So, on every diabetes website I've visited there seems to be a long list of people posting the things ignorant non-diabetics say to them about their diabetes. Whether they're confusing insulin and low blood sugar, asking how they got the disease or if they'll die if they eat sugar, the questions are all amusing, true.
But...do we deserve to call these people ignorant?
There are a hundred diseases I don't know ANYTHING about...why should everyone understand diabetes perfectly just because we have it?
The act of simply asking a question doesn't make a person stupid -- we all ask questions and we all DON'T KNOW a lot of things about a lot things! In fact, I appreciate it when someone asks me about my diabetes because the act of asking a question implies they want to learn! They're curious, they're taking an interest in you and your life, and it's your job as the person who knows so much about the disease to educate people around you.
I didn't know anything about diabetes before I was diagnosed with it, why should anyone else?
I agree; and even though I knew little bits about it before I was diagnosed from growing up with family that had juvenile diabetes, it was something that pertained or necessarily mattered to me. I think there is a difference between being aware, and know everything about it. I also think that the only part people need to necessarily know is that we don't have a cure; so long as they know we need their help, it could hardly matter more whether they know the difference between, ie, Type 1 A or Type 1 B.
Oh that's awesome, I totally agree; we need them to know that we need their help.
Thanks Alyssa.
I agree too but sometimes I can get real fustraited with the questions some people ask. Like, "So, you can't eat sugar?" or "Is that sugar ok?" or "Don't you need to go to the nurse now?" or "Do you need to check right now?" or "I think you should check your sugar 'cause you seem irritated."
I agree with you as well. Sometimes someone really wants to know about your diabetes. But there are other times especially for kids in high school or younger that it can definitely come off sounding mean, and cruel as well. It can be really frustrating to hear "Oh can you catch diabetes, can you eat that ? Eww thats gross... over and over again.
And you are right it is because if it doesnt affect them directly why should they care about diabetes or have to know about it. Before I was diagnosed I could care less myself ...to be honest. My aunt was a type 1 i knew she had to check her blood, took shots and had low blood sugars a lot and when that happened i needed to get her juice but that was the extent of what i knew.
This is why awareness is so important not only for diabetes but for every disease. We the people with the disease need to educate the ones around us that love us or even those same people that may even seem ignorant to us.
I meant to say DIDN'T pertain to me, I misspoke (mistyped?). And off what Gina said, I barely knew anything about diabetes. I knew the stories my mom told me about my aunt (who was constantly in the hospital both due to lack of science to treat it as well as mistreating it herself) and whenever family came over, they did blood sugar checks and took insulin. Did I ever know the impact it made on their life? No. Did I understand the severity of what they went through? Heck no! Even growing up around it if you asked me if there was a cure I wouldn't have known. I thought everyone was fine and dandy before I was diagnosed so long as they took their insulin and did what their doctors told them. I didn't think there were really any "complications" or even that many "dangers." I also grew up with a type 2 diabetic grandpa, so that confused me a bit. Why do my aunts take shots, and my grandpa take pills? Both talked about and checked their blood sugars. It was confusing. I think its important that we do help make everyone aware about it. I think if we were aware of the diseases we don't know about, we could help those find a cure or better treatment as well. Why don't we? Okay, I've kind of got my plate full with my own diabetic soap opera the moment :) But for the people that don't have anything to deal with, I think it could do a lot of good if they knew what we were doing, that THERE IS NO CURE, and actually lend a hand to help.
I think it all comes down to people knowing juvenile diabetes is out there, and so is the cure. We've just got to find it.
Hey, Ginger: you should post this on the forum and see what everyone else has to say about it
That would be interesting :)
Hey Allyssa,
Thanks for all your posts!!! i will post it in a forum, I kind of did in one of the forums about non-diabetics sayings but it was hidden.
Ginger
I found your post in the forums.
Mwa ha ha. Prepare for more of my opinion-posting ;) Even though I'm pretty sure you're at your Alyssa-limit for life. I keep trying to not post ;) I'll try and wait until something REALLY thought provoking comes up and then I'll ramble through all these thoughts in one mega-post ;)
i agree but at the same time i guess we just get irritated when we have to explain it over and over again, but i totally agree :)
I've never really had an issue explaining things to people who are willing to learn, it normally bugs me when they don't get something simple after i've told them multiple times. . . but that's annoying no matter what the subject is, lol. I've been diabetic since I was one, so I've explained it to all different learning levels. so far I think the funniest response I've gotten, was after I told a girl(middle school age) that it was in my genes, and she thought you got it from blue jeans.
i use to get really annoyed but i was also struck with that thought that before i was a T1 i knew nothing except my great grandma ate sugar free candy... we assume because we could all write books about our disease everyone else should... not i usually just laugh when people tell me a new cure out or tell me i shouldn't eat a candy bar (when they dont know im about to pass out cuz my bs is low) or come up with unique excuses for what my pump is because it couldn't possibly be what it really is ... i get some weird ones usually an ipod though ... it give me something to laugh about during the day when people are curious i never have an issue talking and informing ... the one time it makes my skin want to crawl is when people assume that they know more then i do about how i should care for myself and that i need to do their theory... that bugs!!!!