Diabetic Society

I walk down the hall, and alas, I see a clip on someone's pocket, and the familiar tubing sneaking up under her shirt. Another pumper. We stop, and talk. I've never met her before, but we chat for almost an hour. And not just about diabetes, either. We had something in common, and clicked.

Every time I meet someone with diabetes, it's like "insta-friend." Here at the OC we come from all different walks of life, all different ages, races, sexual orientations, geographic location, professions, etc. We're different. Yet, we all get along. Because that common bond unites us.

I just finished reading my third book about diabetes I have read this year. Every month, magazines from 2 different publishers reach my mailbox, both about diabetes. Any drug store has rows of product devoted to us. And there are now FIVE companies that sell pumps in the US. You can do a google image search for "diabetes" and find pictures about us. We have our own websites. We have our own camps. Some profit-savvy food manufacturers have even attempted lines of food devoted to us. We have our own language (bolus, basal, carb ratio, ISF, bg- these are not words most people use everyday).

Compliments of Wikipedia, the definition of society:

"A society is a group of human beings distinguishable from other groups by mutual interests, characteristic relationships, shared institutions and a common culture."

When I traveled across the globe, I met another American. He was from a different part of the US than I, and also older. But we talked. Because we were part of the same society.

And that's how it was when I met another pumper. And how it is at the OC. We are a society within a society, a culture unto ourselves.