Don't be afraid to talk about Diabetes and you

A moment in my student life 42 years ago:

I met Peter on my first morning at breakfast. Sitting on the outer edge of the refectory, alone at a table that would frighten an agoraphobic, I pondered my ludicrous position. Here was an allegedly intelligent student sitting in a room which could hold hundreds of people and yet the idiot was not engaged in conversation. I made an alarmingly bold decision. I picked up my tray and moved to the centre table, which proved to be full of medics and chemists. One of them was a rugby- playing monument who was clearly puzzled by my arrival. I didn’t feel up to breaking the ice. While sitting there in a zombified condition, I noticed that the man sitting opposite me was wearing a Medic Alert bracelet.
“Are you diabetic by any chance?”
“Yeah, what of it?”
God, I wish I hadn’t just said that. “So am I, that’s all.”
“Oh.”
Thinking that my communication skills were wanting, I quickly finished eating and took the tray to the disposal. As I left the Refectory a voice sounded behind me:
“Do you play snooker?”
“Yes.”
“Shall we have a game?”
“Why not?”
I could not believe my change of fortune. As we went upstairs, Peter was whistling part of a Bach Flute Sonata with extraordinary dexterity, if that is the correct term.
“Do you play the flute?”
“Yes, do you?”
“No, but I recognised the piece you were whistling. I have a recording of Jean-Pierre Rampal playing it.”
“So do you play anything?”
“Yes, the piano and the organ”.

He then told me that he was still learning from Sebastian Bell, of the London Sinfonietta and he also apologised for being abrupt at breakfast. While at school, he was studying Sciences with a view to taking a Medicine Degree at Cambridge. Unfortunately he was taken very ill with newly diagnosed diabetes at the time of his exams and Cambridge kindly said they would look at him the following year. Thus he came to King’s and ever since has referred to The Enemy as “The Old B*****d”. He is still a great friend today

 

I have spoken about my diabetes a couple of times to clients. One of them was th mother of a woman in her thirties who weighed about 150kg (or maybe more). The mother was also overweight and had some diabetic symptoms. This was not too long after my diagnosis so I was still feeling shame but my levels were well into the normal range and I had lost weight- maybe 20 kg by that stage. I spoke because they had not found this site- don't think either of them have computers and I was heartbroken that they had not found the information that changed my life. That was enough for me for move past my shame. I still don't speak about it much- I still find it hard but I am trying to get it out there more. aKeto has not only put my blood sugars into the normal range it has cured my asthma- just think how less burdened the medical systems could be if doctors were more on board. Also if younger people were given this info before they developed diabetes. My 2 younger brothers have ulcers on their legs- it is sad. One is still in complete denial- hopefully that will change.

 

I wonder whether that's more to do with finding it a bit boring? If someone asks me specifically about it (usually family) then I'm happy to give them an update but out in the general public, or with colleagues etc I never bring the subject up. I find it's a bit like someone at work talking endlessly about their IBS or any other aspect of their health. I really don't mind talking about it if the subject happens to crop up but other than a fellow sufferer, who actually cares? It's different for everyone of course and I guess for some (your bandmates maybe?), there are other reasons. It could just be different personalities I guess!

 

It's actually nice when you see a fellow diabetic's little stash! I have a colleague who keeps his little bottles of lucozade in the works fridge, someone 'borrowed' it leaving a little note saying soz and that they would replace it!!!! On his behalf (and my own) I went on the rampage following that one and it's not happened since.

 

Sounds like my wife-to-be biting the heads off fellow students in the flat who raided my milk!

 

with 1 in every 15 in the UK, no one should have to go far to find another diabetic

I'm happy to say I am, and to extol the results from low carb.

 

I found being open about it to everyone work wonders.

I have shared it on social media, I am have also done an interview with a you tube channel about it.

There is nothing to be embarrassed about and it is funny who you will come and speak to you about it.

I also don't want anyone to go through what I went through, so the more people I can speak to and help the better.

 

I do like your style but I just have a thing about the finding 'being open about it' phrase, it makes it sound like a crime as if not talking about it is somehow hiding it away. It's certainly nothing to hide and in my view not really anything to talk about either. If you like, to me it's a 'nothing much as far as anyone else is concerned', apart from on this site of course because we're in the same boat and come here specifically to talk about it. When other people (non diabetic) mention it they say it in whispered tones, you feel like saying 'Yes, I'm so and so and I'm a diabetic....'. as if you're revealing some big, dark secret.

 

I can understand where you're coming from. I've always happily discussed my type 1 with anyone, and definitely mentioned it at work so I don't get any awkwardness when I suddenly inject at lunch. Having said that I had a weird feeling about starting on the libre, because it suddenly made my invisible disability visible (or at least more of a conversation starter). I ended up starting with the libre sensors in the winter, so was completely used to having the sensors on by the time the weather was warm enough for short sleeves again. It is funny at work, as there are a few libre users and there have been some unexpected positive conversations as a result.