When people talk about diabetes with dread...

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Pigeon

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
How do you feel and react when other people talk about diabetes as if it's the worst thing ever?

I try not to talk about my diabetes much as I don't want it to define who I am, and don't want people to think I'm moaning about it. I got T1 three years ago, while I was in my current job. I had a week off then came back and tried to carry on at work as normal.I tend to deal with hypos quietly at my desk as I don't want a fuss.

A few days ago at work a girl asked "did your life change much when you got diabetes?". So I said "well, yes..." and explained that I'd just had a rough few days with loads of hypos and was feeling quite down about it. Then she ignored that and just waffled on for ages about how her mum and dad are both T1 and she's worried she's at high risk, and is constantly getting paranoid thinking she's too thirsty or tired and must have got diabetes.

I can understand her being worried about her family and her inherited risk, but I just felt it was a bit insensitive to ask how I was doing then show no interest at all in the answer and talk about her dread of getting it. Yes, diabetes is serious and changes your life a lot, and if she was unlucky enough to get it then I would want to help her through it. But I don't really need to hear all about her worries of something that might never happen, when I'm already living with it.

Anyone got any suggestions of what I could say next time she starts on this topic?
 
Good point, I did ask that and she has been tested plenty of times and hasn't got it. Also I pointed out that the symptoms are really extreme thirst and peeing, so the occasional thirst doesn't mean you have it.
 
Hi Pigeon,

I do sympathise with you. Some people can be very insensitive.


You sound like you have a good head on your shoulders and I like how you know there is more to you than just that fact you have diabetes.

I dont have it, my Son does, so I cant really empathise, but I really hope O grows up with the same kind of positive attitude as you have.

Seeing my son's skinny little body in a hospital bed, wired up to drips is a sight I never want to see again, and I know how serious diabetes is and what the possible consequences are.
But it is manageable, there are far worse things that people are living with and a saying I saw on this forum actually was ''well managed diabetes is the main cause of absolutely nothing''!!
O can do everything his friends do, and he lives the same life he always has, just with a few adjustments.
So without undermining what diabetes is, my answer to this girl would be ''get a grip''!! What will be will be, diabetes is totally random ( as we found out!) and there are worse things out there.
Keep up the good work and stay healthy!! 🙂
 
I got really annoyed with a couple of people one day talking about it as though I couldn't hear them and I told them having diabetes didn't mean I was deaf so kindly make sure I was out of ear shot if they wanted to carry on their misinformed conversation. When they carried on like I was stupid I said and I'm not daft either and if they weren't carefull I'd report them for singling my disability out.

One of them came back later and appologised and asked where she could find out more. I'm not sure if she ever did look here, but I'm glad I was able to point at least one of them here!
 
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