Life is to short not to be comfortable in your bionic body, so how do you deal with showing a little skin (and your devices)?
When I was initially diagnosed, there was a short period where I was self-conscious about my diabetes. I soon realized, however, that the more I tried to hide my diabetes, the more people thought I had something to hide.
People love secrets and gossip. I began to grasp this in first grade when I returned to school after my diagnosis. I was secretly testing by BG under my desk when my then crush shouted, “Ew! Don’t give me diabetes!” Or something to that effect. The more I tried to hide it, the more the kids would whisper. I soon began to openly test by blood sugar in class and guess what…? Nobody cared! The more open I was about my diabetes, the more the kids wanted to talk TO ME and not about me.
I’ve found this to be true at all ages and in all settings. Flash forward to me in college; dating. Do I tell him on the first date…third date? Hold on, if I’m naked they won’t notice my pump, right? It’s all so complicated, but such a real dilemma for all of us. I usually told men on the first date (or even before), because if I’m dating you, I want you to know me, and if you don’t know about my diabetes, then you don’t know me.
I first met my husband at a bar in downtown Huntington Beach. I knew I was in love when I pulled out my pump (the night we met) and my husband said, “Hey! Is that a pump? My cousin has one!” We bonded over it right away, so in some ways, being open about my diabetes snagged me a husband.
Anyways…this is a “love your body post”. I love my body and I’ve learned to love it by being open about its flaws. I hope this can inspire some of you to love your bodies too!
