Some people just don't get it!!!!!

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Permalink Reply by Theodora on October 11, 2007 at 5:23am

I am continually amazed at the level of ignorance surrounding diabetes. (I suppose I shouldn't be, I didn't know much about it before I was diagnosed, but the sheer bossiness and judgmental attitudes I've been running across on occasion... is very annoying.)

A few weeks ago I was at a meeting of a charitable organization which has a lot of diabetics as members, the first meeting since my diagnosis, and a very nice (usually) little old lady came up to me and told me, "I've got the same thing, although I don't have it as bad as you do." About all I could say to that was "Gee, thanks." I'm on shots and she isn't, but that doesn't mean I have worse control, it just means I'm insulin-dependent and she's insulin-resistant and she still has some semblance of a functional pancreas while mine comes out of a little glass bottle. Sheesh.

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Permalink Reply by DBunny on October 11, 2007 at 6:30am

A lot of people (perhaps most) seem to think that "TYPE 2" means you're on a special diet and some pills and "TYPE 1" means you have to give yourself those.... omg..... scary...... "I could never do that!"..... SHOTS! I've heard that so many times. You know, someone's aunt has "type 1". She was diabetic for years and then when she was 67 it got so bad she had to start insulin, so that's type 1, right? I've often wished they'd just change the darn name of one of the "types" to something completely different. After all, while the results of the disease are about the same (high blood sugar and the ensuing complications), the cause is quite different.

Hmmm. Who gets to claim the title "diabetes", then? Since so many people are confused by it, lets just give it to the type 2's. They now officially have "diabetes". We, on the other hand, now have "Catastrophic Ruthless Attack on the Pancreas", otherwise known as "CRAP".

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Permalink Reply by Theodora on October 11, 2007 at 7:39am

Another thing to blame the ADA for... diabetes is really a set of diseases revolving around blood sugar, and there are lots of little intricacies that get lost in the many, many generalizations that happen with it.

I like to explain my own autoimmune diseases (I've also got Hashimoto's thyroiditis, woo) as my immune system believing it's a squad of Blue Vulture troopers straight out of Paranoia.

"That beta cell looks suspicious. I think it's a Communist mutant traitor. Better zap it to be sure."
*zap zap zap*
"Right, send in the clones. ... whatdya mean, 'what clones?'?!"

Most folks can grasp that -- well, maybe not the Blue Vulture squad part, but the rest, definitely. Unfortunately among older folks with twenty-year-out-of-date ideas about diabetes, insulin equates to "about to die". *sigh*

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Permalink Reply by Techgirl on October 11, 2007 at 7:46am

I'm sorry, Citizen, but you don't have the proper security clearance for that information.

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Permalink Reply by Theodora on October 11, 2007 at 8:57am

Gosh, it's almost like that time my friend John blew up half the party with a malfunctioning plasma generator...

Good times, good times.

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Permalink Reply by Catherine on October 12, 2007 at 9:25am

I had a very good friend with Hashimoto's thyroiditis and she was totally amazed when I actually knew what it was - she was soo fed up with having to explain it.

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Permalink Reply by Doris D on October 11, 2007 at 2:14pm

`C.R.A.P. I like your style!!! HA!! Good one!!!

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Permalink Reply by elaine peterson on October 12, 2007 at 6:09am

I officially now have CRAP.......perfect, says it all. This has been worrisome to me as long as I've been diagnosed......printed info about Diabetes, regarding potential cures, and meds, etc. that have nothing to do with Type 1. They are 2 different diseases! How is it that even healthcare professionals can't get that? There are plenty of conditions that I am blessedly ignorant about, so it's hard to blame people for being unaware. My complaint is being lumped in with another illness that has little to do with me.

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Permalink Reply by Catherine on October 12, 2007 at 9:26am

EXCELLENT!!!
CRAP - I love that!!

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Permalink Reply by elaine peterson on October 12, 2007 at 11:33am

Hey Leslieann....We take our smiles where ever we can! I am new to the site, and compared to you, relatively new to the disease. I was diagnosed 3 years ago at age 50. I feel sort of cavalier at times as I have developed this so late and live a pretty healthy life style....thinking Iam less likely to develop complications. I know that is irresponsible of me. I can only imagine the ups and downs (highs and lows!) you have gone through in 38 years. I just met a woman who had been type 1 since childhood, like yourself, who had a kidney and pancreas transplant and is cured! How common is that? I quess she's gone through some serious health issues for them to consider her a kidney transplant candidate. I hope you are healthy and motivated....I admire someone who has had to deal with this for so long.

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Permalink Reply by Bernard on October 20, 2007 at 4:46pm

OK, I'm starting a campaign to have CRAP become an unofficial name for Type 1 diabetes.

See my blog post about this.

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Permalink Reply by elaine peterson on October 20, 2007 at 6:52pm

Bernard...you are my hero...I needed a good laugh. (It's Sat night and I am on this site while my husband is GLUED to ACC football on TV.) Poor ADA....

What can I do to help? I am not a good fundraiser, but just give me a chore. Do we need clearance from duisburgbunny to use his/her idea? Or maybe, it's bigger than one individual now....

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