#actuallydiabetic

[frecklenog]

i want you all to understand this.

insulin pens are very often used by diabetic children (or their parents, but they were very easy to use during the short time i was prescribed them when i was a child myself). they’re less cumbersome, produce less waste, and are far easier than pulling insulin from a vial with a single use syringe, as syringes are much more susceptible to air bubbles, which result in the diabetic not getting enough medication. i’m explaining this part because i know that some diabetic adults do also use them, and i’m sure that that’s true of diabetic adults in palestine with such scarce resources. when it’s life or death, you can’t really be picky.

the israeli occupation is now banning insulin pens from entering gaza.

lack of insulin results in diabetic ketoacidosis — essentially a very, very dangerous version of the effects of the keto diet. insulin is a key for the sugar from one’s food (both slow and fast acting, since all food has some carbohydrates, from nuts to potatoes to table sugar) to get from their bloodstream into their cells. without insulin, the body resorts to eating through its own fat stores rather than the sugar it cannot access and tries to flush the excess glucose that is in the blood through the urine. this results in weight loss, headaches, nausea, dehydration, blurred vision, abdominal pain, impaired mental faculties, and, if left untreated, will result in a coma, and eventually death within a matter of weeks. not “can.” it will kill you if not treated, and was largely considered a lethal diagnosis until insulin was discovered in the early 1900s and made readily available in 1922.

i’ve been in dka. admittedly, i was very young and have blocked much of it out. but i do remember that it fucking sucked. i couldn’t focus on anything, i was ravenous no matter how much i ate, and the room spinning to the point i felt like i was going to throw up became an increasingly regular occurrence. i was seven years old and wasting away like i was starved. i was dying. a few more days, and i likely would’ve gone into a coma and might not be here now.

to inflict that, willingly and knowingly, on innocent people, is nothing short of a crime against humanity, and violates the geneva conventions (item 2.a.ii. torture or inhumane treatment, including biological experiments and item 2.a.iii. willfully causing great suffering or serious injury to body or health). not that the israeli occupation cares, of course, as south african prosecutors have already extensively detailed their crimes in the icj, and this one in particular has already been committed near-countless times.

this entire occupation is a genocide, and this is only one more nail in that coffin. but, as a diabetic — as a human being who has been in that state and was lucky enough to have the resources to live almost another fifteen years (with the anniversary of my own diagnosis about halfway through next month), i can’t find the words to express my disgust and rage anymore. maybe it’s selfish to be so deeply impacted by this particular blow. i don’t know. but these people have done nothing wrong but be disabled in gaza, and as someone with the same disability, i know that no one deserves this, even if they have committed a crime (which, again, these civilians, largely children, have not). i will not fucking stand for it.

we need a ceasefire. we need an end to the occupation. we need a free palestine. now.

here’s a masterpost of how you can help.

EDIT: here’s a post on how to help diabetics in gaza specifically

[chronic-harmonic]

My favorite brand of diabetic tumblr is when someone is posting low blood sugar memes while they’re clearly fighting for their life

[quixoticanarchy]

LOVE finding strangers w my same medical problems there is just really Something about that particular axis of "oh you too?? just like me???" zero to besties in one minute. after five minutes you're exchanging near death experiences and screaming about niche grievances that no one else gets

[rubiter20]

So sick of asking doctors questions and not having them fucking answer me. Anyways fellow diabetics do y'all have any tips of how i can stop going low after walking? I only walk about 10 minutes to class and it keeps dropping my sugar an insane amount. I use excercise mode on my tandem but it doesn't do shit

[diabeticlichen-thropy]

After a very long Christmas I would like to present:

[whatautoimmunesystem]

[2amcheese]

There are stars I wanted to reach But chains held me down They yanked away my dreams The scent of insulin follows me around, it stains my hand with alcohol Swabs for my safety, fuck, please, The smell never leaves me as fast as my mind flees.

[autisticlassiedog]

I'm getting a CGM, kinda excited about it oddly

[annieisyourfavourite]

my bloodsugar has joined the fight of "annie vs. covid" on the side of team covid

[hex-adecimal]

Friendly reminder this disability pride month: "diabetes" isn’t a fucking food descriptor, it’s a medical condition. Quit using it as such

[autisticallyfeisty]

I kind of like when my blood sugar’s a little low, like between 60 and 80. I feel like it’s easier to move, to connect thoughts with actions. Like I have more control over my body basically. Especially my hands. And more clarity of thought. I don’t really hear other diabetics talk about this, which makes me wonder if maybe an autistic thing? 

Do any other diabetics (autistic or not) experience this?

[frecklenog]

seeing other diabetics like my silly posts like YES !!!!!!!!! THESE ARE FOR YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[chronic-harmonic]

Turning 26 in the US: 😷😰🤮

[onlyalwaysdiabetic]

Snapped a 12 year old pen today by leaning on a chair wrong. I don’t know i feel about it rn but I think the emotional loss will hit me later. This thing has done more to keep me alive than any human

[urghost-andurboo]

my blood sugar doesn't go low very often but when it does it feels like i am literally about to die, just shaky and a deep sense of fear. and then i drink a juice box and i feel okay again

[diabeticlichen-thropy]

Has anyone else been having with their medtronic 780g?? It’s like they’ve changed the algorithm on me and I’ve been going high after every meal for days!!! I have changed all my ratios and have to keep taking myself out of automode which is starting to drive me up the wall