theres a few things.
1. how sucky it feels to be low
2. needles arent that bad, I hve a needle phobic friend, so thts kinda hard, bu i hae a pump so its not too bad. its still kinda annoying.
but I have one best friend that nos like EVERYTHING. so its good.
I have had diabetes for 20 years, and it never gets easier, I'm sorry to say. The one thing that drives me crazy is that my co-workers think I can't have anything sweet. We have lots of food days at work, and they always pass me over for cake and other sweets. That's fine, because I don't like sweets, but I HATE the assumption that I can't have it. It is assumed that I am like Type 2 diabetics, where I followed an unhealthy lifestyle and now have to follow a strict diet. News magazines and the like always refer to "diabetics" instead of being specific about the type, and there is a general assumption that if you have diabetes you are unhealthy and followed a sugary diet. I HATE THAT!!!
yeah, that's it for me too. My (much) younger sister has always done that. She's VERY squeamish and terrified of needles. I blow up at her every time she does it. It really hurts my feelings though, people just don't understand that, yeah, it sucks, yeah, it's gross, yeah it hurts, and we don't do it because we want to so shut the hell up about what's keeping us alive being 'gross' *end rant*
www.mytypeone.com
For myself, I have a couple friends who care enough to want to know everything. I've gone through some terrible times recently with BG's. What I wish certain people would understand is that I don't have Type 2 and I didn't do this to myself. For two, I really wish people would stop thinking I can't do anything because I have a disease. Meaning that I never get invited to do things because people think I am 'too sick' to do things. I know it's mean but I wish that perhaps, one day, some of these people could wake up in the morning with dawn phenomenon. That way they could have aching kidneys, legs you can't walk on because of nerve pains, and being 17 and having the eyesight of an 80 year old. Then have a low you dropped too so fast you barely feel it. I know it's terribly mean but I wish that for every one person who says 'diabetes' is completely a lifestyle disease, and for every one person who assumes things right away, I wish they could have a day like that. Just to see what it's like to be in my shoes.
Funny thing is, I think I'm a touch grouchy from being low. I better go take care of it and not finish this while I'm low cause... I dont wanna know what I'll end up saying. Haha. [/endrant]
I have actually been super-lucky with this kind of thing. All of my friends are really supportive of me and know that I can take care of myself, but they can tell when I do need help and are always happy to give me a hand. I've never really had a bad experience with a friend and diabetes. The worst would be when one of them accidentally catches my wire, or, when I had the wireless pump, accidentally hit my set in gym. But for the most part, my friends have been totally amazing.
I have actually been super-lucky with this kind of thing. All of my friends are really supportive of me and know that I can take care of myself, but they can tell when I do need help and are always happy to give me a hand. I've never really had a bad experience with a friend and diabetes. The worst would be when one of them accidentally catches my wire, or, when I had the wireless pump, accidentally hit my set in gym. But for the most part, my friends have been totally amazing.
The only minor thing is that sometimes people don't think I can eat sweets, but a quick explanation is all that it takes to reverse that. I've also made sure that all of my good friends know exactly what to do for me in an emergency.
OK, here's one I just thought of. Sometimes, I would like my friends to realize that sometimes I want to talk about it. I think sometimes they may avoid the subject or feel emberassed to ask, but it would be nice if the people I see almost every day took the time to consider how much it can sometime way down on me to deel with diabetes everywhere I go. I wish they could understand that I like talking about it actually, and that I really don't mind them asking and sometimes wished they would.
I've only really been open about my diabetes for a couple of years, although I was diagnosed 35 years ago. The friends that I've had for a number of years either didn't even know about my diabetes or just kind of forgot about it, since I would not act any differently than them, therefore not bringing any attention to myself.
