"Beyond 'I'm a Diabetic', Little Common Ground"

The New York Times:

"Beyond 'I'm a Diabetic,' Little Common Ground "
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/17/nyregion/17diabetes.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
By RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑA
Published: May 17, 2006


Incredible article. I can’t possibly tell you how tired I am of the discourtesy served to me when I tell someone I’m a Diabetic.

- No, I didn’t get this disease because of my conscious choices, sedentary lifestyle, eating habits, or genetic predisposition.

- I gained 100 lbs. when an idiotic endocrinologist put me on two medications, pills and insulin, that were meant for Type II Diabetics, not Type I Diabetes. I don’t have Diabetes because I’m fat. I’m fat because of my Diabetes.

- My daughter weighed 9 lb. 10 oz at birth. In the shitty C-Vegas hospital, I received a lot of flak about how I must not have taken care of my diabetes, making her a fat baby. Truth is, my diabetes was better than the average healthy adult during my pregnancy. She has big people genes, dammit. Her uncle weighed 12 lbs, 7 oz., setting a record in the state of Georgia.

- I’m not on the insulin-pump because I’m some kind of "worse" diabetic. Studies prove giving yourself insulin more often will lessen the risk of complications later, as it mimics natural dispensing of insulin. Before the pump, I shot myself up 3x per day, then 5x, then 7-8x. I would much rather go this route than keep giving myself injections.

- You people who make choices to give yourself Type II Diabetes have no freaking clue. I feel really sorry for you, mostly because you demonstrate "survival of the fittest" theory with your stupidity. If you could only feel, right now, the adverse consequences you will bear as a result of your decisions. Because you gave up/don’t care/don’t know, Diabetics like me don’t get very many research studies. Big Pharma is getting too rich off your Type II medications (Glucophage, Avandia, etc.) to ever look into a cure for the disease.

Unfortunately, Spencer’s "survival of the fittest"/Darwin’s natural selection holds no strength against the social liberalism that reigns today. If "survival of the fittest" were the case, Type II Diabetics who refuse to "fix it" would simply die, sparing us the high costs of cardio, pulmonary, renal, and endocrine care. Instead, state-run health programs pay for mistakes, particularly those committed by Americans that still refuse to eat healthfully and get off their asses.

Whatever happened to proactive solutions for social ills? Acting retroactively, just for the purpose of sparing hurt feelings, is clearly not the solution necessary for the spoiled ignorants. Won’t exercise or lay off McDonald’s? Lose full coverage medical, both private and public. If your disease is the result of choice, particularly after you’ve been continuously warned, you shouldn’t have the choice of bearing down on the public dole when you can no longer work and are supported by Social Security and Medicaid. "Limited Medicaid" benefits for you. You’ll get to see the Doc for conditions that are non-pre-existing and were not caused by "choice".

Am I being too harsh, here?



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