When I was openly diagnosed in 2000 as diabetic, I had a long understanding of diabetes. Everyone on my father's side of the family was diabetic. I was 16th generation confirmed.

Anyway I had this great DE. She came in and said you have to consider it's like your eye color and hair color. It's a part of you. But you can let it control you or you can control it. You need glasses right, you need insulin.

Well that was it for me. I accepted it and went about my daily routine. Ok so I had a few things to do during the day that I didn't have before. but it wasn't all that awful. I had to watch my diet.. been doing that all of my life. I had to exercise.. humnn been doing that all my life.

So here I am 9 happy years later and I am a DE. I think what I have that most DEs today don't have is  practical first-hand knowledge of the problem. And if you lead by example people generally will get the idea that if you can do it I can do it.

It's never easy especially when you have people come in with diabetic depression and you're bubbly. It's their faces of astonishment when you test in front of them and take a shot that makes them adjust easier.

That's a trick I learned. I can belepture all day long, but until my meter alarm goes off and I test infront of everyone to show its no big deal and then if I need a shot give myself one they take on a  different view of their diabetes.

Lead by example and the rest will follow.

julie