So, let me ask you something. If you offered someone a beer and they said 'no thanks, I'm a recovering alcoholic', would you then say 'oh, come on, just one!' No, no you wouldn't, that would make you an ass.
Paul was diagnosed with diabetes last week. He got medication and we are being EVEN more careful about our eating habits and his blood sugar, although still high, has already gone down a lot. On his first day at work after his diagnosis he was offered a piece of candy and, using all of his willpower, he said that he couldn't have any because he had just been told he had diabetes. The woman who offered the candy said 'aw, come one, just one last hurrah'. Later he was offered a piece of birthday cake and when he said no and explained why, his coworker said 'oh come on, just one piece!'
Are you KIDDING?! How ignorant ARE people? Sugar is now the enemy and could literally, eventually kill him but you want him to have 'one last bite?' Nuh-uh.
I wonder sometimes if people are evil or just very stupid...
10 comments:
Alcohol causes a physical addiction (and while sugar can be addicting to, I don't believe to the same extent), and if you are an alcoholic and you decide to go sober, even a single drink can lead you down that path again.
Diabetics have to watch their sugar, but I highly doubt Paul is never going to have another sweet in his entire life. Or if he does, then the next thing you know he'll be on a two week bender with a 5 gallon bucket of frosting and an IV drip of honey.
Anyways, that might be why they are looked at differently.
I have both diabetics and recovering alcoholics in my family and I stand by my comparison.
There are most definitely alcoholics for whom one drink could begin that downward spiral again. There are also some for whom one beer, although probably ill advised, may not be a problem.
Nobody who asked Paul if he wanted cake or candy knew what his blood sugar was that day. A piece of birthday cake with 30 grams of sugar and as many carbs may send him to dangerously high blood sugar levels. The longer and more often you have such high blood sugar the more damage you do to your internal organs and eyes. I think its a very fair assessment.
Even if its not, people are still being exceedingly rude when they try to push something on you that you have already proclaimed to be bad for you.
I got with the stupid. People are just plain stupid. And they don't care about others, just themselves, hence pushing the goodies on Paul.
Sorry for the diagnosis, with all your hard work, I'm hopeful things will work out well.
yeah, that should be 'GO' with the stupid.....still a little sleepy this morning.
My co-worker B has diabetes (currently controlled with medication and monitoring, no shots) and she's very aware of what/how much she can have and what she can't. It takes time to figure out how that one piece of cake is going to affect you. Someone offers something, she makes a decision based on what her levels were that morning and what she's eaten so far that day. Of course, we're not harping on her to have some, either.
I don't think that people are used to diabetics that refuse ALL sugar these days--I don't know many that won't eat a little schmeckle of something given the opportunity.
That said, I would think that it would be a good idea to abstain a little until he gets his routine down--knowing what he can and can't have, how much and when, etc.
I wouldn't say it's as extreme as an alcoholic, but it's definitely something people should be sensitive too and not try to bully people into having food.
But (due to obesity) there are several diabetics in my family, and as one of them said, "Well, the way it is now, I can have ONE piece of chocolate, and that's okay. Before, I'd have the whole bar and then some."
Good advice whether you have diabetes or not.
I hear you Jenn,
Jim was diagnosed with Diabeted 3 1/2 weeks ago (sugar count 23).
He was immediatly put on medication and has to check his levels 4 times a day! The reason for this is that he needs to learn how his body reacts to the different foods he eats. Yes, one piece of cake CAN create a big spike in your levels. We are very new at this whole diabetes thing but we know enough that in the begining the best sugar is no sugar until you can read your own body. Email me for more if you like. Barb in Wpg.
Having had diabetes, I feel strongly that Paul should abstain from all sugar until he has had diabetic counseling. When I was first diagnosed in TN, our doctor (whom I miss terribly!), sent me over to the local hospital for counseling, which was covered by my insurance. There I was taught how to measure portions, count carbs and sugar grams, in essence, reading the labels on the foods I was buying. Strange thing from the counseling was a sheet of paper she gave me which listed the amounts of "sugars" I was allowed each day. Like for breakfast, I could have one oreo cookie or a whopping bunch of eggs, lean meat, one slice of bread (which I found D'Italia brand allows two for the number of carbs allowed in other brands), sugar-free jelly, etc. So, hmm, an oreo to fill that bulging food crave or a whole bunch of "better-for-me" foods? Stick with what the doctors recommend. Pass up the sweets when offered to you, Paul, good job! Mom2, but to Paul, Mom!
I think that people are woefully ignorant about the impact of diabetes on a person's life, on the lives of their loved ones, on the healthcare system and even the economy.
Because diabetes is so common these days people forgot how serious it can be. Diabetes and its complications are the third leading cause of death in the US. It is serious, often debillatating and potentially fatal. To push something on someone when they have indicated that it could worsen a disease this serious is disgusting.
Certainly Paul won't go without any sugar at all but it is not within anyone's right to try and force it on him. I don't think what Paul's coworkers did to him is defensible.
When I was a vegetarian, I'd on occasion have people say, "Oh, it's okay. Go on. There's just a little meat in it." I think people have this genetic need to feed people. I also think people feel weird if they are partaking and others don't. What Paul's coworkers did was insensitive and ignorant, but I don't think it was intentional or malicious.
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