Think Again

Sorry for the delay everyone. These past few weeks have been really busy for me! There's school, lacrosse, trips to Johns Hopkins, starting on my insulin pump, and prom. I was really busy, and really tired. I still have a lot of sleep that I need to catch up on. Somehow those 3.5 hours on the night of prom just weren't enough. I finally got the energy to get up and post, so here it goes...




When I tell people that I have Diabetes, they automatically think that I have the more common type of Diabetes, Type 2, or they automatically believe in many of the common misconceptions of Type 1 when I tell them that that is the one that I have. Just in case you didn't know, here are some of the most common misconception of Type 1 Diabetes:

1. "People with Type 1 can't have any sugar"

• This one is very false. Type 1's can have sugar, but we just need to cover (take insulin) for it. 

2. "People with Type 1 did it to themselves" or "You got this from eating too much sugar"

• This is probably the one that infuriates me the most. No one with Type 1 decided to have this disease. It just happens. No one excepts that it would happen to them, and we have no choice if we get it or not. Also, (this doesn't really go with misconception, but oh well) I get really mad when I say something about my Diabetes and someone gets mad at me for it. I didn't know that you can talk about your life, but I can't talk about mine. It's good for me to talk about my Diabetes because it helps it feel more normal to me. If you have a problem with it, I could honestly care less. People who are rude to others for talking about their Diabetes should really stop and think before they say anything because they don't know anything about how it feels. Which leads to...

3. "I completely understand what you are going through"

• No. You don't. I personally think that it is really nice when people say this because it shows that they care about you and are trying (the effort really means a lot), but you don't know what it's like until you experience it for yourself. 

4. "Type 1 is a lot like Type 2"

• Although they both have the word "Diabetes" in them, Type 1 and Type 2 are like polar opposites. Type 1 is genetic. You have no control over if you do/don't get it. It just happens. Generally, Type 2 is brought on by you. Although there are some cases where Type 2 is genetic, it is mainly brought on by being overweight, having a bad diet, not exercising, etc. Also Type 2 can be reversed with a healthy lifestyle and exercise, while Type 1 has no known cure - yet. Many people with Type 2 don't have to take as much Insulin as people with Type 1 do. With Type 1, the Pancreas flat out stops producing Insulin. With Type 2, the Pancreas still produces some Insulin, but it doesn't use it right. 

5. "Low/High blood sugars aren't bad"

• Actually, they are. If one's sugar is too low, they could pass out, go into a coma, or die. If one's sugar is too high, they could go blind, go into ketoacidosis, go into a coma, or die. So yeah, low/high blood sugars aren't too good... 

6. "You can get Diabetes from someone else" 

• Type 1, or even Type 2, is not infectious. You won't get it from someone coughing, sneezing, etc. Although, sometimes, it can be passed on through genes from parent to child, it is definitely not contagious. 

7. "Diabetics can't play sports"

• People with Diabetes can in fact play sports and do athletes. We just have to be careful and check our blood sugars to make sure we are stable. Some of the best athletes have Diabetes. 

8. "People with Type 1 are really unhealthy"

• Actually, many people with Type 1 are healthier than normal people. With Diabetes, you have to know everything that you are putting in your body and the nutritional info for it. Smaller amounts of carbs mean a smaller amount of Insulin that you have to take. Exercise and a good diet help to control Diabetes and keep blood sugars in check. 

9. "Only kids get Type 1"

• Although I'm still considered a minor, I was a month away from being 17 when I was diagnosed. People have been in there 30's+ when they were diagnosed with Type 1. It's not just a "kid disease".

10. "Diabetes must be the end of the world for you"

• It's really not. At first, I thought it was. I was scared and in denial. But today, on the two month mark of my diagnosis, I am in a really great place in my life. Diabetes was not the end of the world for me. I see it now as a way for me to help people and that's what I intend to do. This disease is only temporary for people with it, and there will be a cure someday. In the words of someone whom most Diabetics look up to, "A little bit longer, and I'll be fine". 

So yeah, that's it for the post. I really need to get some sleep. I will try to post one sometime this week to make up for last week. Happy two months Diaversary to me!