Awkward moments

[AndBreathe]

One day last week, at a business meeting, I encountered someone I had met around this time last year. In other words, before my diagnosis. The upshot is that she didn't recognise me, at all, and it led to a bit of an awkward moment, for her. I was absolutely fine with it. I mean, she meets a lot of people in a year, and why would she recall me – especially as I have lost a bit of weight (not masses, but enough to go from modest love handles to super-skinny)? My hair is also changed, which was always in the plan, because of spending so much time in the sun. It's gone from shoulder length blonde, with very posh high and low-lights, to my natural, fair, salt and peppery with a natural white streak in the fringe, and of course, I'm now well and truly toasted from all those months in the sun.

But, it made me start to think about those sorts of situations, as I start to mingle more with my business contacts. I guess I'll decide as I go along how I deal with it, but I could do with deciding on a "passive reveal", if necessary (a bit like with this lady) to an "up-front addressing", “Didn't you recognise me since I trimmed up?” You know, something I can play out without too much thought, in the moment.

I'm happy enough to go down the “I wanted to lose some weight, and it was easier then I thought, once I started” route, as that's true; just not the whole story. I don't intend to make the diabetes declaration en-masse, as most people don't care anyway.

Has anyone else been in this situation?

 

[Bluetit1802]

Yes, I have. I recently attended a funeral of an old work colleague. It was more like a work re-union than a funeral, with a couple of dozen ex-colleagues I hadn't clapped eyes on in 14 years. Then I was over weight with long, straight brown hair and in my early 50's. Now I am slim with short curly whitish-greyish hair (thanks to chemo) and 14 years older. I didn't expect anyone to recognise me, and maybe they wouldn't have had I not been with my daughter who still works there and is well known! I was really apprehensive beforehand, almost didn't go, but glad I did and pleased to note everyone said how well I look. I recognised everyone. It was some of their names I couldn't remember!