Teaching while wearing a heart monitor

amother

Thu, Sep 07 2023, 8:04 am

My doctor wants me wearing a monitor for a month. It will be pretty obvious that there is something under my shirt, it’s on the smaller side but their will be the actual monitor plus a few electrodes and their is no way to hide it unless I would wear a bulky jacket all day (which would be too uncomfortable) it also flashes and occasionally beeps if it detects an incident or my heart rate goes below or above certain numbers. Would you say something to your students?
I am super self conscious..

Elfrida

Thu, Sep 07 2023, 8:08 am

If you don't day anything, it will be a mystery and a focus of speculation.

If you say that your doctor has recommended a period of monitoring and they might hear odd bleeps from time to time, it will get boring very quickly.

amother

Lemonlime

Thu, Sep 07 2023, 8:14 am

I wear an insulin pump whilst teaching that sometimes shows and sometimes beeps.
I don't say anything
Either the girls speculate or they know...

amother

Thu, Sep 07 2023, 8:15 am

amother Crocus wrote:

how old are your students?
what would help you feel most comfortable?

2nd half the day and 4th half the day
I guess I want to preempt the kids staring and it being a topic of conversation

amother

Thu, Sep 07 2023, 8:16 am

amother Lemonlime wrote:

I wear an insulin pump whilst teaching that sometimes shows and sometimes beeps.
I don't say anything
Either the girls speculate or they know...

So it’s funny, I have one of those too, but it’s not strapped around my bra so it feels a lot less awkward. Everyone knows I am diabetic.

amother

Chambray

Thu, Sep 07 2023, 8:17 am

amother OP wrote:

So it’s funny, I have one of those too, but it’s not strapped around my bra so it feels a lot less awkward. Everyone knows I am diabetic.

So if they know you have something already they'll probably just assume it's related to that

amother

Lemonlime

Thu, Sep 07 2023, 8:18 am

amother OP wrote:

2nd half the day and 4th half the day
I guess I want to preempt the kids staring and it being a topic of conversation

Ok, I teach high school so its different, they can be more mature about it

amother

Eggshell

Thu, Sep 07 2023, 8:20 am

amother OP wrote:

So it’s funny, I have one of those too, but it’s not strapped around my bra so it feels a lot less awkward. Everyone knows I am diabetic.

The kids know? Then they will assume it’s related? I wouldn’t tell the kids let them wonder it’s not a big deal. At that age they should be able to not disturb you or the class with questions about it.

amother

Lemonlime

Thu, Sep 07 2023, 8:24 am

amother OP wrote:

So it’s funny, I have one of those too, but it’s not strapped around my bra so it feels a lot less awkward. Everyone knows I am diabetic.

Ye I geddit, I would be awkward about that too...

amother

Thu, Sep 07 2023, 8:42 am

amother Eggshell wrote:

Yes, I have told them. It’s come up before that I need to stop and get a glucose tab or start beeping and need to eat something .
The heart monitor is a little harder to explain/ I don’t really want the whole world knowing that I am having cardiac issues until we figure out what’s the problem/ how to fix it. I will probably need surgery at some point soon , etc and would like to keep speculations/ questions away until I have things under control

amother

Peru

Thu, Sep 07 2023, 8:59 am

Remembering what I was like as a kid, I vote telling them. Ultimately though it’s up to you to do whatever feels comfortable to you. I don’t think there’s a right or wrong here. I like to over educate and teach kids about stuff so it sounds like an interesting opportunity for them. It will also teach them that if they have any medical conditions or have to wear something, they shouldn’t feel uncomfortable or shy about it. Sounds like a win win to me!

amother

Pumpkin

Thu, Sep 07 2023, 9:02 am

Tell them there's a machine there that might light up/beep/anything that would be a distraction to class had they not known about it

mushkamothers

Thu, Sep 07 2023, 9:24 am

amother Pumpkin wrote:

Tell them there's a machine there that might light up/beep/anything that would be a distraction to class had they not known about it

You don't have to tell them what it's for but you really should address any elephant in the room.

amother

Ginger

Thu, Sep 07 2023, 9:26 am

I would say something. That the doctor said that you need to wear this machine for a bit.
Be ready for questions.

amother

Bergamot

Thu, Sep 07 2023, 9:34 am

Embrace the awkward. Figure out a line to say and move on. Something that explains that there is something there but doesn’t give too much personal info. You’ll satiate their curiosity and be matter of fact and they won’t think about it anymore. If you just leave it there will definitely be whispers, stares, giggles, they’ll ask their parents, the parents will ask the school…
In my opinion it’s simpler to just address it and move on. ‘Morah is wearing a small thing that might want to say hi and beep. Isn’t that funny?’

amother

Eggshell

Thu, Sep 07 2023, 9:38 am

amother OP wrote:

So I would just say this week I will have a different beeping and you might see a machine. Don't say it's related to the heart. They will just assume it's diabetes related.

amother

NeonOrange

Thu, Sep 07 2023, 9:45 am

I would tell them. They follow your example. If you explain it to them in a mature way, they will feel big to be clued in on this "adult" topic and will not act silly about it.

amother

Linen

Thu, Sep 07 2023, 11:03 am

In 8th grade I had a teacher who wore an insulin pump. She told us what it was on the first day of school. I'm glad she did because we would have wondered and gossiped about it all day long. It was also helpful to know because one day she did have a diabetic emergency and had to leave class suddenly.
Since your students are younger, I think you should probably say something (but not specifically what it is for), but make sure you do it in a way that they don't get scared for your health.

Wishing you lots of good health and success in teaching!

mha3484

Thu, Sep 07 2023, 11:11 am

Kids can handle more then we think. One of my boys when he was in 1st grade had a very sick classmate who ultimately was niftar. My current 1st grader also has a classmate who is not well but he is k'ah able to come to school and is doing okay. In both situations my kids just took the info the rebbeim gave and moved on no one dwelled on it.

If your school has a social worker or guidance counselor I would ask them how to address it. Also chai lifeline gave the school a lot of ideas how to best discuss topics with kids and keep it drama free. Especially if there is any likelyhood you will have surgery during the school year its good to have at least one person who you can trust to talk to about it because your classes will want to know if your out long term.