Suffering

Every so often, I come across magazines or TV commercials or ads on the Internet that say things like "suffering from diabetes?...blah blah blah...buy our product." I hate that phrase.....suffering from diabetes.

My daughter does not suffer from diabetes. She does not spend her days walking around in agony. To me, the word "suffering" conjures up this image of people in third world countries starving...emaciated...unwell. The word "suffering" is what Emma's teacher would refer to as a "delicious word." It evokes this feeling inside the reader that makes them feel pity. I don't want people to feel pity for us. I don't want people to feel pity for my daughter. I don't want her to go through life having people look at her with THOSE eyes...you know the ones I mean.....the 'oh I'm so sorry you have to deal with this...you poor thing...it must be so hard' eyes. I don't want her to see those eyes because.....it's not true. She is not suffering....she doesn't need pity. I want her to live her life as she wishes....without fear and without pity being tossed upon her.

I want her to be strong. I want her to be strong in mind, spirit, and body. I don't want her to feel like she is any.....less....than any one else. I don't want her to feel like she is always starting things at a disadvantage...because she's not. She is just like every one else....just like every other little girl out there. I don't want her mind to be poisoned with pity or feeling inferior.

A person who happens to have type 1 diabetes...is just that...a person. Yes, they are extraordinarily brave. Yes, they know what it's like to feel pain and worry on a daily basis. Yes, they are strong...tremendously strong. They have seen things and lived through things that could make others cower in the corner. They are unique. They are all of these things and more. They are people.

There is no suffering in our life. If I were to view diabetes as something my daughter suffers from, I think that would be the same thing as admitting defeat...and that is one thing that I will never admit.