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.

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... 

Sixth Sense

I think I have a sixth sense. But unlike the creepy kid from that Bruce Willis film, my 6th sense isn't in the slightest bit interesting. 

Photo from here

 Unless you're diabetic that is. Because I'm pretty sure I have a 6th sense for predicting hypos.

Let me explain.

So you may or may not be aware that I moved to London last weekend. For some bizarre, unexplained reason it has sent my blood sugars AWOL.

Maybe it is the slight temperature change. Maybe it is all the extra walking I'm doing. Maybe it is tube stress. Maybe it is the lack of funds for food. 

Whatever the reason, my blood sugars are going L-O-W. A lot. And its annoying.

I had my pump levels all sorted out, but this recent lifestyle change has cocked it all up.

BUT I can see(or rather feel) it coming. Thanks to my 6th sense.

You see, when you have a hypo, there are the classic symptoms. Shakiness, sweatiness, paleness and a racing heart are sure signs that your blood sugar level is dropping below 4. If you want to be all technical, click here. If you don't know that when your blood sugar level hits 4, you're probably going to end up on the floor. 

Explaining hypoglycemia to non-diabetics is a challenge, but this YouTube video goes through it pretty well. 

But a few times this week I have been going about my business and suddenly felt 'weird'. I can't explain it, but there is this feeling inside me like something is just wrong. 

Yet when I test my blood sugar, the levels seem OK (between 7 and 9). So obviously I'm not alarmed and carry on with what I'm doing. But sure enough, an hour or so later, that familiar 'hypo' feeling hits me and my levels have dropped way below 4. 

Oh crap



I've had some trouble contacting my nurse about this. Not about my 6th sense(don't think she would take that too seriously), but the fact that my blood sugars are going hypo a lot more frequently in this new routine. Since I am working 10-6, and baring in mind I leave the house at 8.45am to fight my way on to the tubes, I am not physically able to call up my diabetes centre.

Perhaps tomorrow I will sacrifice some of my precious lunch break in the hope that I will get through to someone. 

Until then, I will use my diabetic superpowers to try and prevent some of these hypos from becoming too nasty.