Those questions we all get: Helpful answers for the most common ones. A guide.

It's here! an answer shaped for every question you get!!!
It’s here! an answer shaped for every question you get!!!

We get a lot of questions from the rest of the world about this D-life. Sometimes they infuriate us, sometimes they confound us. Sometimes they make us snort. So as a service to those who struggle with the answers, I’ve compiled this helpful list of suggested responses to questions you may get out in the wild. Feel free to adopt, share, tweak and use. And if you have some great answers, add them in the comments. This I the kind of public support and service the Diabetes Online Community is great for. Read on.

 

Question: “How are your/your child’s numbers?”

Answer: Oh, thank you for asking. I’m finding that sometimes they are even numbers, and sometimes they are odd. Every once in a while they are divisible by three, but thankfully, they are almost never prime numbers. Ha ha – can you imagine a prime number? Oh-em-gee. One time last week she had numbers that were multiples of 10. Twice in one day! That’s about where we are at.

 

Question: Are you/your child regulated?

Answer: Funny you should ask. I know the government is really into regulating commerce, and certainly the airlines. Or are they into de-regulating? Whatever … But in all the research I’ve done, I’ve not found a case of them regulating people with diabetes. If she is supposed to be regulated and I failed to do that, I sure hope we don’t get caught! People with diabetes don’t do well in prison … oh. Why? What did you mean?

 

Question: Should you/your child be eating that?

Answer: Absolutely not. After all, that could be sent to the Sudan to help a starving family. Or, it could be sent to a pre-school to be used as a cute craft for them to bring home for mommy to wear. Anyway, I’m pretty sure she’s going to dribble some and stain that shirt and it’s a hand wash shirt – I know why WHY WHY did I buy a hand wash shirt when I HATE hand washing – and when she dribbles I’m going to be the one who has to wash it. Plus, her aura is blue and I really, really don’t like her eating orange foods like that because it messes with her aura. So, no: she really should not be eating that. But YOU explain that to her. Right after she boluses for what she’s eating.

 

Question: Can I catch diabetes from you/your child?

Answer: Listen, buddy: I’ve seen you on the field. You are way more of a designated hitter. Don’t even TRY to catch. Okay?

 

Question: Do you have the bad kind of diabetes or the good kind?

Answer: That’s such a great question. I think I have the good kind. Because it never, every gets lazy and like … stops being all diabetes-ey on me. It’s wicked good at diabetes. Wicked. So I think it’s the good kind. Right?

 

Question: You were so young when you were diagnosed. You must be totally used to it by now. That’s lucky.

Answer: Without saying a word, responder begins flicking the questioner, directly in the eyeball.

Questioner: Ouch! OW! OMG WHY ARE YOU DOING THAT? OUCH!

Answer: No worries. I’m going to do this all the time, and you’re still pretty young. Before you know it, you’ll be totally used to it, which is lucky!

 

Question/Comment: I totally get it. My cat has diabetes.

Answer: Did you consider putting your cat to sleep?

Response: OMG NO! WHY??

Answer: Because to be honest, when (child, loved ones, whoever name) was diagnosed, I considered it. I mean, it’s such a pain! Right? And there are always more adoption days.

 

Question: So, if you have diabetes, how come you are so thin? Did you use to be really fat?

Answer: Well, not but I was pretty PHAT. I’ll give you that. PHAT like Lil Kim PHAT. Lil Kim before the prison years I mean. Obviously.

 

 Question (which is more like a statement begging for a reaction): OMG I could never give myself a shot/insert a pump site/prick my finger!

Answer: Yeah, I might just stop. I think dying quickly and painfully of hyperglycemia would be way better than these horrible shots. They suck.

Second answer choice: I know, right! THANKFULLY I had a syringe-based drug addiction before diabetes so this is all pretty normal for me.

 

 Question: Do you know whose fault it is?

Answer: Yours. (and then stomp away and avoid them for months just to let it marinate).

 

 Question: How are you/your child doing? Because my grandma’s cousin had diabeetus and she lost her leg. But it took like … 10 years I think for her to lose it. So yeah, how are you doing? (If you are a parent, this is usually asked within the earshot of your child).

Answer: Not a word. Instead, laser beams shoot directly out of your eyes and reduce that moh-ron to dust. Right there in the coffee shop line. Nuff said.

