Mind Your Own Business/It's Mine, Not Yours

Someone please help me understand how it is that people who have never dealt with a specific ailment suddenly feel as though they are experts on what is ailing you?

I encounter this so often with my diabetes. If it were being done out of concern for my well being, that might be one thing. But, these people just want to comment so they look like they might know something important, or might know more than I do about diabetes.

Well, on behalf of diabetics everywhere, here’s an update for you people…. Pay close attention.

1.       Diabetes does not mean that you cannot have carbohydrates. Eliminating carbs from my diet is equally disastrous to eating too many carbs. Maybe sometime I’ll go without and let you figure out how to get me out of a coma since you seem to know so much.

2.       Diabetes does not mean that I can’t have a piece of that birthday cake. It means I can’t have a big piece and that I’ll probably have to skip the ice cream.

3.       My diabetes is closely controlled. By my physician. When you have an MD behind your name, then you can tell me what you think about my diabetes.

4.       I am in the VERY small percentage of diabetics who is considered compliant with their diabetes management plan. Compliant – that means I do what my doc says and let her know when it’s not working.

5.       I really can eat whatever I want. The difference is, I have to plan for it and practice portion control. It’s more like what I want but not necessarily when I want.

6.       Speaking of portion control – looks like you could use a little of that yourself there, Tubby. How many pieces of cake did YOU have to eat to get that gut? Has your doc told you lately you’re next in line to hop on the diabetes band wagon?

7.       Most importantly, MY diabetes is none of YOUR business. You are not my family, my friend, or my healthcare provider. Your unsolicited advice is not helpful. It only makes me want to punch you in the face. Besides, you’re wearing out my list of handy one liners that make my point without being offensive. We all know what happens when I move on to offensive.

So, stop asking me if I’m supposed to eat this or that, or telling me that I’m not supposed to eat this or that, or even noticing that I’m eating this or that. Your false concern is not wanted, needed, or even accurate for that matter.

And finally….Listen to old Hank for a minute…