A Pumping Pinocchio

This week saw me doing some weird and wonderful things whilst out and about on my new internship. 

One of these new experiences involved a fish pedicure. Yes, you read that right, a fish pedicure. What does a fish pedicure entail, well I'll show you. 

They were loving it.

That is a picture of me, having my feet eaten my some adorable fishies. I say eaten, it was actually more like gentle nibbling. And it felt as weird as it looks. Not least because I hadn't shaved my legs, my feet smelt and I had about twenty people staring at my tootsies. 

You've probably seen this new phenomenon on the telly. Garra rufa fish, imported from Turkey, are supposed to enjoy eating away at your dead skin cells, leaving you with baby soft feet. It can cost anywhere between £10 and £50, and you leave your feet in the water for about half an hour.

I was lucky enough to have mine for free though, just as well cause I'm not sure if I would pay actual money for fish to eat my feet. So there I was, preparing myself for this new experience when the owner of the fish asked me to fill out a health and safety form. 

Uh oh. I knew what was coming. Sure enough, under name, age, address etc was the dreaded:

'Any pre-existing medical conditions, such as diabetes?'

'Um yes, but I'm not going to tell you that!'. I don't know why, but the rebel inside me never ticks that box on a health form. 

Its the same when I fill out a job application. Do you consider yourself to be disabled? 'Well no, but I've received disability living allowance until I was 18, so technically....'

I think it all stems back from when I was 16, and newly diagnosed. I was finding my feet as a 'divabetic', and wasn't sure of the boundaries I could push with new condition. 

I was desperate to get the top part of my ear pierced, and went into Claire's Accessories one weekend with my friend. I hadn't told my mum, and planned on giving her a big surprise when I returned home. I'm a lovely daughter like that.

Once the Claire's lady verified I was old enough, she got me to fill in a health and safety form. It was the first time I had come across the dreaded 'pre-existing condition' question, and I was petrified that if she knew I was diabetic, she wouldn't give me my much sought after piercing. 

This will be me one day...Pic from here





So I lied. And I haven't been able to come clean since. I know its bad, and these precautions are only in my best interest. 

I have since learned that the reason health professionals ask you this question is because diabetics take longer to heal from cuts and open wounds, and are more prone to catching infections. 

There are certain guidelines you are advised to follow when it comes to diabetes and piercing's, or tattoos, or anything invasive really. Click here for more information. 

Of course no diabetic wants to feel like they can't go get a piercing or a fish pedicure when they feel like it, and if you are anything like me, you like to feel invincible against diabetes. 

Like some sort of superhero, I like to challenge my diabetes and test the boundaries. By having my ears pierced, getting a tattoo, and wearing skyscraper heels I feel as if I am saying take that diabetes - try and stop me!

The battle continues...