Something to declare

First off, I'm sorry.

It has been a while since my last post, and whilst I never ever forget about my diabetes, my blog has been neglected over the last couple of weeks. This is due to a recent move to the Big Smoke, and I'm still in the process of finding my feet and settling into my new life.

View from the office...

My new job and move has inspired this particular blog post. I have met a lot of new people in the last fortnight, and at some point the little voice inside my head pipes up, 'Should you tell them you are diabetic?'.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not ashamed by my diabetes or my insulin pump by any means. I welcome any opportunity to get out my new toy and show it off to anyone who is foolish enough to ask questions. But it is always a little awkward and daunting bringing it up with new people.

So, when should you tell people you are diabetic?

• If you are working with them

It's always a good idea to tell employers and colleagues that there is a legitimate excuse for the four bottles of lucozade labelled 'Don't touch!' on your desk. You aren't greedy, you are diabetic and cautious. They should know what to do if anything goes wrong, and who to contact.

Hands off. Photo from here

• If you live with them

In my 'dream world', I share a penthouse suite with my best friends who understand my diabetes better than I do, and know what to do or what I need if I go hypo(low blood sugar) or hyper(high blood sugar). In reality, I live in a pokey little flat with strangers, who know nothing about diabetes and thinking going 'hyper' is something kids do when they drink five bottles of coke simultaneously. These people live with you, they should know! And pop their head round your door if they haven't heard from you in a couple of days. That's important.

• If you like them

In my experience, people don't run away when I tell them I am diabetic. Not often anyway. If you meet someone who you think is 'boyfriend/girlfriend' material, or a group of people who have potential to be long-term friends, then tell them! Diabetes is a part of your life, like it or not, and opening up will help them to understand you better.

So in what cases shouldn't you tell people you are diabetic?

• When you are drunk

On one very rare evening when I was feeling particularly intoxicated, I told security bouncers outside a nightclub I was diabetic, in hope that it would change their minds about letting me into the club. For some absurd reason, they thought that me falling over onto their feet, was proof that I was 'too drunk' to even think about coming in. I proceeded to tell the bouncers that I wasn't drunk, I was diabetic.



"Do I look like I care about your blood sugars?" Photo from here



Surprisingly, this didn't work. Neither did slurring 'You are being diabetic-ist!!!' (discrimination towards diabetics). The moral of this story is, don't tell people you are diabetic when you are drunk. People don't care, and you don't make sense. At this point, alarm bells should be ringing and you should promptly return home, hanging your head in shame.

• At a job interview

There is no need to tell people about your condition at an interview. It's only relevant to tell employers once you actually have the job and you will be working with them. Whilst it is illegal for companies to discriminate against people with any disability, it still happens. Sad, but true.

So now you have my take on when diabetes should be kept under wraps, and when it should be shouted from the rooftops (not literally).

My next blog post, which I promise will be very soon, will be a take on how to react to this information, as a non-diabetic.

Stay tuned, and keep reading.