At 14-years-old, I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, a chronic condition where the pancreas does not produce insulin on its own, therefore needing constant attention from the individual it impacts. Throughout my time on team diabetes, I’ve encountered some interesting questions to put it nicely.
1. "Didn't you get diabetes from eating too much sugar?"
Attention world: Type 1 Diabetes does not result from a poor diet or too much sugar as you are growing up! The true cause of the disease is actually unknown, but many doctors say it is genetic. So no, I was not loading up on the candy bars and regular soda as a kid.
2. "Should you be eating that?"
This question honestly bothers me to my core. While I know it almost always comes from a good place, would you ask an obese person if they should be eating that cheeseburger? Most likely not. Because my disease was not caused by a neglectful diet, I am allowed to eat virtually anything I want. All I need to do is take insulin for whatever I consume and I’m all set!
3. "Doesn’t that hurt?!"
It is safe to say that I hear this question at least once a day. I am required to test my blood sugar with finger sticks at least five times a day or more depending on what I’ve eaten or what I am doing. Also, I have to take insulin shots with everything I eat as well as to correct for high blood sugar numbers. Yes, it hurts to poke my fingers and take shots all of the time. Yes, it gets annoying to do it constantly. No, I will not do it somewhere else because you don’t like needles.
4. "I knew you were coming for dinner, so I made you a different dinner than what we are having."
To all the moms in my life that ever thought this was a good idea, thank you, but I’m sorry. I know you took the time and effort to make not one, but two dinners because you thought I had some specific dietary restrictions, but it really just makes me feel more isolated than ever. Like I said above, I can eat anything I would like because I can take insulin to correct for it. It’s sweet that you thought of me, but there was no need to leave me out of your delicious, carbohydrate filled meal.
5. "If your blood sugar is low, you just take insulin!"
Something I’ve always found important was to teach my friends what to do if I were to ever have a diabetic emergency. There was always one who thought that my insulin would bring my blood sugar levels back up to normal, instead of down like it’s designed to do. Just so we are all aware, non diabetics have insulin in their body too. My pancreas decided to just stop working so I have to do it manually. Friendly reminder: do NOT give me insulin if my blood sugar is low!
6. "Is yours the good or the bad kind?"
Well, if we are being perfectly honest, I don’t think either kind of diabetes is “good.” However, type 1 diabetes is not curable, so I guess we can call it the bad kind. Type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, can be treated and reversed with a better diet and an increase in exercise.
7. "I can totally relate to how you feel. My grandma’s cat had diabetes. It died."
Oh wow, thanks for the support! Again, much like a lot of these statements, you really say this with the best of intentions. I don’t want you to relate to how I feel because that means you would be living with this disease like I am daily and that is not fun at all. And just because your grandma’s diabetic cat died does not mean it was diabetically related. This one, however, always gives me a good laugh.
Living with type 1 diabetes for the past nine years of my life was never easy, and I don’t think it ever will be. It is just something I have grown to accept as a part of me and I will always try to make the best of it. Remember these the next time you find out someone has diabetes because it may save you in the long run!
