The Post for People Who DON'T Have Diabetes

1. Please stop thinking of me as helpless.
I am a very strong person. Anybody diabetic has to be strong if they want to keep living. I am still a person with feelings, dreams, and fears. I earn a living, I have friends, family, hobbies, interests, and pets. I am capable of making my own decisions about my life.

2. Do not think you are an expert on my illness.
Diabetes was a known illness in ancient Greece. Only in the last 150 years have doctors really learned about the condition and made great strides in treatments. Insulin was not discovered until the 1920's. New information becomes available every day. This means how the disease is treated constantly changes. Once diabetics were forbidden to eat sugar. Now a little bit of sugar is considered alright. What you think you know might be 15 years out of date.

3. Don't tell me what to eat.
I know what I can eat. I know what is not good for me. I know when I can eat and how much. If you see me eating something 'bad' either my sugar has dropped and I need whatever I am consuming, I took enough insulin to cover it, or you're wrong. I have sugar-free candy, low carb pasta, wheat bread, and diet soda. I even have sugar-free syrup. Please do not police every bite of food I eat.

4. My emotions are volatile.
I am especially irritable when my sugar is high. I may hallucinate if my sugar drops too low. I may not be aware of what I am saying. I will not use my sugar as an excuse to be mean if you promise to always treat me with dignity and respect. You know, the way you yourself would like to be treated at all times.

5. DO NOT TELL ME A DIABETIC HORROR STORY.
Don't tell me about your mother-in-law whose sugar went too high and then she was blind afterwards. I already know the effects of diabetes, thank you very much. I understand this disease can cost me my eyes, teeth, internal organs, limbs, and life. There is no need to make me depressed.

6. If I didn't mention it, don't ask.
I think about my sugar 24/7 I do not want to talk about it, particularly not with someone I barely know. And DON'T ask if hurts when I take a shot. Are you dumb enough to think sticking myself with a needle feels good? It's a NEEDLE! You know it hurts.

7. All of my problems are not related to my illness.
Sometimes I just have bad days. Everybody does. I will deal with things the best way I know how.

8. Diabetes may limit what I can do; it doesn't stop me.
Don't ask if I'm 'allowed' to do something. If you see me doing it, I am doing just fine.

9. I'm not about to fall over dead.
So don't freak out because I have a cold or a headache.

10. I won't be offended if you offer to help.
Just like I'm sure you won't be offended if I am in a position to help you.

11. NEVER FORGET: Diabetes is a full time job I didn't ask for, don't want, and can't quit.
There is no cure. My diabetes doesn't 'get better'. I can gain more control. If my condition worsens it DOES NOT mean I am at fault.

12. There are now more diabetics than ever before.
So I urge you to be kind to everyone. You have no idea what a person may be going through.