Have you Ever Denied Having Diabetes?

21

I think being open at work or in your life generally is a positive thing. I too test at my desk and my coworkers have commented on my low carb diet positivly. It just shows you are serious about dealing with your condition. Several times co workers have asked me for advice about a relative who is not taking care of themselves. With all the myths perpetuated in the media today about both T1 and T2 it’s a good conversation starter about whats really going on instead of the diabetes soundbites which make up most folks knowledge of diabetes.

On the topic of this discussion I have never denied or even hidden having diabetes.

22

I do not take it as a put down, it is ignorance fostered by a popular misbelief that diabetes cant eat sweets. Why would anyone who has no need to be knowledgable about our disease have any reason to know otherwise. I think they are in their mis guided way trying to be helpful not hurtful. I always find that comment as a learning opportunity and usually get a reaction like “OH! I did not know that!”

23

Agreed. The more confidence you project, and the more you don’t seem bothered by it, the easier it is on everyone. People know what diabetes is these days (although they don’t necessarily understand it!). It’s no longer “taboo”.

It’s also a heck of a lot easier and less stressful than balancing a whole lot of diabetes equipment on the toilet paper roll in the restroom!

24

I have never disclosed in 51 years to anyone I’m T1; not in school, not in work or in sports. The only people who know are my mother, my wife and my two kids. That’s not denial. Nor am I embarrassed or the least bit ashamed. It’s just irrelevant.
I don’t lie but I actively decline to be 100 percent forthright. When I accepted assignments to Bosnia and Iraq, Haiti and other harsh places I intentionally withheld info about my “condition.” I am the sole provider of care; even my wife has never heard the term a1c. Nor does she know the name of my doctor or any details about my care. The responsibility is mine and mine alone and it’s the cornerstone to my - so far - glorious life with D.

25

well one i would not do at my desk is the infusion set change.Often wished that they had a lil fold down table in the lavatory to keep all the paraphanalia! Maybe I shpould have made an ADA request?? - But I suppose if I had, they probably would of made me go to the nurses station and i would just rather not bother others.

26

Agreed, an infusion set change at my desk is a bit too much (even I cringe when I do it!), but it’s rare that I need to do that at work, but testing blood sugar or operating the pump doesn’t faze me one bit. I keep the used test strips with me though; I don’t want to throw them in the office trash and have the cleaning crew concerned about the bloody residue that’s always near my desk!

27

Here’s my solution for used strips at work. I’m rather proud of the art work :slight_smile:

28

Whats wrong with just using the garbage can?

29

It’s got blood on it. Some people might not like being exposed to another’s blood when emptying the trash etc. Besides I wanted to see if I could draw a skull and crossed bones.

30

oh - you must work for a big money making company - My company was going thru bankruptcy and we emptied our own cans - no one seemed to notice.

31

Im not sure if lying about is good. if someone asks, just be honest and move on. when i was in elementary school I would use white-out on my emergency card when my parents wrote that I was type 1 diabetic. when I got low at school no one knew what was wrong with me they thought i was having behavioral issues so instead of treating it I got lower and had fallen uncontious; this happened a few times and i realised I’d rather people know im “D.” its far more embarrasing to have an uncontious low than to share you have type1 diabetes. its important to be honest as our condition affects brain activity tramendously.

32

Interesting… when I was first diagnosed, I was shocked and upset an planned to keep quiet about it & deal with it privately. However, during my stay in ICU, a nosey co-worker (who I know, but am not close friends with) found out I was there and decided to broadcast it. When I went back to work a week later, another co-worker came right up to me and said, “hey, how are you? I heard you were in the hospital and you have diabetes.” As pissed as I was, I took a deep breath and calmly said, “I’m fine thanks. And yes, I have diabetes.”

Well ok… so much for privacy.

It was summer, and I wear a uniform to work, so I was in short sleeves. I went online and purchased an ID bracelet immediately and began wearing it. I just put it out there. I also got a pendant & chain. I kept it simple, just my name and DIABETIC.

Next thing I knew, diabetics were coming out everywhere at work. We kind of have our own little Team D going, and a few of us use the same kind of meter, so we’ve shared supplies & everything. I can’t say I prefer that people know, but, I’m ok with facing it the way I did.

Sometimes I feel weird because I know people judge me. “How did you get that?” I hate questions like that. But when that happens, no matter how I feel, I just hold my head up & try not to let it show that I’m annoyed. And, I try to keep my control as tight as possible when I’m at work, so no one can try & blame D for my performance.

I keep my supplies close. Tabs or gel in a pocket, meter in the car, OJ in the cup holder. I normally work alone, but, on the days I have had to work with a partner, I disclosed it right away… “if checking my bg in the car bothers you, let me know & I’ll do it away from you,” and, “I’m diabetic, so I’m gonna have to get something to eat in the car if we don’t sit down for lunch.” So far I haven’t had any negative reactions… at least to my face.

I must add, though… I think most people have no manners at all… asking the personal questions, being all loud about what foods can and can’t be consumed… just rude. When I can I just try to educate people, about my condition or diabetes in general.

However… if you choose to lie because you don’t want to disclose it, you do what you have to do to survive in your work environment. If that co-worker hadn’t found out about me and told everyone… I might be lying with you.

33

I have never lied about it but I also did not broadcast it. If someone asked, I would tell them. If they did not ask, I did not say anything.

34

I am very open about being diabetic and do not mind telling nor answering questions about it. I am confident , extroverted, articulate, and will talk about my health: This has so many times given others an outlet to discuss their own or loved ones’s diabetes and health issues. I am a good listener as well; and I think that it is one of my “callings” to inform and to encourage others. I have not received any negative responses or treatment due to these disclosures, and I appreciate my co-workers Knowing what to look for and how to help me should I go low…

God Bless,

Brunetta

35

That point about confidence is a good one. I don’t know if you refer to discussions about diabetes or about your life in general, but diabetes is something that we can all be confident about. I find that, in many professional settings, I tend to stay quiet and not disturb things: don’t upset the boss, don’t reveal that I don’t fully understand everything about my assignment, and so on.

But when it comes to diabetes, in most real-life interactions, I feel like the smartest person in the room. I’ve lived with it and treated it for 30 years, while the others may have a passing interaction with a person with diabetes, read a blurb about it in the paper, or (god forbid!) seen the infomercial for the “Natural Cures” book. When I speak about diabetes, I can hold my head up high and speak confidently and authoritatively, because it is my life. And people respect me for that.

I think everyone here can feel this same confidence in speaking of this disease to others. And when we lose confidence, get confused, or feel misguided, we come here - to TuDiabetes.org. Here, we are confident in our insecurities and in our occasional relapses. We all understand, respect, and relate to one another. We can express our weaknesses, fears, and insecurities here. But in the real world, I am more confident about my knowledge and understanding of diabetes than anything else.

Yet, I still have much to learn.