Hola community!
As part of our awareness efforts, we would like to ask you to submit a quote answering any of these statements, and have your permission to use your responses on our social media channels:
I wish people understand that diabetes is…
My diabetes has taught me that…
I struggle with people’s misconception that diabetes is…
The diabetes community is my…
Please reply here!
I wish people understood that giving yourself an injection is the easy part of diabetes.
I wish people could understand that Diabetes is a lifelong requirement to learn, adapt, and deal on a DAILY BASIS! There are no “cheat-days” like a “diet”, there are no “vacation days” like a job, there are no “babysitters” like a parent has…after diagnosis, this IS YOUR LIFE and the disease has as many or more emotional complications as physical ones!
I struggle with people’s misconception that diabetes is caused by choice - lifestyle choices or eating habits or choices of activity – or ANY choice that the person with diabetes made in the past or continues to make in their life. Nobody CHOOSES to have diabetes and, while certain behaviors can make management of diabetes easier, or perhaps tip the scales, there is no “prescription” of choices that will FIX diabetes or would have prevented it. So: stop the Blame and Shame Game!
Diabetes has taught me that there is no one size fits all.
I struggle with the misconception that diabetes is reversible.
I wish people knew that complications can impact every part of your body not just kidneys and eyes. In addition even though you control your diabetes doesn’t mean you won’t have complications.
I wish people understood that taking insulin is not like taking a pill. You don’t just inject and think the insulin does the rest. There is a lot more to it.
I love ALL your responses! Keep them coming 
I hate the “sugar police” more than anything. If I’m at a party and I want to indulge a little rather than feeling like a second class citizen because I can’t eat anything, I don’t need every busy body in the room telling me I’m diabetic and I can’t have that.
Believe me, I know I’m diabetic! It never leaves my mind. And, I also know what I can and can not eat. If I do choose to indulge, I know how to cover it unlike you. So mind your own business.
It’s for that reason that I never tell anyone I have diabetes unless there is some reason that they need to know (which is rare anyway).
I wish people would understand that it is 24/7 & never goes away. No time off, no vacation, no “cure”.
Diabetes has taught me-what works for me may not be the answer for the next PWD or for me in a few months. It’s always changing and treatment plans are always changing.
Misconceptions- I hate the “It can be cured” line. If any of us could cure this don’t they understand we would. Type 2’s may be able to put it in “remission” but it could rear it’s ugly head if anything changes. Type 1, still waiting for that magic cure, cinnamon anyone?
Diabetes community- my shoulder to cry on, share with,ask questions with no judging, to know I’m not alone.
My diabetes has taught me that there is probably no medical condition that requires the patient to do more math. 
My diabetes has taught me that sometimes there is NOTHING to learn from diabetes.
My life is not a sitcom or a Hallmark T.V. movie where things work out in the end. It’s more like a cross between the movies “Apollo 13” and “Groundhog Day.”
…and every day for the past 8+ years, I wake to the sound of “I Got You Babe.”
Not so much Apollo 13 more “The Right Stuff”
I wish people understood that maintaining control is less like driving a donkey cart and more akin to flying an F-16.
The scene in Apollo 13 that best describes controlling blood glucose is when they do a controlled burn for thirty-nine seconds while maintaining their course. Lots of sweating, yelling and minute course corrections.
I was thinking of the scene from The Right Stuff (actually it’s much better in the original book) where Gordo has to take manual control of the spacecraft for re-entry.
I wish people understand that diabetes is…not always your fault ..genes are also equally responsible ..
My diabetes has taught me that…Don’t take life that seriously…
I struggle with people’s misconception that diabetes is…Death sentence 
The diabetes community is my…Partner of life just like my life partner and Diabetes they are there in good and bad times …
I wish people would understand that Diabetes is a disease and not something to be ashamed of.
I certainly identify with your sentiment, @jjm335. This NightScout display of my blood glucose status reminds me of the avionics I used to work on.
I look at this display many times per day, especially when I want to tweak some of the settings.
…diabetes is not just about the food. It’s affected by stress and hormones and medications and exercise or lack of exercise and weather… And. And. And so forth. Which is before you even get into timing and ratios. Way more work than just injecting for food
I struggle w the misconception inherent in “Yeah, my aunt had diabetes. She went blind and lost her foot, but she wasn’t a good diabetic”. If that person is trying to relate to me in a positive way, the’ve failed miserably. Testing urine? Animal insulins? One shot a day? Human beings growing up, physically and emotionally?
