Since I got diagnosed I told myself (the Clark Kent half) that I didn’t want anyone to know about me and my diabetes. The only people that I was comfortable telling at the time was my girlfriend. Slowly I added my older brother and two of my best friends to the members only club. Every now and then I do get the urge when I’m on facebook to just come out and let everyone know that I have diabetes and openly talk about it.
But to be honest the people that I fear the most is my family, I know my parents would take it really hard and add so much un-needed stress, especial to my dad since he bottles all of his emotions inside. I know they don’t need it. The would most likely blame themselves which I would hate for them to do. It was so hard trying to keep it from them when I went to visit, having to dodge food that my mom would make and not wanting to go out to dinner. Taking the my pills was the hardest thing to do, I would have to excuse myself from the table to run into the bathroom and take my pill or keep and eye on my parents and pop it in when they where not looking (it was like trying to find a phone booth so I could switching into my costume).
It would be nice to break these chains of kryptonite off of me and be “naked” to the world. But my other half (the Superman half) doesn’t want the secret to come out … just yet I guess.
DriveOn,
I am sorry that you are in this position. Yes, diabetes can be tough to talk about, especially with the ones you love.
Do a little research here on TuDiabetes and I think you will find that assigning “blame” for “getting” diabetes is counterproductive. There are too many issues around how some get this monster and others don’t to assign blame.
Get some facts together and then sit down with them and tell them. Let them know that both the Clark Kent and Superman sides of you are committed to managing your diabetes with excellence and that you need their help to move forward and live for the future, not the past.
Finally, one thought I have when struggling with revealing a “secret”. Will it be better if I reveal it, or of my loved ones read about it on the front page of the NY Times?
Fair Winds,
Mike
Few of my friends know that I have diabetes. No use telling them since we dont hang out that much. So I dont advertise in facebook. The funny thing though is that I signed up for the cure de tour which is a diabetes ride. No one has asked why I am doing it.
I am a father of one kid and I would hope that he would come to me if he is carrying a burden like this big D. That is what parents are there for and no matter how old our kids get we always see those little ones that we brought home and played pretend with until they were too old or too cool to hang out with us and play those games. We still remember the goofy songs that we were forced to remember to make our kids happy. So if you have a good relationship with your parents I would at least tell them. You will eventually learn to manage and things will get easier but its always good to know that someone is listening. Trust me when our kids were babies we managed alot more than we think we could and that never changes as a parent.
good luck on your choice
Many diabetics choose to keep things private, not talking about their condition with colleagues, friends and even family. But make no mistake, your closest friends and family will learn of your condition eventually, and probably sooner rather than later. And it would be a mistake to think that they would be hurt by learning of your situation, rather they will be hurt by not being able to be there when you need them. You think you are saving your parents will take it hard, but think about how they will feel about being shut out of your life. I am sure you are going to do the right thing. None of us are truly supermen and we do need our friends and family.
i tell everybody. it takes me about a few min before i pull my shirt up and say “this is the pump, the other one’s the sensor”… i’m surprised how many type 1s there are this way!!!
note in case you think i’m not really being truthful: yes yes, my name is anonymous because i don’t care to be googled (my name is quite funky, only two individuals [one of them is me] occurrences on google search)…