Featured Blogger of the Week: Oct. 18-22, Post #2

Featured Blogger of the Week: Oct. 18-22
Heidi, The D-Log Cabin
Post #2

You Say Diabetic, I Say PWD

Once upon a time, in a hospital far-far-far away, there resided a newly diagnosed teenager.

She didn’t know diddly-squat about diabetes, but there was no shortage of conflicting information coming

her way.

…you can’t be in the military…

...you can have a successful pregnancy…

…you’ll have this forever…

…you’ll feel so much better after your blood sugar stabilizes…

...severe hypos are likely, and can lead to coma/death…

All of this left left the teenager dazed and confused, and not quite sure what to believe. She soon learned that the only way to have control lay in taking control, doctors don’t know everything, and diabetes is not a “by the book” disease.

However, the blame game continued, everything was about “diabetic’s can’t do this” and “diabetic’s can’t do that” and “you’re a bad diabetic” leaving the teenager so over that label, in any context. She simply wanted the freedom to be an adult & manage the disease, without the guilt trip, dire warnings, and inaccurate information. Eventually, that teenager grew up, and became a functioning member of society. The label “diabetic” still leaves an incredibly distasteful taste in her mouth, but she no longer goes on long verbal rants (short blogging rants, yes,but its gotten better).

Diabetic and Person With Diabetes are not the same. (At least in the minds of those who choose to call themselves PWD) And I wish you could understand, that when you call me diabetic you are labeling me, you are defining me with all the fallacies out there. I respect others opinions, & whatever they choose to identify themselves as…& if they wish to call themselves diabetics, that doesn’t detract from who they are/their hopes,dreams, and accomplishments. It’s sort of like calling a person of short stature a “dwarf” (while that may be a word that could describe them, it’s not a complimentary term). I view the word “diabetic” (as a noun) in much the same way, it’s not a word I’d use to describe myself. I have diabetes, it is part of me, but it doesn’t define who I am. I hope that whichever side of the fence you may fall on, you can respect others of the opposite opinion.