Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Talking to Strangers

(Day 8 of NaBloPoMo)


Due to genetic make-up (thanks, Mom) I find myself talking to strangers.

ALL.THE.TIME.

I think my real "problem" began when I worked in retail selling clothes at a store in the mall. I was there to "sell" our products and the BEST way I found to do that was just to talk to strangers. I would start conversations with people I have never seen before and may never see again. We talked about everything. I would hear whole life stories. It became kind of fun.

Anyway, back to what prompted this post.

I was dropping The Superhero off at pre-school last week and noticed something sticking out of another mom's pocket (now, I am sure the D Moms here know what I am talking about)...

YEP! It was tubing and an insulin pump! So, OF COURSE I had to ask her about it!

She had gestational Diabetes in her last pregnancy and has been insulin dependent since then. (no longer pregnant)

And while I felt a little bit of a connection to her, just because she had a pump, and The Superhero has a pump, I LOST some of the connection of "SAME" when I was talking to her further.

She has no idea what Type she has, she kept saying things like "I still go high sometimes". I got a strong feeling that she does not know a whole lot about Diabetes, even though she appears to be living it now.

I got the feeling that she expected the pump to "regulate" her blood sugar on its own. Which we all know is NOT happening. It takes A LOT of work to be a pancreas and even then, things don't always go as you would expect.

Even with my loss of "sameness" I still feel compelled to talk to strangers, especially ones with tubing sticking out of their pockets.



12 comments:

Unknown said...

Funny I do that too. If I see tubing I automatically think the person will "get" me and "I" them...this isn't always the case. I saw a teenager on a pump at the ice skating rink last year and tried to talk to her...she wanted NOTHING to do with me - LOL. I forgot she was a teen and most likely didn't appreciate me noticing and then saying something. :)

Cindy said...

I talk to strangers too. Hehe...especially ones with the telltale tubing! That instant bond is incredible sometimes!

Kim Green said...

I do the same thing! The funny thing is I notice that my T1 daughter Avery (5 yrs old) does it too. We were on the beach, IN the ocean and she ran up to me and said "Mommy, that boy over there has Diabetes". I looked and sure enough he had a site on his stomach! I looked along the beach and easily spotted the T1 mom (we all have that kind of "i'm listening to others but haven't stopped watching my t1 kid"... I walked over and introduced myself and told her how Avery spotted her son and she was moved, so sweet and called him over. He was about 12 years old but so sweet to my little girl. Most of the time, and more often than not...we all "get it"... :)

Unknown said...

You're welcome, Trace!! Can't help but make comments when I hear something funny, even if it's from someone just passing down the aisle of the grocery store :) It IS genetic! And, I too, really can't help myself if I see tubing ;D

Shamae (Ghost written by Loren her hubby) said...

Ya I think it's nice to have that connection with people! We were eating out the other day and our server saw us checking Syd's sugar. Turns out her 12 year old son was dx w/ T1 a year ago. It was fun to have that 'I-get-you' connection!

Misty said...

It's hard to keep quiet when you see the tubing! I know someone who was dx in his 30s w/ T1 and it is all I can do not to scream..FIND A NEW ENDO!!! He just has not been educated on what he needs to do to stay healthy. It's sad really.

Heather said...

I spot them too! Crazy that you have an instant "connection" like that. It is very sad that she doesn't appear to be taking care of herself though.

LaLa said...

That is so funny - it's like me mission in life to find other D Peeps!

I saw a boy with a pod on at the water park a couple of weeks ago and nearly broke my neck trying to catch up to him.

:)

Meri said...

It's like sighting the elusive white whale...you have to say something! I can see how the sameness left you.

Thanks for the shout out btw...I LOVE that you talk to strangers. I think that is a great quality!

Lorraine of "This is Caleb..." said...

That's great! Congrats!

Heidi / D-Tales said...

My kids are so confused by my talking to strangers. They're still trying to figure out when it's safe and when it's not. I talk to strangers all the time.

I can't get over that mom. Wow.

Lora said...

Justin noticed a tube on a guy when we wnt to Nick hotel over the summer. My super shy kid went right up and talked to him... I about dropped my Mudslide. SERIOUSLY!

I do notice those things now. HOWEVER, how in the world do you not know what type you are???

WEIRD!

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