Hi Chloe,
That's a tough one! I wish my family and friends had been as interested and bothered as yours about my diabetes, but at the same time I do understand your frustration and feelings. It's good that you've come on line to chat, perhaps - after some more replies and a day or two's reflection, you could talk to them about it?
It's hard having diabetes (I was diagnosed and grew up in the era when you were "a diabetic"
), especially because most of the time you'll spend life confronting the pig-ignorant, ill-informed and utterly stupid and you'll find yourself explaining the basics to people time and time and time again.
I guess that few of your family - and even less of your friends - have been on an education course about diabetes and so they will be both curious and concerned for you. The hard part - for them as much as you, is how to be concerned and supportive without being overly involved.
Perhaps you could try to discuss it by asking them how they feel about you having diabetes, and what concerns and questions they have? Perhaps they feel clueless and helpless? If so, being able to talk about it will help you all find the best way to deal with it... we often forget - especially in moments of hypo/hyper-glycaemia driven anger or depression that diabetes affects everyone in the family, and not just the person with diabetes. (And sometimes, parents and siblings may hold feelings of guilt about you getting it and not them.)
If you don't feel comfortable or brave enough to start the conversation, point them in the direction of this or other forums about diabetes so that they can see the issues we face on a daily basis, and so help them get a better idea of how they may support you without becoming a nag.
Good luck and very best wishes,
Conrad
