Ive lived with T1D for over 32 years. More than 80% of my life. Throughout the years, Ive passed out, done blood checks and taken injections while in public places, on numerous occasions. Although not my preferred locations to manage my diabetes in order to STAY ALIVE, I do what I have to do to maintain my health. Ive been stared at, been consoled and received empathy, and yes, even received the looks of horror as others have witnessed me doing all these things that are needed to keep living. I always do my best to answer questions and share knowledge when Im approached by strangers, just to make it easier for other T1s. Adding a service dog to my management toolbox draws even more attention and opens the door to even more gawking and (sometimes intrusive) questioning. Im happy to help, and I knew going in, that adding a DAD (Diabetic Alert Dog) to my routine would incite even more attention while I fight this battle. For the first time I can remember, I was looked at as if I was a pariah the other day. I was at the store with Kane (DAD in training) and was minding my own business, putting my items on the belt at the checkout. Kane was laying quietly between my feet and a man (mid-50s) gets in line behind me and is oblivious of the service dog watching my every move. The man reaches around me to grab one of those order separating plastic divider thingies (I have absolutely no clue what those are called), and bumped me, revealing the CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitor) site I wear in my upper arm. He turns to apologize and sees the now visible CGM transmitter and says whats that? I simply said, its a medical device -- I was in a bit of a hurry and quite frankly, didnt want to spend the time explaining exactly what the CGM does or how I use it to stay healthy. No lie: the man backed away from me, with an expression that clearly showed his repulsion. It was as if he thought I was contagious and he was terrified hed catch whatever it is I have. He picked up the items he had already placed on the conveyor belt, and moved to another check stand. I literally laughed to myself and shook my head in disbelief. Then, I was immediately saddened. Not because I was ashamed or embarrassed of my condition; hell, Im pretty damn proud Ive lived as long as I have and stayed healthy against all odds. It saddens me that had I been one of the millions of children fighting this disease, it may very well have caused some insecurity or shame. A newly diagnosed child, or his parents, may already be self-conscious and dealing with emotions I cant begin to describe. Looking at them with disgust could be detrimental. To be fair, I hadnt given the man an explanation as to what type of device he had seen, nor had I taken the time to describe its purpose. However, its baffling how quickly people will jump to conclusions and think the worst. It was a reminder to me to ALWAYS take the time to explain, educate, and spread awareness and to always try and react in a considerate manner when Im confronted with things I may not understand. To all the T1 kids out there, please know Im fighting for you and trying to pave a path of understanding. I pray youll never be judged by ignorant people and will always be proud of your accomplishments and revel in your everyday victories as you battle this disease and kick its butt! #weneedacure
Posted on: Sat, 22 Nov 2014 23:32:11 +0000
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