I was in my office the other day checking my blood sugar when a co-worker walked in and asked what I was doing. I said, "Oh, I'm just checking my blood sugar. I'm diabetic." Now, I have to pre-face my next few comments by saying that I don't expect everyone in this world to be educated about diabetes but nothing bothers me more when a person you are talking to replies with: "Oh, my grandmother has diabetes," and then continues on about how her grandmother can't eat sweets, takes a pill every day, etc. This person automatically assumes I must be just like her grandmother and even has the audacity to say to me, "I'm sorry you can't eat sugar."
AHHHHHHHHH!!!
Usually these conversations continue with me trying to explain the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Since Type 2 diabetes is far more common, treatment and care for adult onset diabetes is more commonly talked about in the social world. For me, it's the negative stigma attached to Type 2 diabetes that really bothers me. To be completely honest, nothing about me wants to be associated with that.
Type 1 diabetes is the body's inability to produce insulin. It's called Juvenile Diabetes because it is most commonly diagnosed in toddlers and kids going through puberty, or before the age of 40 in rare cases. ONLY 5% OF PEOPLE WITH DIABETES HAVE TYPE 1 DIABETES. Our small community uses insulin injections and blood glucose monitoring to manually do a process that our bodies have ultimately failed to do.
Diabetes is scary and it sometimes feels like a life and death situation. Just like a body's naturally reaction is to breath in and out, we all need insulin to survive. Not having insulin just isn't an option. Do I love it? No. But do I want to do my best every day to be here and enjoy a healthy and happy life? HELL YES!
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