Now that I have resolved to be more open about talking about diabetes and showing outward signs, such as testing BGs in public or asking for a glass of juice specifically because my sugar is low, those long-time friends seem a little awkward about asking anything. They are definitely accepting, but just don't ask questions! Meanwhile, when I meet new people, those are the ones who are curious and ask all sorts of questions, wanting to learn more!
ive been really lucky that most of my friends have known me longer than ive had diabetes. and even my friends that ive met after they dont freak out any more . but i think that i would want them to under stand the highs and lows because their freakin annoying (95% of my friends have been a subject to my venting)
I have to agree completely with A-D. If the people around me could understand anything, I would want them to know how Diabetes has influenced, nay, directed every aspect of my life. In good ways, and terrible ways, it has gotten me to the place I am now. It keeps my eyes open, and defines how I see the world working, and it feels like a big thing to carry.
I would like them to know that YES, I CAN EAT THAT!
As a mother of a 5 year old with diabetes I feel the one thing I wish for my friends to understand is not to fear the condition. Some of Jess's friends parents are petrified to have play dates with her for fear of her highs and lows. Needless to say we have reevaluated our friendships with those parents and others we have just educated so their okay with it now.
i would want them to understand what it means when my bloodsugar is high versus low. it seems like no matter how many times i tell them that i need juice when i'm low and insulin when i'm high, they don't get it. *sigh*
For me, it would be for people to understand that sometimes, I can have something with sugar in it!!
My friends and the people that I live with are constantly monitoring me....This weekend, they even told someone, "She has diabetes, but she cheats--a lot!" I do not!! If I cheated so much, then why are my a1c's in the 5s??? Hmm..That'd be because I rarely cheat and try to take good care of myself. I wish that they would just understand and wouldn't tell everyone my business, you know!!! Grr..It makes me angry.
I had to vent that!! :)
i don't know if i already replied to this, but i would love for my friends to know that i would like to just be able to talk about it. i don't get the chance all that often. my mom says she can understand, but when i tell her no you don't she corrects me and says yeah i do. ok mom take my diabetes and see if you really understand. they don't know what a high blood sugar feels like, they don't know what a real low feels like. yeah sure they might know what it feels like when they haven't eaten, but they really have no clue when your body can't regulate the amount of insulin in your body. it's quite annoying.
I would want them to understand how it affects me everyday and in everything that I do. You can never get away from it or take a break from it. Also, I would like some people to realise how serious it is and that there are serious health complications associated with it. People don't take it seriously and think I am being over dramatic or self-centered. Also one more thing, and this is the last one I promise, when people make comments like "I hate needles," or "that's gross" and when people comment when I drink diet coke. I LIKE DIET COKE! haha
The thing that I would want all my friends to understand is that if they have a question about diabetes for me, that they can ask me. Sometimes they act all awkward or afraid of offending me, but I'd rather have them know whats happening than just sit there and wonder why I'm in a bad mood.
That it's completely different than the "diabetes" they are familiar with (type 2)! Why? Because my 8 year old little girl is constantly given false hope by well-meaning adults who tell her she will "grow out of it." They tell her if she diets & works out, her diabetes will go away. She hears stories all the time... "my cousin lost 50 lbs and his diabetes went away." She doesn't even weight 50 lbs and is so thin that it's unbelievable that anyone would tell her to diet, never mind telling an 8 year old to "work out!" She already does ballet, gymnastics, soccer, ice skating and rock climbing - she asks me "what else am I supposed to do?" Last year, even her PE coach told her that he knew a kid with type 1 who "grew out of it." It's so frustrating as a parent to see your child come home from school so excited because she thinks she discovered something new about how her diabetes will go away - it breaks my heart every time to have to burst her bubble and see the sadness on her face. I know these people aren't trying to do anything wrong, so that's why I wish people could just understand this one thing, so they wouldn't accidentally do this to the little kids who aren't old enough to understand that adults don't always know what they're talking about!
That..... if I have to cancel out on plans at the last minute because I just had a really bad insulin reaction, or I'm too tired and just feeling horrible, they don't look at me like I'm "not dependable." Some friends stopped making plans with me because I have had to cancel plans.