. Fatigue and an increasing waist line didn’t tell me anything. It all finally came together this last year at my annual physical.
I have shared my diagnosis with a few people at work and with all of my family. So, beginning the journey.