Thank you mzizgayle.

Amen to that. Also remember folks....everything that is posted on the Internet is not true. Choose your Sites carefully.

Thank you for your comments! Certainly self confidence is what is needed to deal with diabetes, not feeling like it's our fault.

you are welcome

very true

How true. I think it is awful at the moment, there seems to be a campaign almost to blame anyone and everyone for medical conditions, even cancer. To me this seems ridiculous, how can it help? Instead of stigmatizing people why not do something positive like ensuring there are affordable ways for everyone to exercise (not everyone has the self confidence to run in a park or on the street) and eat healthily (not everyone has time to go to supermarkets when they discount produce, or get up early to get to a farmers market, if there even is one near them). Governments could do those things and it would make a real difference. But no, they prefer to blame people and make them even more miserable. If you are ill you already (on top of feeling ill) feel scared, unsure, fearful of the future. On top of that now people want you to feel that it was your fault? How does that help, surely it will in fact make you unhappy and you will turn to comfort eating? Why does it even matter whose 'fault' it is? The fact is that now you are diagnosed with it, and must look to the future and you need every ounce of self control and positive motivation you can find, you don't need it stomped on by people.

Anyway I could rant about this all day. Thank you for posting this, it needs to be talked about.

Thank you for those kind AND WISE words! I am new here but am struggling with quite a few health issues. I am feeling very low. Recently diagnosed with Gastroparesis along with my "out of control" blood sugars, neuropathy in both feet & generalized muscle weakness, I am stuggling to maintain any sort of positive attitude, although my husband has been a great deal of strength & support.
I am hoping to meet/make friends with some people who may be dealing with some of the same issues I facing.

It is so true Gayle. I am morbidly obese. I am also hypothyroid. I had asked a couple of times to have my thyroid checked, but told it was okay. I can look back through the years and see the weight gain. I can't even imagine what I would look like if I had ever given up dieting. Then when it got really bad my male PCP still didn't discover it. I had to change docs and she found it right away. I had already pack an extra 120 pounds on an already overweight body by then. We aren't the only ones that need to be educated our Dr.'s do to.

pittbullsmom and tekwriter hugs to you both...many of us have more issues than just diabetes, so we know what you are going thru and we are here for you.

My sister had graves disease and lost so much weight, then they gave her radiation since they could not control and her weight immediately shot up from the meds and then being made hypo since they destroyed the thyroid so I know the frustration

We must realize that diabetes can be hereditary, too. My mother, grandmother and great grand mother were thin as a stick and all had diabetes by age 35. It was no surprise when I was diagnosed at 32 years old and I was overweight. So many told me that I didn't take care of myself. I knew I would get it even if I weighed 95 Lbs. People talk about things that they have no idea about. You can't listen to them.

The blaming and shaming really grinds my gears as well. I find myself wondering when it became acceptable for people to be so judgmental and, as the kids say, all up in your face about your own choices being the cause of all your problems. Many of us have had periods in our lives when we could have done better with our exercise and food choices, but nobody that I know chose their genetics.

I try to tune out the negative and judgmental ..... sometimes a well timed stfu helps too.

I just don't allow people like that to rent my mind for free. back in the olden days (LOL)and I hate to say even now...people will say "oh they have the sugars"

You do what is best for you, and how you feel and don't ever feel guilty for having this disease, it just happens sometimes as I found out 17 years ago, you just do the best you can to control this that what counts now

Agreeing on the cause issue, but as to the control issue? For many of us with "the sugars," the responsibility falls squarely on the afflicted's shoulders. As that weight (about 15 pounds more than I want) is on my shoulders now, it does me no good to blame the genetics. Much as it does me no good to blame myself for failing to respond to those vague warnings from doctors pre-diagnosis.

Love the article. And to a newbie here, among fellow travelors with "sweet water," we get to say, take responsibility for your condition today. The cause no longer matters.