Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Joe_h on April 6, 2011 at 6:46am

yep all the time. it's a real pain to be good when everyone is eating whatever they want. even after all this time my family does not always get it.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by DogLady on April 6, 2011 at 6:47am

Yes, I am finding this to be the case at work. It's really hard sometimes to get through the day, especially if I'm having one of those "roller coaster" days. I don't like taking sick days because that makes me feel, well, sick, and I don't really feel sick. But I don't share with my coworkers that I even have diabetes. I think there are like two people here who know the truth and the rest I've just basically lied to. I don't know why, I think it's mainly because of the erroneous assumptions people have about the disease (I'm type 1, but how many people really know the difference?). I also don't want people pitying me or thinking that I can't do my job. Or always worrying that I'm going low. And because it's a tedious disease, I don't want people knowing that I spend about half my day taking insulin, checking my sugar, adjusting my insulin accordingly, grabbing a snack, worrying that I'm now too high....you get the idea. Yeah, it's just really hard to accurately explain diabetes to people who don't know what the condition is about. It's not just about taking insulin and going about your day. If ONLY it was that easy!!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by DogLady on April 6, 2011 at 7:12am

I need to adopt your attitude. Right now, I'm doing MDI, but may look into the pump (I have mixed feelings about it). I think my problem is the reaction I received from some friends when I was diagnosed (the typical, "But you're not fat!" and "But I've never seen you eat unhealthy. How could you have diabetes?") I have explained to these individuals the difference between type 1 and type 2, but I don't always know if it sinks in. It's very frustrating.

Giving shots in front of other people is still something I'm not entirely comfortable with. I just go off to the bathroom. But that can be a huge inconvenience, which is the primary reason I'm interested in getting the pump. I think I just need to get a bit more comfortable explaining the situation, as you clearly are. Thanks :-)

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Starspangled Alien on April 18, 2011 at 7:34am

Yeah years ago I went to the public toilets and ended up dropping my needle on the floor without a spare ... a nice tasty meal had to be ignored due to this so since then haven't done. I also don't like dirty toilets and I think people need to change their attitudes towards people with diabetes. It's a bit like breastfeeding or anything different .. people just look and go "oh no don't do that infront of me" and don't seem to consider the other persons feelings. After nearly 20 years I don't go to toilets anymore definitely not and always just inject and / or tell them to look away.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by jrtpup on April 6, 2011 at 8:44am

Just curious, why are you concerned about wearing a pump as a bridesmaid?

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by She Ra on April 6, 2011 at 7:14am

Sometimes. my friends are actually better than my family! my family is clueless. Sometimes I keep my D from people I don't know, first off I feel like it is none of their business, second i don't like to talk about it all day every day. every time you tell someone new you have to explain the whole darn thing.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Sarah on April 6, 2011 at 7:18am

No, I don't, and I can say exactly why: I don't make a big deal about having diabetes. I don't make a production out of testing, or injecting (if on MDI) or doing anything else I need to do.. because there is no reason to.

I don't feel the need to tuck it away (and I definitely don't), but there's zero need to make a production out of what you "can't" eat - I have seen diabetics do this, and quite honestly it frustrates me because it's just not necessary. Everyone is free to make their own dietary choices for whatever reason they might have - I don't necessarily need the over sharing. Just pick something (or don't) and don't go on about it.

On the flip side I would never in a million years expect someone who doesn't have this disease or isn't closely involved with it to fully "get it" either... so it might be more of a question of expectations.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by DiabeticRadio.com on April 6, 2011 at 8:21am

Ummm, I think I actually have the opposite problem. My problem is when too many people that care want to police my diabetes. I think this put me in a much, much harder position than the diabetes itself. Why? Because when that friend, co-workier, or whomever, doesn't know really about the life of diabetes, yet feel they are helping you with what they "think" a diabetic would need. This can be so stressful to me, because sometimes you are forced to be rude to that very person who really cares about you. Diabetics are often forced to be rude to stop the annoyances, and hurt some feelings in the process.

However, I still believe it's important not to be in the closet with our diabetes. I've made a choice not to hide in a bathroom, closet, hallway, stairwell, alleyway, street corner, boondocks, under a car, phone booth, under a fire-hydrant, behind my sofa, behind a bush, a forest, or even inside a sea @ the beach, or whatever, just so that people don't see me inject. This is freak'n ridiculous!! I'm not a mutant! I am a human being that happens to have diabetes. I am perfectly capable of handling my D life myself, in my OWN WAY!!!!!!!!!!! If I need help I'll ask for it!!!



Yogi

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Paul Curwen on April 6, 2011 at 9:22am

Yes... I have one friend that has high blood pressure and takes his pill every morning and before I was on Metformin kept telling me to just "take your pill" and your done...

He just doesn't get it :(

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Rye on April 6, 2011 at 9:35am

I wouldnt say my friends are unsupportive but they are not as interested either. If and when I tell them anything they kind of give me the "im listening" look but you can tell they are not. I dont know if it is because they do not know how to deal or they just dont want to. I was friends with them before the diabetes and it changes who you are in so many ways I feel sometimes they are just trying to hold on to the old me in a way....

My mom's side of the family on the other hand are so not supportive at all. They down play or over exaggerate my diabetes all the time, which ever fits their situation to hate. They are always trying to get me to eat something like cake and when I dont they point out how they just dont understand how I do it. I moved in with my sister a while ago and she buys cheetos, my fav bad snack, she knows I try not to eat them and she doesnt eat them so what do think is going on with that??? I have to explain the basics to them over and over and over because they act like they didnt know things like carbs are bad for me. Its exhausting being related to people.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by DiabeticRadio.com on April 6, 2011 at 9:52am

Maybe they don't want to know.. One thing i've learned very early on in my life; for most African American people Change is hhhhhhhhaaaaaaaarrrrrrrddddddddd. The way I see it, you represent what THEY should already be doing (in terms of they're own health). The denial we get from friends and family can be such a b***c to deal with.... :-(



Yogi

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jesus Ingles on April 6, 2011 at 9:42am

I'm finding out that I have to do that with my family more often than with my friends. But it looks like a lot of us have to go through that same problem. Frankly, I've considered going as far as just staying away from them as much as possible to make things easie, but I know that doesn't solve the problem.

• ▶ Reply

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• Next ›
• Page