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Hi, welcome to the Diabetes Information Booth, your comprehensive resource for diabetes facts, unsolicited advice, and overly defensive scientific explanations of commonly held diabetes stereotypes.
Ahhhhhh can’t shut up! Sometimes, I turn in to the Diabetes Information Booth and can’t seem to turn off the compulsive spewing of diabetes facts. Oftentimes this occurs when I get slapped with a gratuitous chunk of diabetes mis-information from a person who had no ill intentions, just a lack of information. “Do you have diabetes because you ate too much sugar?” In those moments I feel the need to give that person an entire medial history of the disease so that they don’t think I’m some hefty slob who didn’t take care of herself. Though unintended, questions like that can feel like a personal attack on your character.
There’s another situation that elicits the Info Booth in me though, and it happens in the most unexpected places. Last weekend, 3 friends and I hopped in to a taxi after a night on the town, and I found myself stuck with the awkward front seat spot. The cab driver looked to be somewhere in his mid-forties, with a kind if weary face, and at least 80 pounds overweight. His belly nearly touched the steering wheel in front of him. He was smiling and polite and as he drove us home, we began with the usual small talk between cab driver and passenger. Somewhere along the ride, he asked what I do for a living.
“I work for a pharmaceutical company that makes diabetes drugs, which is great because I also have diabetes,” I told him.
He nodded silently. A pregnant pause filled the space between us.
“I was just diagnosed with pre-diabetes.” he said quietly.
I wanted to tell him to pull over the cab. I wanted to tell him there was plenty of time to reverse this. I wanted to tell him he didn’t have to end up on insulin injections. I wanted to tell him that small changes could add up to big results. I wanted to take him to the grocery store and show him how to cook healthy and low-carb on a budget. I restrained myself.
“You know, the fact that you know that already really puts you at an advantage to take control of it” I offered, trying not to sound like The Booth. “Many people don’t even know they have diabetes until its pretty far down the road. You can make some changes now that can help prevent getting diabetes.”
“I know, doc says I gotta eat better, get some exercise, but hey, I drive a taxi! I sit down for an 8 hour shift. Plus my wife works at the casino, on her feet all the day. She and I like to get something quick for dinner….I don’t know….its hard…” he trailed off at the end, seemingly defeated by his own words.
“It is hard, gosh I know. We should all eat better. But did you know that losing 5-10% of your body weight can slash your risk by 50%?” Ok WOW Lex, ease up on the stats, this guy is just trying to drive you home! I thought to myself…
“Really?” he said. “That’s, well that’s less than I thought I would have to lose,” he admitted.
We were nearing my house and the conversation turned to lighter topics. As I went to step out of the cab, I scrambled for the right words.
“Take care of yourself ok?” I offered. “You have a choice – you can prevent diabetes – I don’t, I take insulin every day to keep myself alive, you don’t have to do that. Take care ok?”
I realize that sounded a bit melodramatic, but it was a true statement. Here he was: the typical Type 2 diabetes candidate, left by the wayside by American healthcare. Little diabetes education beyond his pre-diabetes dX, lack of motivation and resources to make lifestyle changes, lack of understanding of preventative measures, and without the tools he needed to potentially save his life. I couldn’t help turning in to The Booth that moment. I hope I didn’t sounds pushy/crazy/snobby/patronizing. And I hope I made a difference. 1 down, 245,999,999 people to go.
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Comments
Haha Dino - “the worst kind” is one of my favorite things to hate…its feels so…accusatory! Shaming! I rarely get mad anymore either, I have mostly made peace with it and venting my frustrations here has helped. You’re right, you can’t get mad at ingnorance…but you can blog about it! Haha 
DiabetesCommunity
Hey Alexis. Great post as always. (did you come up with “pregnant pause” because I might need to steal that)
Me thinks we all go through this…I consider it the curse of sharing the name “diabetes” with the other types. And since other types of betes outnumber us by so many, people build their stereotypes of us based on them.
I’m not mad about it anymore, it is what is…I mean you can’t get mad at ignorance, right? It’s like if you tell someone you have herpes, they usually assume you mean the STD. (BTW that analogy is not based on personal experience…ahem)
I still have those precious moments every once in a while that make me want to do very bad things to people. I play ball nearby with some guys that work at a “pharmaceutical company that makes diabetes drugs.”
One of the chaps saw me checking my sugar and he decided to probe me and show off his newly acquired diabetes expertise.
I remember wincing a little as he proceeded to educate me on how Type 1 is like the “worst kind” of diabetes and that since I take shots I must have done something “real bad” to let it “get that far” blah blah bliggety blah.
Lets just say I’m glad basketball is a contact sport
Happy sugars!