Meal time insulin in the MDR

[Mommypig]

I have type 2 Diabetes and have just made the "jump" to meal time insulin. Since I am very sensitive to drops in blood sugar, I need to take my shot very close to when I start eating, otherwise I become what hubs calls "hangry". It generally hits about 5 minutes after the shot. The last thing I want to eat, well the first thing I WANT to eat but the last thing I SHOULD eat is stuff in the bread basket. So I need to wait until the food comes. Do you think anyone would notice or care if I just gave myself a shot in the leg under the table, or do I need to do the trek out to the ladies room every night? Most restrooms don't have a place to put the paraphenalia (purse, needle nipper, insulin pen) where I can just have it on my lap or rest the purse on the table. And I don't really want to put my medicine on the sink where people have been washing up after going poo.

 

Another option would be to make arrangements to have a small piece of whole grain bread and a shrimp cocktail at my table as soon as I sit down. Then I could probably do my shot in the stateroom and and go to dinner, at least on the Pacific Princess where its only a short distance to go anywhere. Not sure about the Grand and Star we are on for our next cruises in Alaska.

 

Maybe I am overly sensitive to the whole thing because it is so new and annoying, although the numbers look better. Is is a big deal or should I just do what make me feel comfortable.

 

thanks

[elliair]

The other day I saw a gentleman poke himself taking insulin. It made me wince. Are you against sitting at a table for 2 in a discreet location where you can give yourself the shot without drawing attention to yourself? How about grabbing a snack from the Lido deck and bring it with you to your table. This way, you'll be assured not to be off kilter with your blood sugar.

[OCruisers]

Use the Handicapped Restrooms! ;)

[GUT2407]

I have type 2 Diabetes and have just made the "jump" to meal time insulin. Since I am very sensitive to drops in blood sugar, I need to take my shot very close to when I start eating, otherwise I become what hubs calls "hangry". It generally hits about 5 minutes after the shot. The last thing I want to eat, well the first thing I WANT to eat but the last thing I SHOULD eat is stuff in the bread basket. So I need to wait until the food comes. Do you think anyone would notice or care if I just gave myself a shot in the leg under the table, or do I need to do the trek out to the ladies room every night? Most restrooms don't have a place to put the paraphenalia (purse, needle nipper, insulin pen) where I can just have it on my lap or rest the purse on the table. And I don't really want to put my medicine on the sink where people have been washing up after going poo.

 

Another option would be to make arrangements to have a small piece of whole grain bread and a shrimp cocktail at my table as soon as I sit down. Then I could probably do my shot in the stateroom and and go to dinner, at least on the Pacific Princess where its only a short distance to go anywhere. Not sure about the Grand and Star we are on for our next cruises in Alaska.

 

Maybe I am overly sensitive to the whole thing because it is so new and annoying, although the numbers look better. Is is a big deal or should I just do what make me feel comfortable.

 

thanks

 

 

See the Maitre'd on boarding should be no problem arranging something as soon as you sit down.

 

I'd have no issue with you injecting at the table, unfortunately many probably would.

[Essiesmom]

If you have traditional dining, you can arrange that at the table with your waiter. They do it for guest with small children...Have a bowl of fruit or something there when they sit down. It would be more difficult in Anytime dining. EM

[GUT2407]

Use the Handicapped Restrooms! ;)

 

I was about to flame you, then saw the wink.

[ar1950]

I have type 2 Diabetes and have just made the "jump" to meal time insulin. Since I am very sensitive to drops in blood sugar, I need to take my shot very close to when I start eating, otherwise I become what hubs calls "hangry". It generally hits about 5 minutes after the shot. The last thing I want to eat, well the first thing I WANT to eat but the last thing I SHOULD eat is stuff in the bread basket. So I need to wait until the food comes. Do you think anyone would notice or care if I just gave myself a shot in the leg under the table, or do I need to do the trek out to the ladies room every night? Most restrooms don't have a place to put the paraphenalia (purse, needle nipper, insulin pen) where I can just have it on my lap or rest the purse on the table. And I don't really want to put my medicine on the sink where people have been washing up after going poo.

 

Another option would be to make arrangements to have a small piece of whole grain bread and a shrimp cocktail at my table as soon as I sit down. Then I could probably do my shot in the stateroom and and go to dinner, at least on the Pacific Princess where its only a short distance to go anywhere. Not sure about the Grand and Star we are on for our next cruises in Alaska.

 

Maybe I am overly sensitive to the whole thing because it is so new and annoying, although the numbers look better. Is is a big deal or should I just do what make me feel comfortable.

 

thanks

 

My Dad would simply get the syringe ready right before leaving the cabin before dinner and put in his shirt pocket. At the time the food was being served he would go out to the closest men's room, give himself the shot, put the needle cover back on the needle and put the thing back in his pocket and went back and ate. He took care of the syringe later after dinner. No one was the wiser except the family members who knew what was up.

[Zuki]

Take care of yourself at your table - not in a dirty bathroom.

 

Do what makes your cruise enjoyable and healthy.

[shredie]

I imagine this problem has come up before on the ships. Have you contacted the dietary office? They might be able to help. I know several people who would have a bad reaction to seeing an injection given in a public place (ranging from saying "gross" to fainting.) I think the sight might ruin my appetite. See if you can get some help from the experts. I know several people have recommended the dietary specialist on Princess and know the number.

[ar1950]

Take care of yourself at your table - not in a dirty bathroom.

 

Do what makes your cruise enjoyable and healthy.

 

Sorry, wrong and so not what to do. Read my post about what my Dad did.

