I have the most wonderful dog.
His name is Charlie, he is a 10 year old West Highland White Terrier. He doesn’t know what diabetes is but, he knows what an injection feels like (because he has his vaccination every year). Every day, when I have to inject my insulin, he comes close to me, sits in front of me without making a sound, sometimes I think he doesn’t even breathe, and stares at me when I do my injection. After I finish injecting, he approaches me, looks at me and waits for a cuddle.
He does this every day and every night, every time that I am at home and I inject.
He has never missed one injection.
Charlie knows about my diabetes. Although he doesn’t know what it is, he respects how it must feel like.
But, not all people are like Charlie. So, not all people deserve to know.
Some people, like my parents, or my partner whom I trust, know about my condition.
Also, a very close friend knows as well.
However, I have not discussed my condition with my colleagues or other random friends.
The reason I do this, is not because I am embarrassed about my diabetes; on the contrary, I am very proud of myself for coping with it. I am almost learning to love it because it is part of who I am.
The reason that I do not discuss my diabetes is because not all people around me are loving, caring, comforting human beings who will show understanding or compassion or even, some form of respect.
There are people out there, and I happen to work with some of them, who enjoy making other people’s life difficult. They take pleasure out of degrading people, making them feel inferior, insufficient or “damaged”.
And, unfortunately, I cannot choose to collaborate only with the people that I like.
So, for me, there are two ways of handling the issue.
Either, to speak openly about my diabetes and have to constantly confront (open or hidden under a smile) insulting comments (which may come either due to genuine ignorance or from deliberate meanness.) The problem with this approach is that, although some days I feel confident and strong to tackle every ugly remark, there are some other days that I feel tired or weak (and I don’t want to have to leave my desk in order to run to the lavatory to cry… and I certainly don’t want to allow to others to make me hate myself for having diabetes.)
Or, I can just share the important and private things in my life only with the ones I trust… after all, it is not so bad to keep private things…well, private… not everyone needs to know everything…
A health condition of whatever nature is a very private thing. You can choose to be open about it or not. There is no wrong or right about it. I have, personally, realized that my life is easier when some people just do not know…
Sugary hugs to all
Josephine