There has been plenty of discussion about this on the net, but it serves as a good example of how always being prepared is in your best interest.

Doug Burns is the 43 year old Mr. Natural Universe. It seems as he was off his regular insulin pump and was trying some new medication.

While at the movies he encountered a bad low and staggered towards the stands to get some juice. They thought he was intoxicated and called the police. The police then said he attacked them while in a fighting stance and it took 4 of them to wrestle him to the ground.

”“The fact is Mr. Burns assaulted our officer,” Cesena said. “If he had just stood there and let us help him maybe they would have called the medics if he didn’t seem to fit the description of being under the influence. All that changes when the subject wants to attack an officer.””

For Burns, though, the fact is he doesn’t recall much between feeling his blood sugar dropping in the Cinemark theater and regaining coherence in the San Mateo Medical Center with mace on his shirt and glucose paste down the side of his face. The time in between are snapshots, he said, of being on the sidewalk in front of the theater unable to speak, hearing officers theorize he was on PCP and hoping somebody noticed either the Medic Alert bracelet on his wrist or a card in his wallet identifying him as the director of diabetes and obesity education for a medical research institute.”

While the officers didn’t know of his condition, I can’t help feels a bit sorry for Mr. Burns, I wouldn’t want this to happen to anyone. There are a few things that could have helped prevent situations like this:

1. Regular Testing and bringing your tester with you – See point 3, this is especially needed when testing new medications.
2. ALWAYS having fast-acting glucose tablets with you – They are so cheap, it is easy to carry a pack in every bag and popular jacket you have.
3. Have common sense when testing out new medications – He was on a new medication, he should have have both of the above on him.

There are plenty of opinion about how it would have turned out if the circumstances were different (If it was a small guy, a cute girl etc). But point here is for diabetics to learn from this situation to decrease the likelihood of it happening.

Full story: Police wrestle, mace and arrest Mr. Universe

• Doug Burns (Mr. Universe) gets charges dropped!
• Diabetes Goal Setting for 2008!! What are your goals?
• Tu Diabetes: Weekly Video Podcast, Episode #1
• SugarStats.com Interview on Episode 34 of the DiabetesPowerShow.com Podcast
• Some Diabetic Friendly Recipes, Diabetic Sweets and More
• Nick Jonas and Elliott Yamin…..livin out loud with the D

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 5th, 2007 at 8:28 am and is filed under Diabetes Medication, Diabetes News, Diabetes Tips, Diabetic Health, Fitness, Glucose Management.
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