I’m 17& was just diagnosed last week. I’m going back to school after break, Monday. I’m nervous about the daily routine, stress and people’s reactions. I was in school for a few minutes last week and saw one person, most ppl were in classes. her reaction was horrible. any suggestions on what to say back?
Just be calm and collected and be yourself! If you aren't stressing about it that much, other people won't either! Reassure people that you are ok and that everything is under control!!! Don't act like things have changed and don't make yourself into a sob story, cuz then you will get all of those reactions! And be prepared to answer a lot of questions! People are curious! That's just how they are! I remember when I was first diagnosed, a lot of people asked me questions and I let it annoy me, when I shouldn't have! I mean the more people who knew about it the better, right?! Hope your first day back is great!!!
Julie
Hey! I was diagnosed last year around this time when I was 17 as well! Going back to school for the first time since diagnosis was definitely overwhelming, so I totally feel your pain! The fact of the matter is that you can't possibly prepare for every reaction and you're going to be put in that position a lot even after these first few days. My approach? I let my tone of discussion dictate their reaction. So first think about what kind of reactions you'd like to receive. If you tell someone like it's the end of the world, that's how they're going to react. Personally, I've found that most people don't even know how to react, so I try to make the situation as casual as possible. It's tempting to take the "sob story" route because we all know how much of a pain type one can be, but I've noticed that it's just easier to discuss it with people if you're just casual and matter-of-fact about it. And Julie's right; most people I've talked to about it are just genuinely interested because not many people know much about type one diabetes.
As far as your first few days, they will likely be challenging, frustrating, overwhelming, you name it, but after being at this for a year, I can confidently say that the first 1 or 2 weeks are the worst, and from there it gets easier. You'll adjust to the new lifestyle and so will the people around you, before you know it it'll all be second nature! Good luck during this adjustment period, I know you'll be great!
Thanks so much for all the advice Carly & Julie! It’s good to know it gets easier. I was diagnosed a week ago today.