A Diabetic Civil War

So I have mentioned a bit about the differences between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Anyway, I recently found this group in Salt Lake called, "My delinquent pancreas". I'm so excited to be part of this group. There are people just like me. They got diagnosed with Type 1 around the same age as me. Granted they have had it longer because they are older, but still, it's nice to not feel alone and that I'm not the only one this kind of thing can happen to. Really, I think that's the most depressing part of the last month and half. All of the people I know that have diabetes have type 2. Or if they have type 1, they got diagnosed when they were in the 5th grade. So you can see where I feel so alone in all of this. I'm not saying that I'm special or "woe is me", but this is a HUGE disease! It can be very scary at times and very lonely.

Anyway, way off topic and point of my post. This group has discussion pages, and I found one with an article that I rather enjoyed. It expresses what I feel to an extent. Here's the article:

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-11-22/a-z/ct-met-diabetes-rift-20101122_1_diabetes-insulin-lifestyle-changes-and-medication

So while I resent Type 2 diabetes a little bit, I don't fully. My dad has Type 2 and it's been a struggle for him. But not from a lack of trying to diet and exercise. In fact, he's lost a LOT of weight. He just has trouble controlling it. The one thing that I don't think we give credit to Type 2 diabetics is that in some cases, it can be genetic. You have an increased risk to get Type 2 diabetes if someone in your family is diagnosed with it. BUT it can be controlled. If you diet and exercise you can control your blood sugars without the use of insulin or medication. This is what gets me.

There is a lack of education about diabetes. To be quite frank, it's quite frustrating having to explain what I have and what I have to do in order to stay alive over and over and over and over. Type 1 is in NO way like Type 2. Type 1, your body attacks your pancreas and kills the Beta cells that produce insulin. Your body is at war with itself by no fault of your own. It just happens! It's an autoimmune disease! It doesn't matter your starting weight, the amount of sugar you ate before hand, how active you are, etc. It doesn't matter. If it's going to happen, it's going to happen!

I got my blood test results back today. They found the antibody killing off my beta cells. The normal range for this antibody is 0-5. My result came back at 270. My own body is attacking itself! Can you feel my frustration?! I changed my diet, my lifestyle, all to avoid this... and look what happens... There was nothing I could have done.

But back to the civil war. When people hear that I have diabetes, they ask me if I can control it by diet and exercise. I have been ok with this for a long time and answering their questions, but really it's just getting more and more frustrating that no one knows, or cares to research/learn about the different types of diabetes. Type 2 gets all of the attention because it is the most prevalent kind of diabetes, but Type 1 gets ignored. In the article it says that the ratio for clinical studies for Type 2 versus Type 1 is about 5:1! It is absolutely devastating that no one seems to care about Type 1 diabetics. I mean no matter what I do, no matter what I eat, I will always be on insulin for the rest of my life. Also, I will only become more and more dependent on my insulin to keep me alive. I only can DREAM of controlling my diabetes with exercise and diet. I am dependent on taking shots 4 times a day so that my body will continue to do its thing.

I got a funny pamphlet today: Diabetes Etiquette for people who DON'T have diabetes:

http://behavioraldiabetesinstitute.org/downloads/Etiquette-Card.pdf#zoom=100

Here's the link to the 10 things. I especially love number 5 because I have seen a lot of people do this even when I had gestational diabetes. Then there is number 2 and 7! LOVE these! Please don't think that I completely understand what's going on and that it's not hard work! I am having to deal with a whole different kind of diabetes this time around and I'm still learning. It is hard work! I have to remember my insulin, my meter, alcohol wipes, lancets, test strips, and needle heads when I head out anywhere. RIDICULOUS! I have to remember to brush my teeth after EVERY time I eat, wash my feet everyday, exercise most days. There's just a lot to this disease. I'm not saying it's as bad as cancer, but it's still bad. If I don't take care of myself, this disease will kill me. There's no "it might kill you" or "you could just loose a foot". It will kill me if I don't manage this disease. So please don't take it lighthearted or think that it's not as bad as other things.

Depression also hits pretty hard for Type 1 diabetics. It's already hit me. I have good days and I have bad days. Some diabetics get so depressed that they just don't want to deal with it anymore and stop taking insulin. So there you can see where things can turn bad. I have to be physically, emotionally, and mentally fit for this disease EVERY day. Tell me, could you do that? Could you, on a daily basis, continue to keep your body physically, emotionally and mentally fit for a disease you didn't have any say in getting every day white managing other day to day life things? It's hard!!!! Please have respect for us and stop ignoring the Type 1 Diabetics! We deserve as much attention as Type 2. It's sometimes very hard to gather any kind of information about Type 1 because of the amount of stuff out there for Type 2 diabetes. Please, please become aware of what diabetes and all of its heinous versions out there!