“You’ll die if you eat sugar, right?”
“Should you be eating that?”
“You can’t eat salt?”
“You probably don’t even feel that poke your finger anymore.”
"Is that blood sugar okay?"
"Don't you need to go to the nurse now?"
“Do you need to check right now?"
“Is diabetes contagious?”
“Eww, how do you give yourself a shot every day? That’s so gross!”


These are just a few of the questions you’ve probably heard a dozen times in your life. We hear a lot of the same questions over and over as people with diabetes, and I know a lot of you are tired of it or annoyed by it because almost every diabetes site I’ve explored has a post from someone who is supremely annoyed that people ask these kinds of questions.

To me, questions are a sign that someone wants to learn. Whether you’re asking questions about what your boyfriend did that day, asking a business owner questions because you want to someday own your own business, or asking a lot of questions in chemistry class, you’re curious, you want to learn and you’re showing a genuine interest in that work or person. You're trying to learn! With questions about diabetes, they are interested in who you are and they want to learn about your disease.

Many people don’t know anything about diabetes – and why should they? Before you had diabetes, did you know what diabetes was? Do you know the day to day details of other chronic illnesses?

I certainly don’t know squat about Crohn’s disease, leukemia, hemophelia or cycstic fibrosis. If I was around someone with one of those diseases, I would be filled with questions!

Think of the quietest kid in the back of your math class, is he learning much? If I went to a seminar on how to be a better yoga instrcutor and I don't ask a single question, I am definitely not trying to get the most out of that experience.

When someone at my work asks me a question about my diabetes, I’m grateful because even though I do hear a lot of the same questions every week, I know this person is asking because they care!

One of my best friends saw me taking my long-acting insulin shot the other day right after I took my short-acting insulin, but she doesn’t have diabetes, she doesn’t know the difference.

She quickly said, “Gin, wait! You just did that, why are you taking another one?” because she thought I might’ve forgotten and was going to take too much!

That is not a stupid question. She is concerned. Could I twist it around and say, “Ugh, it’s MY disease, she needs to let me take care of myself!”

Sure…but she cares about me! I am glad! And so that gives me a chance to teach someone about the different kinds of insulin and why I always take my long-acting insulin around 9 p.m.

Is it “our job” to educate people about diabetes? Well, no, not really. But if we want people to become aware of diabetes and feel moved to donate money and help us find a cure, or to simply understand how life is like with diabetes, then shouldn’t we take the time to educate them?