For me, most people are fine and want to learn more. This one girl said, I thought only old people got that. It made me kind of mad. Most people don't know the difference between type 1 and 2, so I get frustrated. At school in health, we're always taught about how to prevent diabetes, but they don't distinguish between the two.
It is the same at my school!!!! A lot of people think I have type 2, or that I can't eat sugar at all!!! (Even though we count carbs)
Even my health teacher doesn't really get it!!! It kinda upsets me, but I have a good group of friends that know the real story!!!
HI Morgan:
I am so glad that you joined this group. Currently, I am writing a paper about how to teach adolescents about diabetes and by reading your blog I realized that the articles that I have been reading lack some important information. I am wondering if you would share with me if you have a school nurse at your school. Also, I would like to know if you are embarrased to tell that you have diabetes.
Thanks,
Maria
My school does have a nurse. She thinks she knows a lot about diabetes, but she mostly knows stuff about type 2. I've also had people think I can't have any sugar. Sometimes I don't like telling people I have diabetes. My friends I know will understand. Most of them even want to learn more. I sometimes feel that people think of me differently. I think that so many people are uneducated about diabetes, especially when it comes to distiguishing between types 1 and 2.
Not to be a brag, but I am a guy who a lot of people at my school look up to.
So, being diagnosed with Type-1 has given me the chance to be an amazing example.
Almost everyday somebody asks me about my diabetes,
and I am always happy to share any information they would like to know.
In no way am I embarrassed of my diabetes.
Diabetes is becoming more common with American teenagers.
I don't consider diabetes as a setback but rather a gift.
I know this may sound crazy, but with experiencing diabetes firsthand
enables me to significantly help others whom are new to the disease.
I have written letters to children just recently diagnosed sharing with them my experience and
offering them words of confidence, hoping it will make a difference in their life.
This year I held a 5k race and a Walk for Diabetes.
I also had a speaker come and educate the freshmen health classes about type-1 diabetes.
It was a complete success with many positive responses.
I love doing things like this and plan to do many more in my lifetime.
Helping others find happiness is my calling.
It is something I am very passionate about :)
ya i am the same i was diagnoesed about 2 weeks ago and people already look up to me well somewhat lol i am already use to it and i dont care that i have it it doesnt crange the person so just be ur self
HI Morgan: Thank you for responding to my post. I can feel your frustration with the school nurse. What do you think you can do to help the school nurse understand your needs. Your needs are important even though they may seen different from the needs from the rest of the room. I can tell you that every human being have needs. The needs from others may not be so evident as they may not have physical symptoms, but they may have spiritual or emotional symptoms. Remember also that we are all different and that is one of the things that make humans so fantastic. You are one step ahead of the game. Believe me.
Take care,
Maria
HI Patrick:
You are an amazing young man. You will conquer many other challanges in life. I do not think that you are bragging at all. I tink that it is extremely important that you share with others what has been done to support the population of young people with diabetes. May be you can think about something to help the small children as it was found that many of them are pre-diabetic and 1 out of six of those is because they are overweight. PLease, keep a journal with all your achievements because this can be part of your resume when you graduate from high school. Are you planning to go to higher education?
I am proud of you,
Maria
Seriously, people think i can't eat anything and i'm so sensitive to every little thing. i just moved to florida and changed schools, and i refuse to tell anyone that i'm diabetic. my best friends know, and the teachers and admins, but that's it. people judge on every little thing in high school and that doesn't need to be added to the list. it doesn't change who you are, but people look at you different when you're the diabetic girl.
[quote user="Patrick Sullivan"]
I have written letters to children just recently diagnosed sharing with them my experience and
offering them words of confidence, hoping it will make a difference in their life.
[/quote]
Are there any specific organizations that help with this? I would like to write letters too, it seems like a very rewarding experience.
That's actually a really good idea you've got there. Educating the freshmen health classes. I was a freshman last year and my teacher had no idea what type 1 was. Because of what they learned last year, every time someone hears i'm diabetic, they go "but you're not fat!!" or "isn't that the fat-person disease?!" and it makes me really upset how ignorant they can be, but they don't know any better. It's what they were taught.
Maybe I could ask my principal about starting that. How has it been working for you?
I really dont mind all that much when people know that i have diabetes but what is really annoying is the freshmen that are in health so they think that they know everything and then i'll tell them that i have diabetes and theyll be freaked out cause we have a really stupid health teacher and not only does she not really know what she's talking about most of the time (not just about diabetes) but she is just really annoying! I remember once i told a girl and the first thing she said was "how did you lose that much wieght?" I was all"......" i really had no answer to that! But i told her that she had T1 and T2 mixed up and she didnt even know that there was a difference
i know my health teacher is allways telling the class that type 1 is caused by like obesity and all the crap.
and my friends understand but my cusin didn't for awile
Hey, my first post on juvenation! Whoo!
