Lunchtime Lows.
I'm standing at the counter at the bank and I hear my cell phone buzzing. Then I hear the Dexcom wailing out its BEEEEEEEP. My pump starts to buzz from inside my bra (wearing a dress today). Every bit of technology I have is exploding all at once and I'm just trying to make a damn deposit.
"Miss, I just need your account number."
"Account number, sure. I can get that for you." BEEEEEEEEP again. Why is it beeping again? It should only beep once when I'm high. My goodness, I'm awfully warm, despite standing underneath the bank air conditioning unit.
I stick my hand into my bag and forage about. My fingertips feel like they're trapped in cotton balls and I can't quite get a good handle on my wallet. Instead, I grab the Dex, which is BEEEEEPing again, and press a button.
Oh shit, LOW. Below 40 mg/dl. I press the down button and see "39 mg/dl" next to the blood sugar graph, which now looks like the Cliffs of Insanity from The Princess Bride.
"Here is my license. Can you pull my account numbers by looking up my name, please? I'm diabetic and having a little low blood sugar at the moment and I need to drink this juice." I hand the teller my license and raise up the bottle of juice with my other hand, like one of the Price is Right models.
"No problem. I'll get your account numbers. Do you want to have a seat?"
"No, no thanks." I drain the bottle between words. "I'm good. I just need to focus a bit and let my blood sugar come up."
He typed some numbers in on his keyboard and passed my receipt through the bank printer. "This isn't some elaborate plan to rob the bank, is it?"
I laughed. Just drinking the juice alleviated the low-panic enough for me to act like a normal (slightly sweaty) person. "I'm not robbing the bank. But I may take one of those free lollipops, if that's okay."
He hands me my receipt, along with three purple lollipops. "Here you go. Why don't you wait a few minutes over there," he gestures towards the bank reception area, "for your blood sugar to come up? I don't want you to drive yet."
"Okay. Thanks for your help."
And I teeter carefully on my heels (far too high for such a low blood sugar) over to one of the plush, blue chairs. Sinking into the chair and waiting for the juice to do its thing, I unwrapped one of the lollipops. My feet didn't quite reach the floor, as I was sitting so far back in the chair. But I was starting to feel better.
People came in and out of the bank over the next ten minutes while I rested, looking over and most likely wondering what that grown woman was doing there, face flushed, swinging her feet, and sucking happily on a lollipop.
Comments
Wow, a bank that still gives out lollipops! I remember those from 1974 or so (those were my few pre-diabetes days), but I thought the practice had long since been discontinued. I should bank where you do!
Posted by: Scott | April 23, 2008 02:20 PM
Most delightful post ever!
Posted by: Michael Park | April 23, 2008 02:29 PM
How fun! I mean, not the low blood sugar part, but the part where you sit in a chair and swing your feet and suck on a lollipop. :) Too bad you had to get a low to have that experience.
Posted by: Cara | April 23, 2008 02:30 PM
I'm glad the teller actually cared about your well being, sometimes they can be so rude. I can't figure out which image is funnier, you robbing a bank or you sitting in the chair swinging you feet. By the way who gets the purple ones? Yuck! It's all about the orange.
Posted by: Jillian | April 23, 2008 03:04 PM
what a nice teller! my bank lady is like that too. she gives out dum dums, and i like the cream soda ones.
excellent writing! it definitely made me smile.
Posted by: Ashley | April 23, 2008 03:59 PM
At least the teller took you seriously and got you taken care of!
Posted by: tmana | April 23, 2008 04:25 PM
Thank you for the laugh!
Posted by: Jen | April 23, 2008 05:13 PM
Have you been able to figure out the pattern of alerts for the Dexcom? It seems like it's random as to whether it decided to let just you know (the vibration alarm) versus the whole world (the screaming beep alarm) that you need a snack. I wonder if my Dexcom has a little gnome inside that picks inopportune times to beep. :) Right now, I'm hovering between 68 and 70, so I keep getting a buzz every 10 minutes or so.
