What a diabetic looks like

How many times have you heard someone say words to the effect of 'oh but you don't look diabetic'? This happened to me quite a lot last year, most likely due to being more 'vocal' about diabetes than usual, and it got me thinking, 'What do people expect me to look like?' 'What do they expect me to say in response to that statement? ....... 'What does diabetes look like?'

Then today, at the pharmacy of all places, I heard those words again for the first time this year - only got three days in! There was a total episode of confusion between myself and the service assistant at the pharmacy. When I stated I'd arrived to pick up an order of blood strips and providing my name, she looked quite bewildered.

I replied to the look by saying 'for diabetes, blood strips for a glucose metre'.
'Oh' she replied, sounding unsure 'What kind?'
'BG Star'
I nearly lost her in bewilderment again to which I said 'Yes, they're a newish strip, its a bit of a funny name and a bit confusing I know'. So she walked off to find my order.
Next minute she holds up a bag and yells out my name to reconfirm. 'Yes that's it'
She then started talking about me in the third person. Yep, as if I wasn't there, I was most confused... then she handed back my NDSS card and said 'I didn't know you could only have the carer's name on the NDSS card'. WTF? I'm not a carer! I'm the diabetic.
Instead I politely said 'Thats just my card, but I don't think you can'.
To which she replied quite plainly 'Oh, you don't look diabetic'
Errmmmm......

Then just as I'm leaving she starts talking about me in the third person again, saying that they'll phone when the next order arrives... She obviously wasn't convinced I was the diabetic!

SO. I've decided that this year as part of my blogging, I'm going to take a simple image every day of what my life looks like that day...whether related directly to diabetes or not. Coz quite frankly we diabetics, whatever we look like, do alot more than just test, prick, eat and visit doctors (though that does of course shape my days!) Still blogging about the D of course but chucking in a bit of the other things that make me who I am.. .and possibly not one who 'looks like a diabetic' - whatever that's supposed to mean!

Today we went on a few site visits to check out venues for the engagement party... this is what greeted us when we stepped out at the first venue...

 

What'd you know!?! We ended up picking this place haha. Lets hope there are no ATTACK BIRDS in the spot we'll be dining! Perhaps I should tell my guests to bring their bike helmets or fashion a hat out of an old ice cream bucket for the night!