Friday, April 29, 2005

Type 1, Type 1.5, Type 2

I've gotten used to non-diabetics giving me a confused look when they find out I'm a diabetic. My brother joked with me after being diagnosed saying "When I found out from Mom & Dad I thought, 'but she's not overweight.'" My normal description goes something like this: "Well, I'm a type 1 diabetic, which is also known as Juvenile Diabetes. I have cells that are attacking my pancreas as opposed to type 2 diabetics (the majority of diabetics) whose pancreas has kind of gotten worn out." It's a ridiculous description of both diseases, but it's about all people can handle who have no real idea what diabetes is. I sometimes go into more dept about how type 1 diabetics have to take insulin all the time since their pancreas in the end will stop working all together, and type 2 diabetics can take oral meds and diet/exercise to improve their diabetes, but not get rid of it all together. Most people just don't know.

I read the article on Martha's site about the woman who is working with her kids to get them not to eat candy & junk food. Her heart is in such a good place, trying to keep her kids healthy and teach them good eating habits, but it is frustrating that she didn't do any amount of research on diabetes to determine the difference. This doesn't make me angry so much as annoy me. But then I think of the plethora of diseases that I have no idea about, that I may possibly refer to in an incorrect way sometimes without knowing. Granted, I'd hope I would double check my facts before sending a letter to the editor... but still!

I'm lucky that it is me with the disease and that I'm not a parent of a young type 1. That's what probably scares me the most, thinking of little kids who face this. I'm an adult and can figure all of this out on my own. I know the risks, I know what I have to do to keep it in control, I know how to explain this disease to those who don't understand it. I'm just so impressed with all the parents to face this everyday for their child.

It does frustrate me to see friends who have a family history of type 2 diabetes who are overweight. I want to shake them and say "I know it's hard to loose weight, but it's much more difficult to deal with diabetes and try to get healthy after the fact!" But I bit my tongue.

5 Comments:

At 12:00 PM, Blogger Tekakwitha said...

To 'Living With Diabetes' - I looked for a place to comment on your site but didn't find that as an option. I just wanted to clarify that I do realize some type 2 diabetics don't take oral meds and have to take insulin. I was just explaining how I usually don't go into great detail when describing the differences of type 1 & 2 to people who don't have much of an idea about either. Hence my very abbreviated and over generalization of both types. Granted, I don't know nearly as much about type 2 diabetes since I'm a type 1 and have been focusing my concentration primarily on that disease.

 
At 1:16 PM, Blogger Kerri. said...

Hi there!
I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say hello. I've been diabetic for 18 years and on the Paradigm 512 pump for just over a year. I grew up in a town where I was one of the only Type I diabetics, so I am always looking for a fellow diabetic in my age range to talk to.
If you'd like to exchange ideas and/or questions, you can email me at sixuntilme@yahoo.com or visit my blog at www.healthdiaries.com/diabetes/kerri. I look forward to hearing from you!

--- Kerri.

 
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At 3:56 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

What a great blog for low carbohydrate diet. I am going to have to bookmark this blog for when I want to learn more about low carbohydrate diet.

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At 12:02 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

hi tek. i came across your blog on the diabetes o.c. Like you were, I'm 23 and was just diagnosed with t1 a few months ago. Every time I find someone who has been diagnosed around the same age as me, I get pretty excited since it's an "weird" age. Thank you for your strong thoughts and sharing your story (was reading your posts in april 2005). I look forward to keeping up with your blog.

 

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