Keep it to Yourself\u00a0<\/a><\/b> I started writing my response to these questions, about\u00a0my dating life and thought maybe 10x that I should go with this from a different angle or just not at all, but I work best with a stream of consciousness approach and heavy doses of unedited “winging it” so here goes. \u00a0I was in a serious relationship when I started this blog years ago and my then partner\u00a0was referenced in my early posts, often. \u00a0I have not tackled dating here\u00a0for a multitude of reasons, and diabetes is not the reason I didn’t find “the one” (please note that there is an eye roll that goes with typing that, “the one”), but diabetes has played a role in my relationships, to varying degrees, along with many other non-D aspects of life.<\/p>\n There is something specific to dating that has occurred with me in recent months. \u00a0If you have followed me on twitter,\u00a0or you know me, you might know I participated in an Artificial Pancreas trial back in November. \u00a0It was pretty incredible<\/a>. \u00a0Since that time, I wrote about my experiences for JDRF<\/a>, A Sweet Life<\/a>, have spoken at various JDRF Type One Summits, spoken on behalf of Mount Sinai hospital<\/a>, did interviews with some diabetes publications, ended up on the local news and witnessed a newspaper interview<\/a> I did, get picked-up internationally. \u00a0Wow. \u00a0Sounds braggy right? \u00a0I agreed to all these things for the reason that I want people to understand and learn about T1D. \u00a0I want to help further the cause and if my body and my time enabled Artificial Pancreas research to progress, then I can use my mouth and my brain to explain both my experience and also why I believe research and diabetes research funding are\u00a0so damn important. \u00a0I could go on and on, but that’s not the point of today’s post.<\/p>\n What I considered but didn’t really fathom, was Google. \u00a0I don’t hide the fact that I’m T1D (or PWD, but I never remember to use that terminology). \u00a0I have been google-able for a long time. \u00a0As far as T1D goes, my JDRF Walk team has had fundraising stuff all over the damn interwebs\u00a0for years. \u00a0There is no hiding and that’s not my desire anyway. \u00a0The press over the AP trial though, I didn’t\/don’t control. \u00a0An article that says I’m haunted by T1D (Seriously? I want<\/strong> ghosts if that’s true. \u00a0I want ghosts that can go\u00a0do stuff for me… pick up dry cleaning, walk the dog, give me a massage and go scare\u00a0my obnoxiously loud neighbors, etc). \u00a0According to a reporter, I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in 35 years (I was diagnosed in 1979. \u00a0I must look like a zombie!). \u00a0I am a horrendous sleeper but not just because a Dexcom has beeped at me periodically over the past few years. \u00a0I live in Manhattan. \u00a0It’s effing loud here, people. Or my favorite, that I’ve “suffered” with T1D since I was a child. \u00a0Yeah it hasn’t been a walk in the park, but the word “suffered’ is drop-kick worthy to me. You get the point. \u00a0Sometimes the facts were\u00a0corrected in online press, but printed press is, well… printed. \u00a0And now when it comes to dating, and even in some recent business situations, people actually\u00a0Google me. \u00a0Instead of explaining to someone new that I’m T1D and what that entails, the internet gives them a slew of information, not necessarily spun how I would introduce\u00a0it and sometimes not quite accurate.<\/p>\n Can I have Space Ghost? Chiseled jaw and funny? Check.<\/p><\/div>\n I have to admit though it isn’t all bad news for dating. \u00a0I went out with someone a while ago who\u00a0I had to keep rescheduling our get togethers\u00a0(yep, I’m good like that). \u00a0At one point, in a casual conversation, he text me that he had Googled me. \u00a0Oy. \u00a0He made comments about my career success and some photos (hey thanks), but he never mentioned T1D. \u00a0I knew he knew. \u00a0So I waited, until I actually wasn’t rescheduling dates and while we were out, he seemed to bring it up -ish, you know, Google and I helped him out. \u00a0We discussed T1D. \u00a0He clearly\u00a0did some homework (huge plus in my book) and finally asked where I put my pump. \u00a0I pointed between my boobs (I rarely wear my pump there but the dress I was wearing had no other good spot). \u00a0Nothing like an ice breaker where you have actually encouraged a guy to stare at your chest. \u00a0And then it happened, I know this sounds like a Romantic Comedy, but as soon as I pointed to my chest, I went over my target blood glucose (ps I’m on an Animas Vibe and the screen was facing outward) and my pump beeped and then lit up! \u00a0Right through the dress, a blue light. Yep so I had a guy staring at my boobs and then my chest beeped and lit up like\u00a0I’d swallowed a\u00a0strobe light. \u00a0After explaining, “no I did not do that by pointing at my chest”, it was good for some laughs and then I’m sorry to say, unlike a romantic comedy, he wasn’t “the one” either, but the two other times we went out, I was truly amazed at how he showed-up clearly having done more and more T1D research and we have actually stayed friends since.<\/p>\n There have been some, what I consider, bee sting moments too (well more like a wasp). \u00a0In a way, I am relieved I can weed out the “possibles” from the “toss to the curbs”, thanks to some AP press, but let’s face it, those bee sting “Oh Wait, \u00a0You’re Sick? \u00a0I can’t handle sick!” \u00a0moments happened both in my 20s and 30s. \u00a0They were rare, but yes, they happened and nothing has ever been as shocking as a 3rd date I went on in my late 20s where the guy went nuts on me in a restaurant about how I misrepresented myself and he doesn’t deal with sick people. \u00a0It was awful, he had had a few drinks, got louder, wouldn’t shut-up and I left in tears. \u00a0The end of that story though is I’d been set up with him by a friend and a year later she told me he had testicular cancer. \u00a0I wouldn’t wish that on anyone, even a boy who made me cry, but maybe he has a different perspective on “sick people” now.<\/p>\n So there you have it. \u00a0This is one of a few things I don’t talk about online and for the record, I would do another AP trial again in a heartbeat. \u00a0I would do all the press in the world and write as many stories about it as I could as I believe so strongly in research. \u00a0The clinical trial experience is like nothing else I’ve ever done and it opened my mind and my heart to the people who are trying to bring this technology to all of us haunted by T1D (sorry I couldn’t resist). \u00a0I might get a Casper cut-out on my bike for the JDRF Burlington ride.<\/p>\n And as for the question of why this is important to keep to myself, I just realized it isn’t, is it?<\/p>\n Day 2 of Diabetes Blog Week #Dblogweek: It is Diabetes Blog Week. \u00a0Karen at Bitter Sweet Diabetes wrote (in 2012?),\u00a0\u201cIf you don\u2019t have a blog but have thought about starting one, now is the perfect time\u201d,\u00a0so I did (which was … Continue reading
\nMany of us share lots of aspects of our diabetes lives online for the world to see.\u00a0 What are some of the aspects of diabetes that you choose to keep private from the internet?\u00a0 Or from your family and friends?\u00a0 Why is it important to keep it to yourself? \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n![\"Can](\"http:\/\/www.surfacefine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Space-ghost-238x300.jpg\")
<\/a>![\"Print\"](\"http:\/\/www.surfacefine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/casper-ghost-coloring-pages-for-kids-printable-580x580-300x300.jpg\")
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