1. He didn't go into a dirty restroom. Most public restrooms on the ship are cleaned hourly.

2. He didn't have to have his paraphernalia touch anything in there.

3. Yes, he did wash his hands before and after.

4. Giving yourself a shot is not a public activity. Not in the dining room anyway.

Edited August 17, 2015 by ar1950

[fishywood]

Do whatever makes you the most comfortable, whether arranging to have a snack on the table when you arrive or giving yourself the shot at the time the entree is served. Fellow passengers who are squeamish about needles or unsympathetic to your need to eat within moments of the shot need to be aware of the alternative which I unfortunately witnessed on another cruise line. One night I shared a table at select dining with a very nice couple but over the course of an unacceptably long dinner the husband grew weak and pale before our eyes. His wife explained he had injected his insulin right before leaving their cabin, but between the wait to be seated and some serious delays in the kitchen it had grown to more than two hours since he had injected. His wife and all the rest of us at that table implored the waiters to bring out his dinner first (he had ordered a steak, the rest of us lobster which it turned out was the backed-up item) or to just find him something other than the bread basket to nibble on. All of this went ignored, and when the food finally came out the waiter angrily refused to serve him first as he was not a lady again despite unanimous protest from all of us.

 

I honestly don't know what was more disturbing: the complete lack of sympathy from the dining room staff, or the fact that the couple did not leave to seek food elsewhere. Though I believe his wife was worried that he was too woozy to walk at that point. So please do whatever is necessary to not get anywhere near this scenario (as relayed by a fellow Type 2 currently on no meds but who needs to behave much better before his next cruise in a couple months)

Edited August 17, 2015 by fishywood

[paul929207]

You are always welcome at our table. If you need a shot, go for it.

[Mommypig]

You are always welcome at our table. If you need a shot, go for it.

 

 

thanks!

[Coral]

Honestly, I don't think most people would notice if you gave yourself a shot under the table. Maybe request Traditional dining and a small table. If your table mates are uncomfortable, they can re-arrange things or give you your own table

 

I personally would be hesitant to use the restrooms - I avoid the public restrooms as much as I can on a ship.

 

This is one of those situations that while many of us may not be dealing with it currently but the chances of us having to deal with this or something similar in the future is possible and a little bit of understanding can go a long way. We would want that understanding when and if we are in a similar situation.

 

Best wishes.

Edited August 17, 2015 by Coral

[FritzG]

As a long time insulin dependent diabetic I've never injected myself at the dinner table either in a restaurant at home or on a cruise. Your wait staff will be more than willing to have something other than bread waiting at the table for you when you arrive. Also as others have noted you can bring your pre filled syringe with you and step out to the restroom which is in the entry way of the dining room.

[GUT2407]

You are always welcome at our table. If you need a shot, go for it.

 

Mine too.

[GUT2407]

Pretty much every day on these boards I see someone say you need to use paper towel to open the restroom door to avoid disease, but now people want someone to go into those same restrooms to make an open wound on their body.

 

Sure that all makes sense to me.

[Mommypig]

The suggestions to talk to dietary and the head waiter are good. I will do that to see what can be arranged. The first night on the big ships I will bring shot with me and scope out distances etc to see if stateroom would work. I am public restroom phobic on cruise ships so I will make sure I wear something so that I can get to my leg easily under the table where no one can see or get sqeamish. I don't like using my leg as much but just chatted with my DD who is an NP and she said using leg should slow the insulin down a bit so maybe I won't crash so fast.

 

It's a good thing we are cruising Princess because if we were on Carnival I would be faced with saying no to the warm chocolate melting cake every night, and that would just be too much to bear, or I would have to get WAY more insulin from Dr!

[Colo Cruiser]

As a long time insulin dependent diabetic I've never injected myself at the dinner table either in a restaurant at home or on a cruise. Your wait staff will be more than willing to have something other than bread waiting at the table for you when you arrive. Also as others have noted you can bring your pre filled syringe with you and step out to the restroom which is in the entry way of the dining room.

 

 

I agree. Same with my Dad.

[ar1950]

I agree. Same with my Dad.

 

My point exactly.

[caribill]

a) If you are in traditional dining, then it is easy to arrange for your waitstaff to have what you need at the table when you arrive. However, plan to arrive a few minutes late each evening so you do not have a wait at the doorway (especially the first evening) so that an injection before you leave your cabin is not too long before you get the food.

 

b) If you are in anytime, you have no way to know how long you will wait in line to get into the dining room and no certainty that you will get the same waitstaff every evening, so it would impractical to do the injection before leaving the cabin.

 

c) Why not get that first food you need from the buffet and bring it to your cabin? You can do the injection in the cabin, eat that first food and then go to the dining room.

[JF - retired RRT]

Since food is readily available in Horizon Court, why not go up there at some point during the day and pick up a "pre-meal snack". Take the snack back to your cabin and eat/inject just before you leave for dinner?

 

Aww, just noticed Caribill beat me to it:D

Edited August 17, 2015 by JF - retired RRT

[Coral]

The Grand and Golden don't have restrooms outside of the Traditional Dining room, if I remember correctly.

Edited August 17, 2015 by Coral

[ar1950]

Pretty much every day on these boards I see someone say you need to use paper towel to open the restroom door to avoid disease, but now people want someone to go into those same restrooms to make an open wound on their body.

 

Sure that all makes sense to me.

 

My Dad did what he did for 43 years and had zero problems with getting a disease from an "open wound" (by the way an injection site is hardly that).

 

BTW, if you are a lady with a bare leg (no nylons) and can discretely do a shot under the table so nobody notices, have at it.

[tanzer22pilot]

If any of your table makes makes a comment about your needles, just ask them if they have seen Breaking Bad. Then tell them you are Breaking Good.mmAnd then explain.

 

With all of the "me me me generation" onboard these days, your medical needs will never be noticed.