Finding the chase and cutting to it

As a type 1 diabetic, life can seem very unfair despite some fantistic legislation which should give us a fair playing field.

I should be protected by law when my blood sugar impacts my behaviour: I keep good records and can demonstrate where my blood sugar varies outside the norm.

However, in practice, this is not generally treated as anything but an excuse.  I have been called lazy because I have turned up to work after a massive hypo late – “can’t you set an alarm clock correctly” and comments about having to pop out to get some food to correct a low blood sugar.

However, the Equality Act 2010 says that is not appropriate behaviour from a company or its representatives but this still happens.

It doesn’t help that because of headlines such as.

Because obviously, I want to be ill, I want to be diabetic otherwise I would be doing everything I could to reverse it.

Only, despite being a grown up now, I cannot reverse it – no-one can because I have an autoimmune disease.  Every so often, I think I have enough evidence to say that my body leaves enough working cells to make a difference for a few hours in a day (normally leading to a massive hypo) but that tends to be when other things are happening like getting over a different infection.

Those days are not trivial and the impact can last several days.  But never longer than those few precious hours once every couple of years.

I would stave to “avoid diabetes” but it doesn’t make any difference, likewise I would give up meat.

But there is no point, because nothing works long term.  If I do anything, I need insulin.

Interestingly, given all the hype in the media, only 40% of type 2 diabetes benefit from losing weight long term.  So that doesn’t seem like a battle you can win either.

Interestingly, my consultant wrote a letter which explains the impact high blood sugar has on me and why I strive so hard to have euglycemic control.  He feels all diabetics should be treated with empathy and compassion.

It would be great if, as the Equality Act 2010, employers would do that.