Thumb down

By | 2 June, 2011

I am a little bit incapacitated. Not very much, just a mild inconvenience but it seems most noticeable during diabetes related activities. I’ve hurt my thumb. I strained it whilst competing in the national hand stand water skiing championships last week (or maybe I twisted it somehow whilst doing the gardening – you decide).  Anyway, it doesn’t cause me too much trouble, but has made me realise quite how integral thumbs are to the whole pancreas business. 

  • If I do a blood test on my right hand, I use my left thumb to squeeze out the blood. That hurts.
  • I use my thumb to press the buttons on my pump. That hurts.
  • If I need Fruit Pastilles my thumb is involved in opening the packet. That hurts.
  • Pushing the straw into a juicebox requires thumb pressure. That hurts.
  • Typing blog posts, essential to my diabetes wellbeing, requires thumb input. That hurts.

My conclusions? Firstly, I have severely underestimated the usefulness of thumbs in managing diabetes. And secondly, I’m simply too incapacitated to deal with diabetes at the moment. I’m off to the Drs to request a sick note for some time off from diabetes due to injury 😉

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About Alison

Diagnosed with Type One in 1983 at the age of four, Alison's been at this for a while now. She uses Humalog in a combined insulin pump and continuous glucose monitoring system and any blood glucose meter as long as it takes five seconds or less.

6 thoughts on “Thumb down

  1. Annette A

    I also found this a couple of years ago. I had incapacitated my thumb via an accident with a pruning saw (I will spare you the details, they’re gory 🙂 ) and had severe trouble over the next few days doing blood tests and injections (it was pre-pump – I always used my thumb to push in the plunger and screw on the needle).
    The thumb is grossly underappreciated in the diabetic world.
    (And if you get that sick note, I’m upping sticks to Liverpool so I can get one as well…)

    Reply
  2. Tim

    Hmm, I think it’s more likely that you injured your thumb during your latest job – what with being an international jewel thief and all that…

    Reply
  3. Mike

    @tim Ouch, talk about outing Alison on such a international renowned blog..

    Yay for Thumbs, Yay for fruit pastilles and one finger typing! 【ツ】

    Reply
  4. Alison Post author

    @annette I think getting my pancreas to accept the sick note and provide cover for me while I’m off sick would be more of a challenge that actually getting the sick note!

    @Tim How could you? I confided in you about my latest career move and you’ve publicly betrayed me 🙁

    Reply
  5. Anna

    Good luck with the sicknote! I’ll bet my perfectly working right thumb your pancreas does naff all, note or no note. But here’s hoping ay 🙂

    Reply

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