Question #2: Do you know anyone else who has diabetes? What have you learned from them?
I went to diabetes camp when I was eight and met many friends with type 1 diabetes. I returned to camp the next summer, and then went to a variety of different (mostly music) camps for the following nine years. In 1985 I returned to diabetes camp as a counselor and spent the next several summers working there in different roles (counselor, student nurse, nurse, then Clinical Director). As a staff member I was reunited with several camp friends who have since become lifelong friends.
The first person I met with diabetes – outside of camp – was a girl who lived in a neighboring town. I was going ice skating with a group of Girl Scouts, and someone informed me that a girl who also had diabetes would be there with her Girl Scout troop. I remember seeing her (after she was pointed out to me) across the way and wanting nothing to do with her. I never even went over to meet her.
When I was about ten years old, I met another girl with diabetes through the Diabetes Forecast (an American Diabetes Association publication that still exists today) pen pal section. We wrote letters to each other for a few years and attempted to meet in New Jersey when I was visiting my aunt and uncle there once, but it never worked out.
In late elementary school and Junior High, I was aware that another boy had diabetes, but we never discussed it even once. I think he moved away, because I don’t remember anyone besides me in my high school having diabetes.
In college I was able to get extra apples from the cafeteria to keep in my dorm room (because of diabetes). I remember meeting another student – a male – who also kept extra food in his dorm room. I never interacted with him much.
In graduate school I had a good friend (from camp) with diabetes. We spent a lot of time together, but rarely discussed diabetes. In my second graduate school experience, I had a roommate who had diabetes, but it rarely camp up.
The common theme is that diabetes has never topped the list for what I discuss with my friends. My friends who have diabetes (even those I’ve met since camp days) are my friends because they are people I like, trust, have something in common with and get along with. It’s not because they have diabetes. If diabetes comes up, great, but most of the time we just get each other without having to mention it. From my friends I’ve learned that diabetes doesn’t have to be the most important thing; that life is full and interesting and there’s a lot of living to do.
I also know many people with diabetes through my work. Because I live in a small town, I see them in the grocery store, post office, walking on the bike path, etc. Sometimes we discuss diabetes, sometimes we don’t. From my patients I’ve learned that everyone handles diabetes differently. Humor works for some, but not others. Some people are angry, and they have to work through that in their own way. I’ve also learned that how people handle their diagnosis makes all the difference in how they live with diabetes (and there’s research to support that).
There are many other people with diabetes in my life as well, and I learn from all of them. Sometimes I wish I could have a break from all the diabetes in my life, but I know it’s what I’m meant to do.
Who do you know?