Saturday, September 19, 2009

Comfort


It's weird when you're newly diagnosed with diabetes. You feel like no one else has to live with this disease but you. You feel as if no body really knows how it feels to be different or knows what you have gone through.

I think for the most part that statement is true. Most people don't have a clue what it's like to live with diabetes and don't truly know what you go through. I think that is what makes meeting a diabetic so special. Soon as you meet someone who knows how you feel, has been through the weight loss, excessive thirst and insulin injections it gives you a feeling of belonging and reassures you that you're not alone.

It's such a weird story and almost like it was meant to happen. Last night I attended a party at residence and after deciding to play a drinking game just for the fun of it, I really thought about how this was going to work with my diabetes. Of course drinking is not a healthy habit and it is not something that I do often only on occasion. Once I realized that the drinks being poured were juice and vodka I immediately thought, "oh no my diabetes!" Of course I let the guy beside me knows that I needed to know what type of juice was in there and after making myself sound like I was crazy I told him that I was a diabetic.

"You're what?"
"A diabetic?"
"Are you serious?"
"Yes, why?"

I soon thought to myself, "Oh no this person is not accepting my disease!" I quickly showed him my medical bracelet trying to explain until he pulled out a dog tag necklace that was hidden under his shirt that said, "Type 1 Diabetes." We both looked at each other like we just saw a ghost. Although we were both clearly aware that other type 1's existed we just felt like all of a sudden we knew each other.

We talked about our ratios, Nova Rapid, Lantus, what we eat, when we were diagnosed, so many questions. I just couldn't believe it, my first diabetic friend at college. This gave me a sense of comfort. I knew that this guy knew what I was dealing with and I knew what he was dealing with. He watched out for me. Giving me snacks when he thought I needed them and just overall making sure that I was o.k.

I know that this small occurrence probably happens all the time and I know that I will meet tons of diabetics in my life time by chance but this really helped me settle with my disease.

I recall one part of the night sitting on the couch and just talking about how diabetes makes us so different from the rest of the world. We discussed getting strange stares when giving ourselves needles, not being able to eat when all our friends are eating and just having to live a completely different lifestyle than everyone else around us. At this moment, September 18th 2009 I learned something so very important. I am not the only one.

I sincerely thank him for making me feel just that much better about having diabetes. The comfort of another diabetic is greater than anyone can imagine.

Kayla

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