I'm a resident assistant for a college dorm and a type one diabetic. I'm doing a informative board on diabetes and how to be more understanding about it. So my questions to you out there: What is something that you never want to hear someone say to you again about your diabetes? What is one thing that you would love for them to know about your diabetes or you as a person with diabetes? I thought it would be nice to have some perspectives other than my own. Thanks in advance for your help!
I feel that general questions regarding the disease is fine and I'm more than willing to help educate someone. But direct, personally questions - I don't like. Or of course, someone telling me what I can or can't do or eat, etc... That's simply annoying. I think people should know that diabetes managment is as individual as the person itself. There are no set rules just guidelines that we try to follow. And of course, people need to know the difference between T1 & T2.
What I wouldn't like to ever hear again would be someone asking me if my daughter got T1 because of too much junk food. Something I would love for them to know would be that my daughter is a beautiful person with a disease.....not a disease with a person!! Having diabetes does not define who she is.
I like answering questions about diabetes whether they are about daily life or more medical. I do not like people making drug references/jokes...hard to understand, but after 20 years of diabetes no (person I just met) you are not the first person to think of the joke.
[quote user="jaco1199"]
I feel that general questions regarding the disease is fine and I'm more than willing to help educate someone. But direct, personally questions - I don't like. Or of course, someone telling me what I can or can't do or eat, etc... That's simply annoying. I think people should know that diabetes managment is as individual as the person itself. There are no set rules just guidelines that we try to follow. And of course, people need to know the difference between T1 & T2.
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Yeah, I definitely want to explain the difference in type one and type two. I think a lot of people are confused by this.
[quote user="Kathie"]
What I wouldn't like to ever hear again would be someone asking me if my daughter got T1 because of too much junk food. Something I would love for them to know would be that my daughter is a beautiful person with a disease.....not a disease with a person!! Having diabetes does not define who she is.
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I will make sure that this is on the board. I like to tell people this same thing. My diabetes is part of me, it does not define me.
[quote user="Eric_Carpenter"]
I like answering questions about diabetes whether they are about daily life or more medical. I do not like people making drug references/jokes...hard to understand, but after 20 years of diabetes no (person I just met) you are not the first person to think of the joke.
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Yeah the "Go shoot up" line never gets old. lol
I'm not limited by diabetes. I can enjoy and live my life to the fullest. I have to be cautious and aware of the changes my body makes but it does not hamper me or slow me down.
I am a freshman at the university of arizona and was diagnosed as a freshman in high school. A lot of things bother me about the ignorance people have with type 1 diabetes but mostly it is whenever people laughingly ask why I'm wearing a pager and I tell them I have type 1 diabetes and its my insulin pump. The number one response is oh so you like can't eat sugar? I wish people knew the seriousness of the disease and I wish it wasn't so easily mixed up with type 2 diabetes. I don't want to seem like a martyr but I wish poeple understood what challenges I face in day to day life.
Hailey
Haven't learned how to quote someone but the "Oh, so you, like, can't eat sugar?" kills me. As well as the misconception that eating too much junk food caused the disease. I also hate... wait, HATE, there, needed more emphasis, HATE... being called a diabetic. Whoever created that term should moulder for eternity. I am a PERSON. I "suffer from" diabetes, I "have" diabetes, I "live with" diabetes. I AM NOT A DIABETIC.
Just my two cents.
Also I'm tired of people (I've even had waiters/waitresses do this) asking why I'm drinking diet soda when I'm so small anyway.
Usually, I laugh and say, how do you think I got this way tubby? But really. Is it your business why I drink what I drink? Is it your business why I eat what I eat... And NEW YORK GOVERNOR it is not your business to tell folks how much soda they can drink. Go to China if you want that much control over other people.
Sorry. Guess I started venting a little. Good luck and hope you're able to bridge the gap of ignorance at your school.
Amen to that Kathie soon after my son was diagnosed almost 3 yrs ago I had some family members tell us he got T1D because he ate too much sugar. Then I still have people tell me that he just needs to watch what he eats and exercise and it will go away!! And I have to keep reminding them that it will not just go away unless there is a cure and that he didn't get this because of something we did.