Happy D-Blog Day everyone! I wanted to blog today and let you know the 6 things I want you to know about diabetes. And, yes, that is Lenny The Lion from Medtronic Minimed from the JDRF Walk To Cure Diabetes on Saturday. :)
1. No, I did not catch diabetes in the air when I was 4 years old. Diabetes is not a cold, we don’t “catch diabetes.” Type 1 Diabetes is not something you catch and it’s not contagious.
2. You can’t take a vacation from diabetes. It’s there 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. We can’t take a vacation from it, but I sure do dream about the cure an awful lot. :) That day will be the BEST day in a lot of lives, not only in my life, but in the lives of a lot people, their families, and friends. :)
3. Yes, as a diabetic, I CAN eat cake, and sugar, and bread, and pasta, and desserts. It is okay every once in a while (at least for me) because I know I don’t have a lot of desserts, but when I do, it’s not that often, and it’s a small amount, just enough to taste. I allow for what I eat with insulin, and LOVE my insulin pump. :)
4. Insulin is not a cure. Just because we all take insulin doesn’t mean we suddenly are cured of diabetes. I don’t know how the cure will be found, but if it’s ever in a shot, that’s when I’ll say I’m cured from my diabetes, and actually be happy about getting a shot. Insulin is a life line, it is not a cure; it’s what keeps us alive.
5. Diabetics are AWESOME people and there are a lot of resources out there now. When I was diagnosed 17 years ago, there was no one. I was the only one in my school who had diabetes. I was the only one in my area that had diabetes. That all changed when my sister, who is not a diabetic, and I and my mom and aunt, traveled to Washington, D.C. when we were 10, and met 100 other young people with diabetes at the first JDRF Children’s Congress where Jackie and I were the first delegates from Nevada, and that is when I met other people who were dealing with the same things I was and felt the same way. Today, there is a whole diabetes community online now and are blogging, vlogging, and talking to each other, and meeting up, like Keri, Allison, George, Chris from Diabetic Rockstar, Manny from TuDiabetes, Alexis, Elizabeth Edelman, Scott, Amy, Gina, and many, many more!
6. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. It’s okay. I love when people ask me questions or ask if I am okay. I am very very grateful to people caring about me. There are no stupid questions, and people should know that if you’re worried about something a diabetic is eating, its better to ask them if what they’re eating will cause them trouble than it is to make a blatant statement like, “you shouldn’t be eating that.” The truth is, diabetics can eat many things, within reason, but they need to account for it with insulin.
7BONUS! Just for the record, my name is not “Did you test?” or “What’s your number?” :) Growing up I had to bite my tongue because there were times those questions bothered me, but I also know that I am blessed and it’s much better to have people who care enough to ask about your health than it is to go through life knowing no one has your back.
