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Permalink Reply by FatCatAnna on September 12, 2010 at 5:24pm

I've always been open about diabetes - never felt the need to hide it - it's what makes me ... ME :) - more so since being asked to join up to the team at Diabetes1.org (who would thought that having diabetes would pay off for p/t work? I'm not complaining ). Also, I find now with the D-OC - being able to convese with others is helping me in learning more about how we all deal with diabetes. Currently because of the probs with our diesel engine on our sailboat, I'm marooned in a small town along Lake Ontario (Sackets Harbour) - and have been talking to the locals around here - and they know I'm a diabetic. I'm also leaving calling cards for Tudiabetes here and there! So, anyone from Sackets Harbour / Rochester / Watertown / Oswego / Syracuse - it's FatCatAnna from Jenna's Journey :)
\\^^//

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Permalink Reply by Donald Hantsbarger on September 12, 2010 at 9:20pm

Thank you for all of your responses, at least I got a nice invitation to join a Detroit group.
The first time I thought of it was when I took a class at a Kaiser nutritional meeting out of 37 in the class I was the only type 1 it seemed like I was a celebrity, the instructor even asked if I wanted to teach the class.
I will be part of the majority and be glad to ask any questions, my Diabetes is not my fault it just happened.
As far as my approach, get over that! any Diabetics life is far from unobtrusive especially at meal time I was there with my wife and family.
I have never been hospitalized for my Diabetes, so far. Kudos for the gentleman that has had it for 51 years and no complications, although tight control is obviously affective you cant blame genetics for complications its like cancer some peoples genes are more or less sensitive than others I would never blame a cancer patient for there cancer.
Thanks again, Don

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Permalink Reply by The Queen of Light and Joy on September 13, 2010 at 4:58am

I think I probably hid my diabetes in public for a couple of months while I figured out what the proper etiquette was for shooting up in restaurants and checking my BS, I always went to the bathroom. Then, when I noticed I never saw other diabetics out and about (in restaurants checking their bs/shooting) I said "screw it" and did it at the table. I figured why should I have to scurry off to the bathroom and then nonchalantly come back to the table. My diabetes was part of me and similar to someone else taking pills before a meal or huffing on a puffer I was going to do "all of my business" where I needed to. And to be hygienic about it... public bathrooms can dirty. I am potentially touching needles that are going into my body. Now add in that dirty door handle. The fuss doesn't make sense, when I can stay at the table.

For the most part, I almost rarely talk to other people about diabetes because it makes me crazy (and due to what I am going to say, makes me think that I should talk to them about it more, to educate ha ha). Oh sure there are a few people who ask and they are genuinely interested/concerned but then you get those people that still think diabetes is brought on from eating too much sugar. Or the people who had an Aunt once removed from their next door neighbour who played cards with their Uncle Bob who had it, so now of course they are experts and nit pick down to the 1000/degree about that pear you're putting in your mouth. Example---> "OH I heard that pears have the highest % of sugar in them, do you really think that as a diabetic you should be eating that?" (said in a contradicting tone of course) Those kind of people make me crazy.

On the other hand, for safety situations I always tell, like when I started going to the local YMCA with a friend/neighbour. I explained that I was a responsible diabetic and that I would always go to the gym on a full stomach, extra snack, bottled juice, sugar packed (in case), medic alert bracelet and that I would be administering the proper amounts of insulin for the type of aerobics that we would be doing and that she had nothing to worry about. If for some reason something did happen (I fell over unconscious) she should always call 911 but that pouring the sugar packet would probably work.

I always wear my medic alert bracelet, although most people don't ask about it.

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Permalink Reply by MikeyType1 on September 23, 2010 at 7:42pm

The only Diabetics I have met in person were in a Diabetes class, diabetes center, or at the doctors office waiting room. I have never seen anyone with a pump or injecting in public. If i did see them, I would probably say hi. No one has ever noticed me being a diabetic since I take injections and I always use the restroom when in public to inject. I don't really think it is polite to inject out in the open in front of people. I'm not trying to hide it, but I think it is just more polite to do it in private (like many other things). Also I'm sure someone is likely to think that I am injecting illegal drugs.

I remember a family member told me they were in the grocery store line and the child in front of them looked like they had an insulin pump. I wished I was there to give them a diabetes high five. I'm sure eventually I will see someone in public and I will make sure to say hi. If they don't want to talk then that's fine. But I would probably regret it if I didn't say anything.

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