Stories on Health

When I first started going to college, I struggled with whether or not I should tell my professors that I had diabetes. On the one hand, I didn’t want them (or anyone else) to think I was asking for special treatment. But on the other hand, I wanted them to have a heads-up if I need to eat a snack in the middle of class or leave to take my insulin.

Most importantly, I did not want my condition to interfere with my university education. Even if I had to spend time in a hospital or for doctor visits, I wanted my teachers and classmates to know that I would still pull my weight 100%, not use diabetes as an excuse to slough work or ask for timeline extensions.

I did finally decide to go ahead and share my condition with my university teachers. Not because I wanted to wear an “I Have Diabetes!” badge on my sleeve, but because it occurred to me that information is the most important thing. “Hiding” my condition will not do anyone any favors; instead, I hope being a good example will take just a little more of the stigma away from the disease.

Don’t be afraid to let people know about your condition. The more people hear about it, the more they will be comfortable and curious about it, which could lead to more research—which could even lead to a cure one day.

Sometimes it’s hard to be a woman and take care of my health, especially since I’ve got a family to take care. I can get caught up spending my time tending to others but neglect—or don’t even notice—what is going on with my diabetes and me. Even finding time to make a doctor’s appointment is challenging for me.

But there are lots of things a busy woman like me can do, like taking advantage of any free women’s health screenings I come across at malls or grocery stores, or setting up follow-up appointments before I leave the doctor’s office. Sticking to a schedule for diabetic medicines also helps.

The most beneficial thing I’ve found, however, is to enlist the help of a good girlfriend to help me stay on top of things, to make sure we’re each taking care of ourselves. My best friend and I keep loose (but constant) tabs on each other, then alert one another if we see things falling through the cracks. We’ve even shuttled each other to important appointments just to give each other a break from driving. All you need is one good friend and the security of knowing that someone is looking out for you, too.

I struggled with health and weight issues for as long as I could remember. From being picked on by other kids on the playground to dirty looks from people at the supermarket, I always felt guilt and shame when it came to eating food.

It didn’t help when I gained some weight when I began insulin therapy for my diabetes. My doctor told me that it is normal for your metabolism to slow once your blood sugars come under control. And now I know from experience that it can be a cruel cycle: more weight can increase my insulin resistance, which may therefore increase my need for medication. So I’ve started a diet that maintains my blood sugar better.

Being on a weight loss plan is a good idea for every reason I can think of. I’ve lost a few pounds so far and am on my way to losing more. I in better health overall, have more energy, sleep better, and I’m not in danger of having to increase my medication. Plus the more weight I lose, the less medication I need in the first place!

Most businesses sell several different brands of product in the same space. An example of this is the supermarket: Chances are that whatever you’re shopping for, there are more than a few different versions of it on the shelf. Sometimes choosing among products can be overwhelming, but when you’re open to the choice, businesses know that you’re also open to seeing their product exactly how they present it. It’s easy to get befuddled. And, as a diabetes patient, you need to be even more careful of you choices.

The answer is simple: Focus on the job to be done. Don’t be pulled in by catchy promises, bright colors, and pretty logos. Disregard everything that they are telling you and ask yourself, “What do I really need this for?” Then, stand there blocking the aisle until you have an answer for that question. The answer is all you need to make your choice. That way, you can’t be distracted from a complex message or confused by faulty logic.

Now, apply that same solution to anything for which you are shopping, or on which you are deciding. You can apply it to clothes, furniture choices, diabetes supplies, cars—anything.

It’s impossible to escape entertainment news and information about celebrities, no matter how hard you try. But there are a lot of things you’ll never know about famous people—such as which of them have diabetes. Some, like Wilford Brimley, are spokespersons for their condition. But, I’ll bet you didn’t know that Mary Tyler Moore, George, C. Scott, and even Halle Berry have diabetes. Even though they are in the public eye, it’s their prerogative whether to be vocal about their disease, just like it’s yours.

It’s true that people are naturally drawn to celebrities—the irony is that some people spend more time watching celebrities on favorite shows or movies than they do with their own family members. It makes sense, then, that some people feel “close” to people they don’t even know and will never meet.

If you find yourself spending a lot of time reading about the “goings-on” with celebrities, try turning off the TV (or closing the magazines) and looking at significant people in your life with as much attention as you spend studying the lives and habits of stars in the entertainment industry. You may be surprised how much more interesting they are.