Defined By Diabetes?

“Diabetes doesn’t define me.”

That phrase has been on my mind lately.

Does it, or doesn't it? And honestly, do I want it to define me or not?

I'm not sure.

Some people don’t like the use of “diabetic” in describing themselves or their Children With Diabetes because they feel it implies someone is defined by diabetes. So they go with Person With Diabetes instead. Others don’t talk openly about their diabetes or share stories, for the same reason of not allowing their condition to dictate their lives.

Two athletes come to mind specifically. They are about a decade apart in age, one in the late 20s and the other in the teenage years. Both in the same professional sport. Yet they differ on how they treat diabetes when it comes to their athletic experiences, for the sole reason of how it might be viewed and if they’ll be defined by it. One is a vocal advocate about diabetes and doesn’t hide that it’s a part of the athletic experience, and makes a specific point to say how diabetes doesn’t limit the ability to successfully participate. While the other doesn’t make it known, out of fear of being defined by diabetes and designated as someone who might not have won as a result of this condition.

I agree with one approach more than the other, but really it’s tough to fault the other perspective.

In my mind, I think there’s a fine line between being defined by diabetes and how it’s a part of your life.

It’s an interesting two-sided coin. On one hand, we work tirelessly to be “normal” and not be seen as the “diabetes person.” But then at the same time we so openly and honestly share our good and bad D-life experiences and highlight the fact that we are, in fact, Living With Diabetes. Can we have it both ways? Can we define ourselves as diabetes patient-advocates as part of a Diabetes Community, and not be “defined by diabetes”?

I think it depends on the context of how we’re being defined.

If diabetes defines me, then I want it to be on MY OWN TERMS.

No, I don’t want it to define me in ways that aren’t on my terms. Lost time because of Lows or Highs. Complications that steal aspects of my happiness. Opportunities or experiences denied or fine-tuned because of my health, rather than my qualifications or experience. Being treated differently.

But if and when I share details of my health, I want to be able to. I don’t want to be forced to hide or down-play my diabetes.

For more than two decades growing up with diabetes, my health wasn’t the focus of my life and I wasn’t very open about it. Diabetes didn’t dictate the direction of my life, at least at the conscious level, putting me into a D-related field or turn me away from one. Even though I wasn’t hiding it for the most part, I just didn’t wear it on my sleeve. Blood testing, insulin-taking, the D-life routine were still parts of my life. Obviously. But my D-Management wasn’t as much an open-focus as it is now, and because I wasn’t thinking and communicating about it all the time, it was almost less of a dominating force in my life.

These days, I openly write and share stories and am proud to be a member of the Diabetes Community. Communicating about diabetes is a regular part of my life now. But that doesn’t mean I allow diabetes to “define” me, as far as limiting non-diabetic world opportunities and experiences.

With such a diverse Diabetes Community, many people have different views on this specific issue. Some see that not talking about their diabetes at all is the way to go, to ensure that they aren’t “defined” by their diabetes. While others choose to share, and

It’s our own choice, in the end. How someone may or may not be defined by diabetes doesn’t mean the same thing for everyone. As the mantra says, “Your Diabetes May Vary,” as does the way you make it a part of your life and share that with the rest of the world.