Posted by: Mick | April 23, 2008 06:25 PM
Kerri, what a great idea to actually tell the person about your disease and what you were going through, what anxiety that must lift right there. I have been doing this for 41 years and never thought about telling the stranger what I was going through, good idea, and great writing. :)
Posted by: karend1 | April 23, 2008 06:31 PM
As an aside, you must be in incredible condition (well other than that nagging diabetes issue) because I start to get the symptoms of a low at around 75! If I were to dip below 40 an ambulance would be the only solution :-)
Thanks for sharing such a vivid story. It helps others know they are not alone.
Posted by: Glucoholic | April 23, 2008 08:34 PM
Oh gosh...it must be in the air today...Charlotte is recovering from a 40 earlier this evening...those are scary for me (and I imagine for her too). Thanks for sharing this story...I can just picture you sitting there enjoying your lollipop. Minus the low it actually sounds like a nice break to a hectic afternoon
Posted by: Michelle | April 23, 2008 11:00 PM
Oh Kerri! You no mention this to me?! ;-)
So sorry you got low like that. Hate that 40 mark, how did you not panic?!
I have to say:
Low before the Endo appt, 60. Realized the difference in how I "act and react" in "public" compared to home.
I was calm there, people were around, no worries. At home, no one there.....
I so can see you swinging your feet. LOVE the image!!! And the bank teller, you need to tell him that we are all pleased with his quick wit and response!
And yeah, the Dex says YOU ARE LOW, but not You Are Dropping?? Hmmmm....
Thanks for yet another wonderful post.
Posted by: CALpumper | April 23, 2008 11:49 PM
Grandpa: She doesn't get eaten by the eels at this time
The Grandson: What?
Grandpa: The eel doesn't get her. I'm explaining to to because you look nervous.
The Grandson: I wasn't nervous. Maybe I was a little bit "concerned" but that's not the same thing.
Posted by: Bennet | April 24, 2008 08:45 AM
Thanks for the laugh !
Posted by: Jerry | April 24, 2008 09:54 AM
Wouldn't it be nice if the lows only happened in the privacy of our home. Banks, dates, walking on the street - a little cooperation would be cool.
Posted by: Ed | April 24, 2008 10:33 AM
Wonderful Kerri you put a BIG smile on my face today which was well needed ! Oh by the way I started on the cgms (minimed) on monday and loving every minute of it ! : )
Posted by: Joanna | April 24, 2008 05:33 PM
Awe, I hate lows like that when I'm actually trying to think and DO something!
I so get the "feet swinging" thing! At barely 5 feet, it happens all too often and I become a edge-of-the-seat-sitter. ;)
Glad nothing terrible happened and the teller was really nice, though!
Posted by: Bethany Chamberlin | April 24, 2008 05:34 PM
dTOE....from Scrubs but we now use it all the time...
whenever a chore or something comes up you don't want to do..."I can't,shug, my beedes is
actin' up! Works every time.
Posted by: sarah Chamberlain | April 24, 2008 09:27 PM
Why are you using juice to combat a low? Glucose tabs work much more quickly and dependably, no danger of going too high afterwards since they raise BGs a consistent amount - usually 10 to 20 points per tablet. Easy to use, easy to carry. And they don't taste bad, either. .
Posted by: whimsy2 | April 24, 2008 10:45 PM
ok, so let's just shout from the rooftops that this bank teller did not make a face, tell you that his great aunt had a touch of the sugar, and/or call security. Instead, he knew what you needed to do, knew that your blood sugar could impact your driving, and was helpful and kind.
For all the frustration we experience because of diabetes ignorance, we should really celebrate when someone reacts appropriately!
Posted by: Kassie | April 25, 2008 01:29 PM
That is so nice. I love hearing stories about people who actually CARE about someone else that they don't know.
Posted by: Marissa Miller | April 30, 2008 10:34 AM
I wonder if the teller is diabetic, or if he lives with one. Meantime, all you needed was two high-up pigtails to complete the image!
Posted by: AlisonH | May 19, 2008 10:16 PM