I took Daniel to a new friend's house today for a play date. Can you really call them play dates when the boys are 14? Okay, a get together. A video game fest. Anyway, this was a new friend that Daniel met at school this year. I came in to say hi and let them know that Daniel was diabetic, so if they saw him doing a blood sugar test not to be alarmed.
The dad said, "Oh, we know, (wife) is diabetic, too." I said, "Okay, then you know all about it." He said, "Yes. So he should have no sugar."
I paused. Then said, "Well, he's type 1, so that doesn't matter as much, but no, he can't have sugar because he didn't bring any insulin to bolus." And we discussed the fact that he could snack, if he wanted, on carb-free things like salad veggies, and that he could have a diet soda.
I guess the mom must be type 2 if they immediately thought that Daniel shouldn't have sugar. I wonder if people who are diagnosed with type 2 get the same intense diabetes education you get when diagnosed with type 1 about the differences between the two.
There is such misunderstanding about type 1 diabetes. This person was not the first to assume that Daniel could not have sugar. Daniel has had more sugar since diagnosis to treat his bg lows than he ever used to have!
Sometimes I think that type 1 and type 2 diabetes should have completely different names.
6 comments:
I'm wondering, why Daniel doesn't take his NovoLog pen with him when he is out? I understand if you want to prevent him from eating things that aren't accurately carb counted or because of his celiac. What if he needed to make a correction for a high or ended up staying a bit later and wanted to eat something? I'm just curious.
In my personal opinion, Type 2 is Fake-a-Betes. My dad has type 2, and he just pops his pills and eats what ever he wants and his A1c is usually between 6 and 7. I have worked my butt off and followed every doctor's instruction, and have never had an A1C below 8. Type 2 is so completely different, and it is so frustrating that people are so under informed.
I hope Daniel had a lot of fun at his "play date".
I'm with Jillian. And I agree, I think they should have two totally different names. It's so frustrating!
It's amazing that the myths are still so prevalent, but I have to admit earlier this year, I had no clue either.
I feel kind of sorry for type 2s. They don't get the education nearly as often as type 1s. Many don't have insulin or a way to immediately bring down blood sugar so they have to watch what they eat (that is if they want to control it)and it's easier to ignore,so many of them wind up with complications.
Having said that, I totally agree with having different names. Hyperglycemia is about all they have in common.
I guess Daniel's just not in the habit of carrying his pen around. He has one that he uses at home, then one that he keeps at school. He tends not to eat snacks in general, and doesn't count on his friends to necessarily have gluten-free stuff available (if they suddenly asked him to stay for dinner). Unfortunately, the celiac causes almost as many problems as the diabetes when it comes to being impulsive.
We try not to be frustrated. Daniel is better at that than I am.
And it's true -- most of the world doesn't have a clue about the differences between type 1 & 2. I certainly didn't up until May!
I've known for a while the difference between T1 and T2 diabetes, but from my perspective, both come with their challenges. I took MDI for four months before I was correctly diagnosed with T2 and going low is something I hope to never experience again. IMO, being a young T2 is just as hard as being a T1 because I get all the same stares and weird looks when I reveal my diabetes. People love to assume that I drank to much soda (I don't even LIKE soda!) and had too much candy to cause my diabetes. A lot of people don't understand that T2 diabetes is largely genetic as well!
And I don't just pop pills to control it either, I count carbs and intentionally avoid certain foods and test far more than any other T2 diabetic I've met in my whole life.
Diabetes just is not fair to anyone, T1, T2, LADA or MODY or whichever.
Daena, I totally agree that both T1 and T2 have their challenges. I just think that the majority of people out there don't understand the difference between the two, and many think that diabetes is just diabetes. I was one of those people a few months ago!
You are right, diabetes, in whatever form, is totally unfair.
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