I just got in from my weekly Weight Watchers meeting. You may ask why I am doing WW when I am one, a diabetic, and therefore already counting carbs and two, trying to get pregnant.
While I'm not pregnant right this minute that I know of, I'm definitely overweight. And while I know how to count carbs and balance insulin ratios, I also know how to eat. And while my sugars and A1cs are great, so too is my ass.
I figure I'll try to lose whatever weight I can before I get pregnant and if the at-home test happens to turn positive before all the excess poundage is gone, so be it.
I've been going for a few weeks now, and like the weekly leader enough to stick around for the motivational meetings. Today she read some sort of holiday fable based on the movie "It's A Wonderful Life." I'm not big into Christmas schtick, but the story is about the guy who wonders what life would be like if he'd never been born. In her story, the character wondered what life would be like if she'd never joined Weight Watchers.
(Bear with me; the go-girl diabetes moment is coming up.)
So the leader says how the character realizes she's twenty pounds overweight, and how that puts her at risk for heart problems and DIABETES. Immediately, I'm thinking, "Where's the Type 2 qualifier in that statement?"
I waited til she was done with her story, and people around the room talked about the challenges of eating during the holidays, and all that. Then I spoke up and pointed out that "Being overweight has nothing to do with being a Type 1 diabetic, and while Type 2 diabetes is far more common, you should really make the distinction between T1 and T2."
The leader thanked me and said she hadn't known that about diabetes and other people around the room said the same thing.
Just one small step in the road to public awareness.
Back to quietly counting carbs and points now.
5 comments:
Gotta love these moments - I call myself an Uncertified Diabetes Education.
This sounds pretty similar to my Christmas experience... when the random brother of someone I don't even know told me that, if I worked a little bit harder, I could come off my insulin, like he did.
He's Type Two.
And hygenically challenged.
And overweight.
And was eating a fistful of cookies, the crumbs leaping from his lips as he shook his head knowingly.
Somehow, I managed not to laugh.
I'm still laughing from reading this line, "And while my sugars and A1cs are great, so too is my ass."
I can totally relate. I feel really bad about this, but as I get older I get really paranoid of people not making the distinction between type 1 and type 2. It's awful to say, but I want people to know that there is a difference between the different types.
Thank you for clarifying and speaking up to differentiate between T1 & T2! That is a major frustration (and sometimes emotional breakdown)point for me!
Thank you for saying this! I get so frustrated as well! Just started reading your blog - I know I'm late to the party! I read your book first, and now onto the blog - it's so nice to hear from someone else who is type 1 , and who also had a healthy pregnancy!
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