Why I Am Not Going To Hide My Diabetes

This started as a Twitter post but I thought it important that I put it here as well.

At every step of my diagnosis and treatment since April people, doctors, CDEs and Vendors have mentioned "discreet" as it relates to testing, injecting, wearing a CGM and/or wearing a pump.

Fuck that. I am not and never have been a discreet person when it comes to my life experiences especially health related experiences (see my Lyme Disease posts here and here and here)

Here's why I will not hide my diabetes (in no particular order):

1. I am a freaking superhero who saves my own life multiple times a day.
2. Visibility = education. If I can make one person aware of the early symptoms and get someone into a doctor then I'm also saving their life.
3.  Wearing a pump/ CGM - they are extensions of me, of my physical body. If other folks don't like it - that's on them.
4. Empowering other diabetics, especially diabetic children. It's OK to be you! I work renaissance festivals so I deal with a lot of people. I want them to see it's nothing to be ashamed of.
5. Showing that being diagnosed diabetic isn't a death sentence. One can still lead a productive, busy, healthy, joyful life (as much a curmudgeon like me can be joyful anyhow).

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how I feel about my own choices. Your mileage may vary. I'm sure I will have evolving thoughts and feelings about this as I gain more footing in dealing with my dysfunctional pancreas.