 I hope this guide serves you well. Practice your answers in front of a mirror. Own them. And share them with confidence. Education is a great thing.

21 thoughts on “Those questions we all get: Helpful answers for the most common ones. A guide.

  1. I keep having new favorites.

    This is great. I really wish I could print this out for all parents, and people with D.

    And, what about addressing insane comments that aren’t questions? Like the time my son’s CCD (religious ed) teacher told him not to eat a snack in front of the other children, but “offer it up! It’s never too soon to learn to suffer!”

    I am sure you would have a better comeback than I did for that.

  2. My favorite comment is “I don’t know how you do it!” Really??!! Well I was thinking of giving her up for adoption after the diagnosis, but she’s a pretty cute kid!! I mean what hell??!! How do we do it??!! What choice do we have??!! I have gotten that comment way too often!!

    I love your answers to “I could never give myself a shot”!! That’s my favorite one!!

  3. There was a time about 4 months after dx, when Meredith was 2 that we were at a potluck. She went waaay low right before we ate. I quick grabbed juice and skittles and she proceeded to throw a screaming fit and refused to eat/drink. By now, all eyes were on us as we were coaxing life saving sugar down her throat. When the crisis subsided, a woman came over to me. I was still shaking and visibly upset. She told me she did not approve of us “rewarding our child’s tantrum with sugar.” I responded that I didn’t approve of rewarding any behavior with sugar, but for today, I didn’t want the paramedics to have to do it for me. I wish I thought of the eyeball flicking.

  4. You made me laugh a lot, but you know what irritate me the most? People with diabetes in their child´s life and no taking the control and responsability of it, with a lot of stupid excuses… Thank you for sharing, I will try your answers the next time… 😉

  5. I love your sassy replies to stupid questions! Cassie & Michelle’s answers are winners, too. I’m out of the age group of parents answering for their kids, but the laser beams & eye flicking are still options when people comment stupidly (i.e., Diabetes is better than cancer ~ You have 2 with diabetes? OMG, I don’t know how you do that ~ I could never do all that you have to do ~ etc.).

    I do find it funny to ask my kids in public “Are you high? How high are you?” and watch the reactions of those around me. The ones that smile, get it and the ones that give me funny looks, go right ahead & question me, I dare you!

  6. I’ve been working on good answers for all these questions and now I have the perfect ones…thanks!! 🙂 love it! I’m so tired of people telling me “I couldn’t give my child a shot!” my newest reply is “give them a shot or let them die, you choose!”

  7. Blythe was recently asked by a pageant judge to name one positive thing about having diabetes and one negative thing…I just wish I could have seen the look she gave him!

  8. I had a good laugh at this, but I also think it’s important not to turn into cynical responders. If we were not thrown into this illness with no choice, how much would we really know about it? Let’s remember that a lack of education is merely a result of a lack of necessity.

  9. I think the only question you didn’t post was “won’t she grow out of that?”. My daughter was diagnosed at age 7 and b/c type 1 is often “juvenile” diabetes many get confused but I was shocked when my friend asked me that she’d grow out of it right?

  10. Sooo I have a diabetic cat.. someone actually asked me if it was related to my son’s diabetes… like did she catch it from him… 😮

  11. Hi Moira, it was nice to meet you this afternoon at the JDRF TypeOneNation summit in Cincinnati. I’m sending this via a comment because I couldn’t get the email buttons on your site to work. I’m the student working on an ebook for a local hospital diabetes group that helps teens transition into adult care of their T1D.

    The goal of the book is to help young adults communicate about their T1D in new situations. I’d love to have your and your daughter’s insight on words that work for people in some of those situations, especially words that work toward creating new relationships, advocating for yourself, and educating people on how to support you. (As opposed to these hilarious words for the OMG-most-clueless-yet encounter.)

    We’re creating some sample documents that people can adapt for more formal situations, like how to ask for workplace accommodations, but we’d like some real-world examples of what to say in different kinds of conversations. Or what not to say. We’re thinking especially about situations like job interviews, dealing with coworkers, educating roommates and new groups of friends about T1D 101, dealing with new social issues like drinking and sex, and so on. Of course we have some thoughts on the subject, but we’d benefit so much from a little been there, done that perspective.

    I appreciate absolutely any help you can give! Thank you so much for your time.

    Joan

Comments are closed.