Tough Love, Diabetes Style. The Facebook Edition

The following has been on my mind for the past 24 hours, so much so that I couldn't even blog about today's intended subject. So, I decided to share what was preoccupying my mind with you instead.

So I kind of lost it yesterday- all in the name of having a positive attitude when it come to diabetes. And yes, I’m aware of the irony of that first sentence.

Sometimes with old friends, diabetes, and facebook, you need to get tough.

Here’s the thing. I bitch and complain about diabetes along with everyone else, but I try my best to see the glass ½ full most of the time. WHY? Because seeing the diabetes glass ½ full most of the time makes living a life with diabetes easier all of the time.

I can flip my "bitch-switch" with the best of them~

FaceBook can be a wonderful thing. It connects us with friends and family, and introduces us to new people and folks with similar likes and interests.

Many of you are my Facebook friends, and I'm glad that we have yet another place to connect and share our worlds. Recently,after I posted a link to an article on diabetes over at BusyMommyMedia.com that I wrote about raising a child with diabetes (click HERE if you feel like reading it) a friend from childhood's mother started leaving some incredibly negative statements regarding living with diabetes. So negative and vile that I felt leaving them up would do more harm than good, so I deleted them.

I don't care if you don't like me or what I write, but when you start to offend "my people" and their lifestyle- I take issue.

Now to be fair, this woman has type 2, and from what she shared with me, her numbers are down right good - and might I add, much better than her attitude.

I really questioned deleting what she said, but I was so disgusted by her words and the harm that they might do to others, that old acquaintance/friend or not, I deleted. And after deleting, I broke my own never send an 'email/letter/direct message in anger" rule got all "diabetes on her ass".

Dear XXXX:

I deleted your comments from my wall. I cannot have you writing such horrible comments regarding life with diabetes. To many of my friends have (or have children with) type 1 diabetes and they don't need to hear about "checking out if you ever lose body parts to the disease."

Many of my friends are also Type 2, and they are doing their best to manage their diabetes.

And all of my diabetes friends deal with it 24 X 7, just like you,

and If these wonderful folks can be positive about life, so can you.

You've known me since I was a child, so you know I've been a type 1 diabetic since the age of 8 and my sister Debbie died from type 1 diabetes in her early 30’s. Trust me, when the worst case starts happens to you, you'll fight with everything you have to live, just like she did.

I wrote a positive article regarding raising a child with type 1 diabetes-did you even read it? but more importantly (because honestly,it's not ALL about me) did you read the positive examples about living life with diabetes that others posted in response to the link?

If you want to set a good example for your grand children who I know that you love and cherish, then stop complaining and stop seeing the glass half empty.

I know how hard it is, but if you have a problem with your diabetes diagnoses, than do what is required so you can be healthy and enjoy your life. Find the positive instead of always spouting the negative.

Kelly K

She responded. And she apologized. And yes, we are still facebook friends.

I really hope that she can start to focus on the positives that she has in her life, instead of only seeing life's glass as ½ empty.

And if she reads this post - then I know she'll learn something. Not just from my words, but hopefully from yours~