Deary me. They say ‘time flies when you’re having fun’, but how about ‘time flies when you have a 9-5 job, a social life to schedule and calories to burn off at the gym’. I can’t actually believe how long it has been since I made my last blog entry.
Don’t go thinking I’ve forgotten about it. Because I haven’t, and have a genuine reason for my lack of posts. Want to hear it? Unfortunately, my new flat doesn’t have an internet connection. No, really, it hasn’t. Unless you count the 1 bar of signal that occasionally props up from the man who rents the flat below me. But I don’t think he would be too happy about me stealing his internet. And I’ve already tried and the connection was rubbish.
So here I am, with an hour to kill and an internet connection! With 5 full bars which I am perfectly entitled to I might add. Hoorah, this is blog bliss.
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| Yes, I'm still alive! |
So, back to diabetes. That ol’ chesnut. It’s still here. In case you’ve forgotten, diabetes is a long-term disease which isn’t going to have a holiday any time soon. You can read my earlier blog posts and pages to understand more about the disease and how I deal with it.
My last blog post was about when you should (and shouldn’t) tell people you are diabetic. This is a big part of my life right now as I just recently moved to the Big Smoke and started a new career, so I am meeting a lot of new people all the time.
I am dedicating this post to all the non-diabetics out there, who might be unsure how to react to somebody telling them ‘I’m diabetic’. What should your reaction be? Will you have to treat this person differently? Fear not, the answers are all here.
- It’s OK to ask questions
Whenever I tell people I am diabetic for the first time, I can see a battle play out in their minds. One half of them is curious and wants to ask questions, the other half of them is thinking it would be rude to delve into any details and end the conversation there. Personally, I don’t mind people asking questions, when the timing is right. For example, if I’m busy or having a bit of a crap day, the last thing I want to talk about is the disease that probably put me in this grumpy mood. But, if I’m relaxed and have time on my hands, I could natter about it till the cows came home. So my advice would be this: Use your instinct and common sense to determine whether a diabetic is open to talking about their condition. Ask a couple of general questions to test the water, and judging from the response you get, you will know if it is OK to ask more.
- Don’t judge
One thing I hate, I mean REALLY HATE (take notes people) is when people tell me what I should and shouldn’t be eating. There is nothing worse when somebody I hardly know eyes up my chocolate brownie and says ‘Are you sure you should be eating that if you’re diabetic?’. Yes, of course I’m bloody sure or I wouldn’t be eating it. I’m the diabetic here not you, so let me be and trust that I can make these decisions for myself.
- Be supportive
Being diabetic isn’t easy, and it’s really important that we have a close network of friends and family to support us through the down days. There have been times when my diabetes has stopped me from going on a night out, or on a shopping trip. If my blood sugars have been playing up and I’m feeling the after-effects, the last thing I want to do is go out drinking or on a full day shopping bender. If we cancel plans at the last minute, I always feel better knowing that my friends or work colleagues understand that it isn’t me; it’s diabetes making the rules that day.
In a perfect world, diabetics would like to think that they are not treated differently to people with a perfectly working pancreas. But in reality, it actually makes relationships easier when people you know are aware of your diabetes, and how they should respond to it. So the next time your daughter, or your friend, or your work colleague has to cancel plans last minute after a diabetes nightmare, remember that they are entitled to comfort eat with cake.
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