So I had been hiding/being evasive about my diagnosis with my MIL (who is otherwise a lovely person) b/c other than my husband, that whole side of the family is pretty size-ist or whatever and I knew they'd feel some kind of way about it. But it was too hard to keep quiet about it with her cooking for me and all, so I finally admitted today that I WAS diabetic and hadn't just "been scared". She was shocked.
"But it's type one,"
"Nope. 2."
"But I know people with type 2, and they're all....profoundly obese. You lost the weight (I lost about 70 lbs this year), how do you still have it?"
"Well...it's kinda like AIDS, I think. Like, once you have AIDS, you have AIDS. It doesn't matter if your viral load is undetectable, you still got AIDS. I lost a lot of weight, I follow a better diet now, but I still have it."
"...but you aren't obese anymore. Do you...have take anything for it?"
"Metaformin. And I monitor my blood sugar every day. I haven't had my A1c checked in several months, but my blood sugar is pretty stable. It just keeps me aware of what food does to me, you know?"
(perplexed silence)
"Well, I'm glad you're taking care of yourself!"
It's a prejudice she / my SIL (we'll see how that goes in a few weeks) have had for a long time--that people who aren't "healthy", over weight etc are failing morally, somehow. That belief was challenged pretty hard when my FIL, who had a BMI in like, the single digits, ate healthily and worked out every day---including the one he died--of a surprise heart attack a few years back. Not to be condescending, but I feel like it was a teaching/learning moment for us--she learned diabetic =/= fat and fat=/= moral failure, I learned she respects and loves me a lot more than I gave her credit for. So, overall a good weekend :)
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