"I am Tired Of Getting Asked Questions!"

"I am tired of getting asked questions!" This was Micheala's response to my question about why she wanted to wear a long sleeve shirt on a hot day.

Tuesday morning we had to change Micheala's pump site location. She usually puts her pump site on her legs, rotating the site from leg to leg every three days. Her legs started getting pretty marked up, so we wanted to change the location to her stomach. She started getting to the point where she was using all of the locations on her stomach, so we decided to go to a 3rd location, her tricep area. She fought us a little bit about this location, but not for the reasons that I would have anticipated.

Usually, when changing her site, she throws a fit about the new site location going to hurt. We put the site in and it doesn't hurt her, but she still manages to throw a fit every time we change sites. I think she is trying to manipulate something out of Heather and I as we both hate to see our children cry. But this site change was different. She didn't want her site in her arm because it would be visible to her class mates. Micheala begins to tell us that every time she checks her blood sugar and does insulin at school, her class mates gather around and start asking questions. She stated that she gets tired of this and the questions are always, "What are you doing?"

Micheala wants to be like everyone else. She doesn't like the attention that she gets from her class mates when it comes to her diabetes. I explained to her that they are curious and just want to know about diabetes. I told her that she should answer questions that are asked when concerning her diabetes so that people can better understand diabetes. On the other hand, I understand where she is coming from. I am not shy about talking diabetes with people because I have accepted the role of being an advocate for the cure. But I started thinking back to my younger years of being a diabetic and how I just wanted to be a normal kid. I have people that are from the community that I grew up in still come up to me and say that they never knew I was a diabetic. I never advertised it to anyone, but I never really took the time to think about how I use to hide it from everyone.

So do you stop asking questions? Absolutely not! I want to educate, advocate and inform everyone that has questions about juvenile diabetes. Just understand that sometimes, like Micheala's case, she gets tired of answering questions and doesn't quite understand why you are asking questions.

I think this brings up the point in which you should be proud of who you are; diabetes or not. Diabetes is not something that you choose to have, it chooses you, so embrace whatever it is and make it part of who you are. I don't walk into a room and announce to everyone that I am a diabetic, but if someone asks me what I have been up to, I usually respond with, "Trying to find a cure for my daughter", which leads into our story.

Be proud of who you are and what you will become.

On a side note, we were down at University of Iowa hospitals yesterday for a thyroid/diabetes check up for Micheala. Our doctor, who is new to us, stated that she thought we looked familiar and wondered if we were at the JDRF Gala last Saturday. When I said yes, she immediately complimented me on our video and my speech. She said it was her favorite part. One thing led to another and I got her to commit to attending the JDRF Walk for the Cure in February 2012. Even if it was one person, it was rewarding to know that on Saturday night, we made a difference. I am really starting to buy into the idea that ONE person can make a difference. I use to think otherwise. A mistake that I kept making but finally have learned from....I CAN, SO I WILL!