There, But For The Grace Of Diabetes, Go I

"All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them." Galileo

"Life is the first gift, love is the second, and understanding is the third." Marge Piercy

"Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand." Chinese Proverb

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There are lots of things I’m not.

I am not statuesque.

Nor am I one of those “good things come in a small package” type of chicks.

I’m not neat as pin, but I wouldn’t be considered a hoarder either – unless you consider 21 unopened boxes of lancets (containing 100 lancets each) and various unused pump tubing sans their infusion sets hoarding – then YEAH, I totally am.

I’m not a bully, but I will call you to the curb when I think your pitching diabetes snake oil- so don’t come to the diabetes ballpark if you're not ready get some serious D Game on.

I’m shyer than you realize and for someone who’s considered a social gadfly in the DOC- 
I didn’t talk much my first two years of high school out of sheer fear and lack of confidence.

What I am is a person with diabetes.

And last night’s #DSMA discussion on twitter made me realize somethings.

Regardless of what type of diabetes you live with, all of us are people living with diabetes.

There is no magic bullet for diabetes management. Diabetes is a different beast every day and you can do everything right, and still have crazy ass numbers just because it’s Wednesday and diabetes wants to mess with you.

And lastly, I was reminded by a blog reader and #DSMA lurker who happened to read my tweets last night and contacted me afterward, that many people who are new to the diabetes party are angry, scared, feel isolated and alone. They have no one to talk too or with, and no one who understands them.

They haven’t developed their diabetes thick skins and they need our need help.

Sometimes they don’t live near a place that has diabetes support groups and they don’t know where to go or what to do.

Their funds are limited due to lack of insurance and they feel pressed up tight between a rock and diabetes hard place.

Some family members dismiss their illness - not to mention their feelings - and that's wrong!

These diabetes newbies have yet to develop and fine-tune their diabetes bullshit filter and ignore those who aren't supportive.

They haven't discovered the diabetes on-line communities that we all know, love and rely on to get us through all our tough times - diabetes and otherwise.

So that anger, frustration, and isolation of dealing with diabetes gets displaced and manifests itself on people with other types of diabetes.

And that doesn’t make them bad people- it makes them humans in need of our love, support, and understanding.

And it’s our job to give them that love, support, & understanding and to teach them how to live with diabetes and all that comes with it, regardless of what type of diabetes they have.

Bottom line – Nobody understands what people with diabetes go through unless they live with it.

So we will teach them, and in turn, they will teach us.

And together, WE WILL KICK ASS.

If your interested in learning more about Diabetes Social Media Advocacy (#DSMA), click HERE.