Geek Central

Geek Central

Invisible Illness

I am one of those people with illness and disability that isn't all that visible by just looking at me. It isn't my fault but I'm treated like it is.First I get the "You don't look sick" comments. Others try to blame my weight, Then they try to blame me for the diabetes until they find out it's type 1. Some assume that I am doing it to myself and that I am currently engaged in bad habits to cause my problems. I'm not, and that is just rude.

Wikipedia has this to say on invisible illness:

Invisible disabilities are chronic illnesses and conditions that significantly impair normal activities of daily living. In the United States, 96% of people with chronic medical conditions show no outward signs of their illness, and 10% experience symptoms that are considered disabling

I have gotten weight loss lectures and the managing type 2 diabetes speeches from people that don't bother to get the whole story more times than I count. Doctors and nurses that stop reading my chart at my weight and diabetes are the worse offenders. They don't realize I'm type 1 and they don't look at the rest of the history before talking to me. They think they have their answer because I'm a fat diabetic and just proceed to the lectures. They don't ask questions and find out that I'm active and eating healthy before they judge and lecture.
.
Others are prior co-workers or friends that pipe in with advice when they don't get it. They only know what they see in pop culture and news health reports by ignorant reporters. The colloquial attitudes that dictate diabetes is all the same and caused by eating sugar is what they believe. Here is a clue, I was sick before I was fat, and type 1 isn't the same as 2. It is not preventable or caused by lifestyle issues. Your dietary advice isn't going to cure me and I already exercise more than you.

Putting the fork down and losing weight isn't going to cure my destroyed back that has been through 3 surgeries and is getting worse because I had to have a disc removed., It isn't going to fix my leg after multiple surgeries for a muscle infection. It isn't going to cure the anxiety or depression I have struggled with since I was a skinny active child. It isn't going to cure the fibromyalgia, the wrecked left knee, the degenerative disc disease, the congestive heart failure caused by antibiotics, or the congenital conditions I have. It wont reverse Type 1 Diabetes. I put the damn fork down and got off my butt a long time ago. It helps, but I'm still sick.

These people need to stop judging. I track log and control everything I eat and I am in the gym 3 to 5 times a week when I'm not in a hospital bed. I doubt they could say the same.

Next time you encounter somebody with invisible illness or disability don't judge. It doesn't matter if they look fine, they are not. They didn't do it to themselves so spare the lectures and comments. Have some respect for a change.

Get off your butt and supervise your kids.

Come on folks. I know concussions can be serious, but raising helpless children that can't handle life's smallest bumps and bruises is serious too. As much as current hysteria may dictate, you can't bubble wrap your kids and expect them to grow up to be well adjusted adults.

Apparently a CDC study shows concussions on playgrounds to be on the rise and the equipment being blamed is monkey bars, and swings. Don't do the norm of late and form groups demanding the removal of the equipment. Watch your kids. Maybe teach your kids to watch what they are doing around swings. Another idea, maybe the CDC should spend tax money on more important and less obvious ventures. Kids bumping their heads isn't exactly ground breaking research or news. Dealing with it isn't either.

Okay, maybe some design changes on the equipment wouldn't hurt, but it wont replace parenting. I don't have a problem with parents that choose not to let their toddlers run rampant in the neighborhood unsupervised. Quite the opposite. I know there are tons of "I did __ and I survived" memes online. Yes, I was one of those 4 year old kids playing outside unsupervised and I'm alive and well to tell about it at 40. I was also damn lucky. My playing radius at 4 included a busy apartment parking lot and a neighboring construction site.

Stop wasting tax money. Stop decrying playgrounds, watch your kids!