When I first started high school, I was embarassed about it. I thought people wouldn't get it or think I was weird; in grade school, kids kind of were scared of me for all of my needles and stuff (we didn't have a school nurse and I did all of my injections in the classroom--awkward).
After a while, though, everyone was totally impressed and thought it was awesome how I handled it. People aren't being nosy or ignorant; they're just curious! My school newspaper ran a front page story about my team for the Walk to Cure Diabetes this fall, and I had a Facebook group that got over 250 members in one day of kids at my school who wanted to either come to the walk or sponsor my team (About 25% of the students).
People don't think of me as the girl with diabetes; I'm just Emily. Everyone's cool with it, and I don't have to feel awkward or embarassed about diabetes at all. Actually, being diabetic has helped me spread awareness and teach people about it.
Having diabetes in school is actually pretty funny. I love the looks in hallways when people stare at my pump with a confused look on their faces! :) I pretty much get asked about my diabetes everyday, and I always answer their questions with a smile. The only thing that has truly ever made me angry was when people would get "scared or grossed out" by me checking my blood sugar. That made me frusturated because I can't help it... But, overall diabetes has taught me to be a stronger person, and it has given me the opportunity to educate people about my disease.
I hate it when at lunch i'll eat a cookie or something and everyone's like "are you sure you should eat that?" uh..yeah. haha. no one knows anything about the difference between type 1 and 2 and it gets a little annoying having to repeat the difference to every new person i meet. i don't have any problem with telling people i have diabetes, it makes me me, but they need to realize that i do know how to take care of myself and that they don't have any business telling me what i can and cannot do because of it. the only thing i don't really like doing is checking my blood sugar in class. i don't like the feeling of everyone staring at me. so i always feel like when i need to check it, that i need to hide what i'm doing and then i just feel sneaky. it's hard to find a balance.
diabetes in school is so much fun. like a few years ago i was in the nurses office checking my blood sugar and this kid thought i was commiting suside so i started yelling good by cruel world. he fliped out. but now i dont have a school nurse so i dont have anyone nagging at me.
Nice one!
I don't really have a problem with testing during lunch, but it does get kind of annoying when I take a piece of cake or a cookie or something.
But it is fun to freak out people (mainly girls) when I prick my finger. Sometimes if they really bug me I take the cap of the lancet device and shoot the needle at them.
It scares them.
[quote user="Patrick Sullivan"]
Not to be a brag, but I am a guy who a lot of people at my school look up to.
So, being diagnosed with Type-1 has given me the chance to be an amazing example.
Almost everyday somebody asks me about my diabetes,
and I am always happy to share any information they would like to know.
In no way am I embarrassed of my diabetes.
Diabetes is becoming more common with American teenagers.
I don't consider diabetes as a setback but rather a gift.
I know this may sound crazy, but with experiencing diabetes firsthand
enables me to significantly help others whom are new to the disease.
I have written letters to children just recently diagnosed sharing with them my experience and
offering them words of confidence, hoping it will make a difference in their life.
This year I held a 5k race and a Walk for Diabetes.
I also had a speaker come and educate the freshmen health classes about type-1 diabetes.
It was a complete success with many positive responses.
I love doing things like this and plan to do many more in my lifetime.
Helping others find happiness is my calling.
It is something I am very passionate about :)
[/quote]
i agree with a lot of that!
especially because i have met sooo many amazing people from camp and padre and jdrf.
and i like it when people ask questions about my diabetes.
i like being able to inform them so next time they meet a diabetic they understand.
i have been diabetic for over 11 years and i have never had a problem with embarrassment,
or people being ignorant or anything like that.
but i mean, i test in class and at lunch and whenever i need to.
one time my pump died so i was taking shots in classes and people were almost in awe, haha it's
like they are amazed that i don't wince at a needle like they do.
i think that by me not being bothered by my diabetes, nobody else is, either.
but i mean, seriously, diabetes is my blessing in disguise[:
Yea, I feel the same way. I hate when i start eating candy or something and people are like " r u sure u can eat that?" and i always have to explain the diffrence between type 1 and type 2. People are like " so does that mean ur fat?" or something like that. And they always say " Does it Hurt?" or " Can u feel it?". It really bugs me. This one time i was in the nurses office checking my blood and this girl thought i was emo. So i usually dont tell people i have diabetes unless i have to or they ask.