Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Misconceptions

Let me just start by saying that I am a very cranky lady when my blood sugar is low. I don't like talking to people and I tune out the world, at least that's what I think happens. So today during my lunch break, when a girl at work tried talking to me, I wasn't having it. She also had no idea what she was saying to me. I checked myself and a 48 popped up on the screen so I started eating glucose tabs and this is how the conversation goes:

Coworker: Woah, where did you get those huge tums from?!

Me: Oh, these aren't tums. They're glucose tabs.

Coworker: What's a sucrose tap?

Me: GLUCOSE TAB. I eat them to raise my blood sugar. I'm diabetic.

Coworker: Sounds a bit contradictory to me. Diabetics aren't supposed to have sugar. That's how you got diabetes in the first place.

Me: That's just a misconception. We can have whatever we want and I didn't get diabetes from having too much sugar. I have type 1 which is an auto immune disease that I can do nothing about.

Coworker: Hm. Your phone is ringing.

Me: It's my insulin pump telling me I'm low but I already know. Thanks.

Coworker: Wow, you really must have let your diabetes get out of control to have one of those.

Me: No, that's not true. Another misconception. It gives me better control than I already had.

Coworker: That's totally not what the hell I heard.

Me: You totally heard wrong then. Whoever told you otherwise was mistaken.

Coworker: *silence with a "you really suck" face*

Me: Well, I have to go back to work now have a good day.

Coworker: Okay, stop eating so much sugar and pay attention to your blood pressure. That might help you.

Me: Really? You should be quiet and think before you speak.That might help you. And it's blood sugar not blood pressure.

Coworker: Right, sorry about that.

While I wanted to really punch this woman in the face, I kept my composure and continued to smile at her. She doesn't know any better. I wish she did. But she doesn't. I couldn't make myself waste my breath and explain everything to her. She had a hard time comprehending.

3 comments:

  1. Great post! It sucks that not very many people understand how diabetes works. You had more patience than I ever would with her. You go, Shannon!

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  2. I really wish people practiced that whole "think before you speak" thing. It's very frustrating. I'm a type one diabetic and get spoken to like I chose this life. :/ you definitely took the higher road cause I would have been a lot more rude. But you're right, she didn't know, people need to be educated.

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  3. I just found your blog today and I am *amen-ing* you left and right - especially about this post. I have lost count of the amount of times I have had this conversation with people. I have been a type 1-er for 23 years. I get so frustrated when people that OBVIOUSLY don't have diabetes tell you about it. Um no. Also - HATE when tv shows "feature" the topic of diabetes and they go all type 2 in a type 1 scenario...argh. keep on keepin' on - I'll blog-stalk you later :)
    -LD

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