How open are you about your diabetes?

[Copepod]

Agreeing with both Toby and Imtrying, I wholeheartedly agree about not wanting to be held back, nor defined by, having diabetes - I'm sure that many friends would say other things about me eg ducks, adventure racing etc, long before mentioning diabetes 🙂

 

[imtrying]

Sugar diabetes is a very old term, but it does distinguish from diabetes insipidus ("without taste" ie not sweet) in the same way as diabetes mellitus ("honey" = sweet [character of urine in uncontrolled DM).
Depending on the age of person using the term, it isn't necesarily ignorance, just recounting a long learned term, without knowing that term has been updated.

haha well there's me and my ignorance!! learn something new everyday 🙂

 

[katie]

...

So, when are you going to backpack across America?!?

A bit like you, I've been stopped from doing lots of important things by diabetes - eg ban on SCUBA diving ...

Are we not allowed to SCUBA? Or just not instruct? 😱

Good positive post Copepod and I can see that diabetes hasn't stopped you in your travels. As to when am I going to backpack?..... well I left that dream behind years ago and no longer have the desire to do so now, although I am sure the wife would be glad of the break if I did!🙄 Toby.

You should take your wife and go together, it would be great!

 

[Copepod]

Are we not allowed to SCUBA? Or just not instruct? 😱



You should take your wife and go together, it would be great!

(1) Not allowed to SCUBA dive professionally, whether as instructor or marine biology surveyor. So, I decided to take the cheap option and just snorkel for fun, rather than get irritated about restrictions. Getting diagnosed at a SCUBA diving medical, while working as a guide on seal & dolphin swimming tours in NZ, soon after gaining BSc Marine Biology, does mean my experience is somewhat unusual.


(2) Only if both he and his wife want to - holiday ideas tend to change with age...

 

[AlisonM]

I'm pretty open about my diabetes. I refuse to hide in the woodwork and am lucky that my employers have no problems or concerns, or even illusions/delusions about diabetes as there are several folk working with us who have various forms of the lurgy.

Also I am, I suppose, a 'militant diabetic' and while I don't preach. I won't stand for folk making assumptions about the disease or me because of it. I reckon if I'm open and honest I may help correct people's misconceptions of what the disease is and what it means. My early life experiences with exzema have taught me that you have to challenge people if they discriminate against you because of something beyond your control, otherwise you lose out and reinforce their behaviour.

I hope that makes sense.

 

[Copepod]

Agree with education of people, but prefer gentle, rather than militant - that's why I prefer to let people know once they know some other things about me.

Just wondered if my next door neighbour knows, as she handed me a couple of out-of-date golden syrup sponge puddings over the front hedge as I arrived back from shopping on my bike. It's not the first time we've passed food over the hedge or back fence - usually out-of-date food from her or veggies from our garden. If knowing my diagnosis means she wouldn't have given them for my partner and me, then I'm quite glad she doesn't! 🙂