Don't worry, it's not catching

[Woodywoodpecker]

I certainly knew nothing about diabetes when I was diagnosed, and thought there were two kinds, one which made you go high and one made you go low. I had a steep learning curve!!!

It is no surprise that many don’t know a lot about diabetes, and much of what they know will be based on news etc of the problem with ‘eating sugar’ . This encourages the misconception that it is just sugar that raises our glucose levels, rather than all carbohydrates. I do get irritated when it is misrepresented in a series, especially where they have someone having a hypo and show them being injected with insulin to sort this out!!!!

I did a training session for our GPs as they had little understanding of managing T1. No surprise as they will see very few people with T1 since a large proportion of us are cared for by the specialist teams at the hospital. They were also keen to understand the pressures that self management places on us. I have also done sessions for a care home, WI, U3A, Rotary Club, …. Anything to raise awareness.

When I returned to work after being diagnosed, was asked where my pen was so they could inject me if I had a hypo. Pleased some off the staff had just done first aid and it included diabetes

 

[Alan44]

When I returned to work after being diagnosed, was asked where my pen was so they could inject me if I had a hypo. Pleased some off the staff had just done first aid and it included diabetes

When I joined St Johns Ambulance some 50 years ago, we covered Diabetes as one of the things to look for with an unconscious patient

 

[Lauren]

When I returned to work after being diagnosed, was asked where my pen was so they could inject me if I had a hypo. Pleased some off the staff had just done first aid and it included diabetes

That is frightening. I wonder if they thought they could just dial up a random amount and go for it?! 😱

I was saying to my husband this morning, there really should be someone trained in each workplace on the basics of Diabetes - at the very least that lower sugar requires glucose, and that insulin will cause low blood sugars.

 

[Woodywoodpecker]

That is frightening. I wonder if they thought they could just dial up a random amount and go for it?! 😱

I was saying to my husband this morning, there really should be someone trained in each workplace on the basics of Diabetes - at the very least that lower sugar requires glucose, and that insulin will cause low blood sugars.

God knows a nearly choked. To be fair my work has been brilliant, if I go low got a space to go to with a first aider, they have done training which included diabetes

 

[freesia]

was saying to my husband this morning, there really should be someone trained in each workplace on the basics of Diabetes - at the very least that lower sugar requires glucose, and that insulin will cause low blood sugars.

Before finishing work, i was a first aider and the only person with T1 there. The people i worked closely with knew where i kept my hypo treatments and kit and were aware of how i reacted to highs and lows. However it occurred to me one day that i could be working in another area and they wouldn't know so i sent a detailed email around to ALL staff giving information about highs and lows, what to look out for and where i kept my kit/treatments if needed. I also said that if i was found unconscious anywhere, to not give insulin but call 999. I asked staff to acknowledge (by emoji or email) that they had read this. I know things can be forgotten at times but i thought that if even one person remembered what they had read then it would help.

 

[Sharron1]

Out walking the horrible hounds the other day, I bumped into a friend of mine with his dog, he looked at me and said "are you one", "one what I said", a "diabetic" he replied (I wear a pin badge bought from the DUK shop) YES, I replied, "but don't worry, it's not catching" then under my breath "you muppet".

I have no problem with being classed as a diabetic and defiantly no problem in talking about it, but his comment "are you one" did p*ss me off a little.

Wow, a friend of yours?

 

[Alan44]

Wow, a friend if yours?

Yes, but he has a very blunt way of saying things, which I understand, but not many others would

 

[louisew]

A guy at our gym is diabetic, he is a personal trainer and ive had a few sessions with him so has hubby we've known him for 5 years he is TI but a lot of people there when they see his CGM on his arm assume he wouldn't be able to do what he does, even his doctor said as much, he has come second twice in Iron man competitions and is at the gym most days from 6am to 8pm sometimes longer.

Nikita on strictly come dancing is type 1 and look at the intensity of his exercise

 

[JimG]

I'm quite happy to talk about having diabetes but do not think that I am "a diabetic". All of us with diabetes are not to be defined by the one characteristic. Nevertheless, many people do not choose their words carefully and if they do say that I am a diabetic, I gently point out that that they are incorrect. I do have to confess that before being diagnosed, I probably said that someone was a diabetic. It's all a question of education but I don't thing I would ever have said, "Are you one?"

 

[Lucyr]

I'm quite happy to talk about having diabetes but do not think that I am "a diabetic".

Having diabetes by definition means you are a diabetic.

 

[JimG]

Having diabetes by definition means you are a diabetic.

View attachment 35079

That's the same definition in the Oxford English Dictionary BUT dictionaries do not define what a word should mean but how it is used and what it means in common parlance. If you want to change attitudes, you have to change the way that we use words. Look at so many other words used to describe various groups and the way that some groups have campaigned to redefine them. I am quite happy to own my diagnosis and accept that I am diabetic, the word used as an adjective. But I do not want to be defined by diabetes alone and so I will reserve the right not to be called "A" diabetic. So, a diabetic person, a person with diabetes are all fine by me if they are used about me but not "a diabetic" and I will continue to point that out to anyone who speaks to me.

 

[Lucyr]

So, a diabetic person, a person with diabetes are all fine by me if they are used about me but not "a diabetic" and I will continue to point that out to anyone who speaks to me

Call me a diabetic all you want, it’s just facts. Just like I’m a woman, an autistic, a northerner.

 

[JimG]

Call me a diabetic all you want, it’s just facts. Just like I’m a woman, an autistic, a northerner.

Each to their own.