Every Diabetic Is Ultimately a Diabetes Educator

Americans apparently know a lot about diabetes. A recent Gallup survey found that:

• 81% of respondents had been tested for diabetes
• 25% had been told by a health-care professional that they were at high risk for the disease
• 56% believed the disease to be as serious as heart disease, the No. 1 killer in America

Even more interesting, most respondents were keenly aware of major risk factors for the disease and preventive measures that diabetics could take to avoid complications—although conclusions from focus groups recently held by the American Diabetes Association seem to contradict the Gallup findings.

I was not surprised that Americans have so much general knowledge about diabetes. It’s constantly in the news, and with 24 million diabetics among us, most survey respondents probably know someone with the disease.

But knowing about diabetes in general doesn’t mean most Americans know what to do when a diabetic needs help—like during a hypoglycemic reaction.

Last month I had one of my worst low-blood-sugar events after a round of golf. I was shaking and having trouble speaking when I got to the clubhouse. Desperate to get the bartender’s attention, I told him I was diabetic, that it was an emergency, and that all I needed was a Coke and some crackers. Still, he took his time helping me, and the other patrons were upset that I had cut in front of them.

Neither the bartender nor his clients were really to blame. Hypoglycemic reactions, which can present themselves as disorientation, slurred speech, and dizziness, are occasionally mistaken for drunkenness even by trained professionals.

Letting my blood sugar get so low was my fault. But I can also be blamed for not asking the people I know for help when problems arise. I was playing golf that day with my brother—a type 2 diabetic—and another friend. But I didn’t tell them anything beyond the fact that I needed something with sugar in it. I don’t even wear a MedicAlert bracelet, which would come in handy if the situation were more dire and the only people around me were strangers in a bar or an EMT.

But I know that being a diabetic also means being a diabetes educator. Just letting people know you’re diabetic isn’t enough. They also need to be able to recognize when you are having problems and know how to respond. Clearly, I’ve got some work to do. I’ve kept a low profile, because I don’t want to burden people or make a big deal of my disease. But I’m vowing to change that. Want to join me?

Here are some things we can do. First, we shouldn’t hide our diabetes. We should tell family, friends, and colleagues that we have the disease. Second, we need to teach them the signs of hypoglycemia and how to treat it. That’s probably the most they’ll ever need to know. But teaching them could save our hides.

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