I have always wanted a tattoo, but could never decide on what would be the appropriate glyph. Until I was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes.
When I am asked why I do not have a tattoo, I usually joke that God made me such a handsome masterpiece that infringing on his creation would be blasphemous.
Truth be told, I watch Miami Ink and I'm like "Dayum I gots to get me some of that body art," but as a shy, busy, broke dad living in the North who never goes to the beach or takes off his shirt, getting inked has fallen to the bottom of my priorities. In college, I thought about getting the pisces symbol on my chest because I was born in March, but the pisces symbol is a sideways '69' (kind of corny) and astrology makes no sense to me. ('What's your sign, baby?' etc.)
So when I read that the JDRF and med professionals recommend that Type I diabetics get a medical alert bracelet, I thought, "Why buy bling when I could ink myself?"
If it is in my interest to permanently mark myself as having this condition, why should I get a piece of jewelry that I could potentially lose/forget/be tempted to sell/melt down into alloy? A tat, unlike a diamond, is forever.
Potential downsides to doing this would be that I would be giving myself a "scarlet letter" or a stigma-- marking or labeling myself as a diabetic when I am actually so much more. However, I am pretty secure in my identity beyond diabetes (uh, I think...) that I still am open to the option of body art. As I once read, "Getting a tattoo is a way of telling your life story."
That is when I read the story of Dustin Rykert, an American NFL player, who got 'Type I Diabetes' tattooed on his arm. Rykert's rationale for the tattoo was that a diabetic bracelet did not withstand the rigors of playing football so he chose to mark himself with a tattoo. Years before Kris Freeman's rise to fame, Rykert was a professional athlete who risked taking the field with Type I diabetes, and, in my opinion did so responsibly.
To read about Dustin Rykert's tattoo, go here: http://www.diabeticlive.com/articles/337/1/Tattoo-Contemplation-For-The-Diabetic/Page1.html
Dustin, I have no idea if you are a good football player or a good person, but thank you for bringing this idea to the mainstream! I will consider it.
How about you, readers? Show me your tats! (via link to flikr-like sites -- juvenation does not allow uploading of pics at this time, it seems)
I got a Virgo symbol on the top, center of my back complete with angel wings on the sides. I wanna add my sons' astrology symbols below the wings, but I have a similar problem as you, one son is a Cancer. Another sign for Cancer is a crab, neither symbol is too appealing, but it is what it is. :) I don't have diabetes myself, but I am consideing getting the awareness ribbon tattooed, either over my heart or on the inside of my wrist.
I also went with a tattoo for medical id. It's my avatar. Send friend request to see photos on my page of the tattoo. Not sure what happened but I have uploaded a bunch of pictures.
Keith221! I am glad you commented! I saw your tat in your avatar last week and I forgot your name.
I also uploaded pics to my profile and they did not show up. That's ok. I can deal with plain text and links!
I have the word 'hope' tattooed on my left wrist positioned so that i can read it. I got it spontaneously when i finally got my hope back. I was diagnosed at 9 and was so very sad and in denial and the constant up and downs of living with diabetes made my hope of a normal life and acceptance slip away. When i finally got my hope back, that I can live a normal life and be happy with myself, I got it tattooed so that it is a constant reminder and I can't ever lose hope again. It definitely has helped me out since I've gotten that tattoo [about 8 years ago]. It's simple, my own handwriting, but it does the trick. Makes me realize how far i've come since my diagnosis 20 years ago. As for Miami Ink, have you ever seen the episode when Darren Brass [who is also type 1] does a tattoo for a guy who wants a diabetes related tattoo on his arm? It's pretty cool. Made me want another one.
Awesome story! That is great!
No I have not seen that episode. I will try to find it and post it!
I was diagnosed at 27 so I did not have to go through adolesence as a diabetic. I have so much admiration for people who did. Adolesence is some rough times anyway.
I won't show you that tats, sorry (they're on my boobs). I have two- one is an angel holding a copy of Alighieri's "The Inferno" and the other is a little devil holding a copy of Alighieri's "Paradiso.
I actually was going to get a tat of a medic alert bracelet but my job objected. The boobs, I can hide. The wrist/forearm, not so much. I love the tats- they make me laugh every time I see them. I was REALLY careful about watching for infection and picking good tat places to actually put them on. I wouldn't trade the experience for anything. Oh- if diabetics have the choice between tats and piercings, go with the tats. FAR less infection (I have 20 holes in ears and two nose piercings... most are completely closed).