Are you afraid of diabetes?

In the beginning I might have been but I survived many things growing up, things people should not have to go through in life, things to have bad dreams over sometimes.  So when the diagnosis was given to me, I hit it straight on, in my compulsive attitude and determination.
My first instinct was, what kind of damage did I sustain? Would I have kidney failure, heart disease, etc? Would this disease change me as it did to other members of my family? 
So off to the doctor and got a full physical from top to bottom, doctor thought a little over the top, but we discovered some neuropathy in my feet, heart and kidneys totally boring, no issues.  Eyes had no damage behind them, in fact doctor said you could not have known I had diabetes by the imaging picture. Though now (15 years after diagnosis) I have developed Secondary cataracts which at the moment are not bad enough or cloudy to remove.  The eye doctor saw my expression when she told me and immediately said "don't worry a lot of old people get them" Well, how dare she think I was old ROFL.
Is it natural to be afraid of something, something even unknown, of course it is, it's part of being human.  I would be nuts to say I am not afraid of anything - can't stand those creepy crawly spiders, no way will I craw under the mobile home as hubby will do, etc. but snakes not a problem, but I do respect the bad ones.
But in my journey with this disease, and my times online, and in support groups, I have discovered this disease has made many afraid, ashamed, angry, all the emotions and yes rightly so.  Being afraid of the unknown is normal, all of us cannot truthfully say they are not afraid of the unknown - what will happened, etc, I have seen this disease change people from what they were, wonderful happy people into people who no longer laugh, find fault with all and it should not be that way.
We all have the ability to face this alien within us, to face any complications we may develop, it takes hard work, determination, we can find the strength within us to be strong, to not be afraid of this disease, and to control it. 
By showing the diabetes we are afraid of eating, of doing what we use to do, etc we are giving the alien the power to control us and I for one will not allow anything I cannot see to control me...if I don't let my hubby think he can tell me what to do, why would I let diabetes (((giggle)))
So - want to try that candy bar, pizza, slice of garlic bread? First off you must have the CONTROL TO STOP WITH THAT FIRST BITE !! I am not telling anyone it is ok to go out and eat junk food, not think about what you are putting into your mouth so don't say mzizgayle said I could lol.
Use common sense, you know what that whole candy bar, pizza can do to you, I know what the Cinnabon rolls with the wonderful warm cream cheese icing can do and I know with that I will not stop with one bite so I have not had one in 16 years and will not even tempt myself.  But I can have control with 1/2 candy bar while I am out walking thru the stores shopping (exercise!) and 1 slice of thin sliced pizza with a salad will not affect me too much once in a while.
So there is no need to be afraid of diabetes, but be respectful of it, yes knowing what it can do if you totally ignore it. It is vicious, it can destroy in a heart beat, but you can face it and control it and not be afraid.  You just need to find a way to handle that fear so it does not control you, to allow you to grow as person, to allow you to be as healthy as possible for yourself and family. 
And each time it decides to throw a chink in the armor then face that also, reel it back in, it is hard, it is constant work and I find myself mentally going thru a store thinking "too many carbs, fat content" lol...