Diabetes can be a lonely disease. You may be the only person in your friend circle who has diabetes. It makes you unique but it also makes it difficult to explain to your friends and family certain things about diabetes. So, we have an article for all your friends and family members to help them understand you a little better.
Dear non-diabetics, here are six things diabetics wish you knew about them. Dear diabetics, you’re welcome!
It’s Not My Fault I am Diabetic
Yes, sometimes poor diet can lead to type 2 diabetes but, most of us have diabetes because of our genetics. In Pune, Dr. Yajnik has been conducting ground-breaking research about the chances of inheriting type two diabetes from the time we are an infant. As for type one diabetes, it is an auto-immune disease where the immune system suddenly attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. It can happen to anyone at any given time. In type two diabetes the pancreas either fails to produce enough insulin or, the body develops resistance towards the insulin produced in the body. Honestly, there are people having terrible diets and they do not have diabetes because they perhaps have better genetics or more resistance to sugar. Diabetics have a tough life and there are times when we feel really low for being able to manage our diabetes well enough and we would really appreciate it if you stop making us feel responsible for having an illness we never asked for.
There is no Cure to Diabetes
Cinnamon does not cure diabetes. A good diet and exercise can help manage diabetes, but it is not a cure. As diabetics, we have people telling us what to do all the time. The thing is, we have already researched everything that is said to be a cure. We have researched for days, and have also talked to our doctors; asked them if there is a cure. So, if you feel there’s a cure, trust us when we say there isn’t.
Managing Diabetes is Not Easy as You May Think
As a diabetic, we constantly think of our illness. Each day is different. Some days our sugar is completely manageable whereas, on other days, our sugars are crazy for no real reason. Even when we are with our friends and family, trying to have a good time, we are thinking about our blood sugar levels. Sometimes we have to check the temperatures outside and make special arrangements in the summer so that our insulin injections don’t get spoiled. We also have to carry S.O.S medicines in case of low blood sugar, and pricking injections hurt! When we sit to eat, we are making calculations in our head to see if we can have another helping or if we can have dessert. This leads us to the next topic:
I Can Have Dessert Sometimes!
I know my pancreas is not working as well as it is supposed to, but that doesn’t mean I can’t have dessert. When our sugar levels are too high, we may choose not to have dessert, but if it is within range, we can have something sweet and regulate our insulin accordingly. In fact, during hypoglycaemic episodes, sugar can save our life!
Insulin IS NOT a Cure
Every diabetic would agree that insulin is amazing. We are able to live a normal life because of insulin. As for insulin-dependent diabetics, we can also agree that without insulin we will die. But that does not mean that insulin is a cure. It is just something that helps us manage diabetes.
I am More Than Just A Diabetic
Lastly, being a minority amongst our friends and family, we often meet people who treat us as nothing more than an ill person. To those people, I’d like to say that we are more than just a diabetic. I am a person, with goals and ambitions. I have likes and dislikes and honestly, I can do anything I want, I can be anything I want. I can be a dancer, a singer, an athlete, etc. I can tour the world and enjoy it. Nothing can stop me, not even diabetes. So, a request to anyone who meets a diabetic, stop treating us like an illness. Rather, just treat us like you’d treat another person.
Please share this article to all your non-diabetic friends and family and ask them to share it among their circle. It’s time we all shed some light on what it’s like to be a diabetic person. We always talk about the illness and never about the person who has it. Lastly, we don’t want anything from anyone. We just want to be treated like an equal.
