What is Type 1 Diabetes?

What is Type 1 Diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. While diagnosis most often occurs in childhood and adolescence, it can and does strike adults as well, and lasts a lifetime. To stay alive, people with type 1 diabetes must take multiple injections of insulin daily or continually infuse insulin through a pump, and test their blood sugar six or more times per day. While trying to balance insulin doses with their food intake and daily activities, people with this form of diabetes must always be prepared for serious hypoglycemic and hyperglycemic reactions, both of which can be life-limiting and life threatening. Insulin is not a cure for diabetes, nor does it prevent possible devastating complications which may include kidney failure, blindness, heart disease, stroke, and amputation.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The hardest thing to deal with is the ignorance of the public. Many people are curious and love to ask questions and I answer them as best as I can. But then you get some ignorant people that just don't know any better and they're the ones I REALLY love to take to Diabetes School!

I did not do anything to cause my child's diabetes. I didn't feed her too much sugar when she was little. She doesn't have diabetes because she is a "chunky" child. She CAN eat cookies, cake and candy. She CAN eat anything she wants as long as she gives herself the insulin to cover the carbohydrates in whatever she is eating. Kacey loves to use the line from Joanne & Fred's video..."There are only 2 things I can't eat...POISON and COOKIES MADE WITH POISON!"

Please DON'T tell me that her diabetes will go away if she loses weight or if she eats healthy. Her diabetes will NOT go away because believe me, if I could make it go away, then I would have done that a long time ago! I'm also not interested in hearing about how your great Aunt Poodie or your Grandaddy Noodie lost their eye sight or their limbs from "uncontrolled diabetes". My child does NOT have "Type 2" diabetes. I know the complications from long term uncontrolled diabetes and I work VERY hard every single day to manage Kacey's diabetes. I AM her full time pancreas.

So for those of you that really need some diabetes etiquette....Here ya go!

Written from the perspective of someone with diabetes:

• 1 - DON'T offer unsolicited advice about my eating or other aspects of diabetes. You may mean well, but giving advice about someone's personal habits, especially when it is not requested, isn't very nice. Besides, many of the popularly held beliefs about diabetes ("you should just stop eating sugar") are out of date or just plain wrong.
• 2 - DO realize and appreciate that diabetes is hard work. Diabetes management is a full-time job that I didn't apply for, didn't want, and can't quit. It involves thinking about what, when, and how much I eat, while also factoring in exercise, medication, stress, blood sugar monitoring, and so much more - each and every day.
• 3 - DON'T tell me horror stories about your grandmother or other people with diabetes you have heard about. Diabetes is scary enough, and stories like these are not reassuring! Besides, we now know that with good management, odds are good you can live a long, healthy, and happy life with diabetes.
• 4 - DO offer to join me in making healthy lifestyle changes. Not having to be alone with efforts to change, like starting an exercise program, is one of the most powerful ways that you can be helpful. After all, healthy lifestyle changes can benefit everyone!
• 5 - DON'T look so horrified when I check my blood sugars or give myself an injection. It is not a lot of fun for me either. Checking blood sugars and taking medications are things I must do to manage diabetes well. If I have to hide while I do so, it makes it much harder for me.
• 6 - DO ask how you might be helpful. If you want to be supportive, there may be lots of little things I would probably appreciate your help with. However, what I really need may be very different than what you think I need, so please ask first.
• 7 - DON'T offer thoughtless reassurances. When you first learn about my diabetes, you may want to reassure me by saying things like, "Hey, it could be worse; you could have cancer!" This won't make me feel better. And the implicit message seems to be that diabetes is no big deal. However, diabetes (like cancer) IS a big deal.
• 8 - DO be supportive of my efforts for self-care. Help me set up an environment for success by supporting healthy food choices. Please honor my decision to decline a particular food, even when you really want me to try it. You are most helpful when you are not being a source of unnecessary temptation.
• 9 - DON'T peek at or comment on my blood glucose numbers without asking me first. These numbers are private unless I choose to share them. It is normal to have numbers that are sometimes too low or too high. Your unsolicited comments about these numbers can add to the disappointment, frustration, and anger I already feel.
• 10 - DO offer your love and encouragement. As I work hard to manage diabetes successfully, sometimes just knowing that you care can be very helpful and motivating.

The Diabetes Etiquette Card is free. Here's three ways that you can get a copy of the card:
1. Download a PDF copy from the Diabetes Behavioral Institute's website.
2. Get a hard copy of the accordion-style card at no cost by contacting your local Accu-Chek representative. Roche Diabetes Care has licensed and printed the card and distributes them to healthcare professionals and to people with diabetes and their loved ones.
3. Order it directly from BDI. To cover costs, they charge $1.00 per card plus shipping, and they only sell and ship orders of 50 cards or more.  You can call them at 858-336-8693 or email them at info@behavioraldiabetes.org