Two times in the last month I HAVE been sitting at a bar and had what I'd call a "Diabetes Encounter." No, that's not the same as seeing a UFO or Close Encounters of the Third Kind but it's even better.
We were returning from a vacation in Mexico a week or so ago and had to connect in Houston. A six hour layover necessitated a visit to the bar near our gate. Rob (AKA Angry - He's now OK with my using his real name) asked me if I noticed the bartender's arm. I assumed he had a cool tattoo. Chris, our bartender, turned to show me his biceps and he was wearing and Omnipod. I yanked my Animas Ping from my waistband and showed it to him. A mini show and tell where only the cool kids had insulin pumps!! We chatted on and off for the next two hours about pumps, continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), and diabetes. He told me that he also wears a Dexcom CGM. I asked him his favorite place to wear it and he said, "We can only wear them on our stomachs." I told him that many (most?) of us don't limit ourselves and that he should try other spots if he was willing and comfortable. He was excited that he could actually do that and was planning which place to try next (I think his arm was the winner but he was pondering using his chest as well). Liz to the rescue?
I often wear my Dexcom transmitter on my arm (and now maybe bartender Chis will too!). Now that it's warm enough to wear short sleeves without freezing to death (a bit earlier than usual in Wisconsin!), it is plainly visible.
Last weekend we were at one of our favorite restaurants hanging at the bar. A woman sat down next to me and asked, "Type 1 or Type 2?" She had spotted my Dexcom on my arm and we started chatting about diabetes and CGMs. She was quite impressed with the cute, coordinating Pump Peelz stickers I was using on my transmitter and receiver.
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| My June Peelz. Cute! |
I find it amazing that lousy old diabetes can bring people together, even at bars. Common ground is common ground no matter what the circumstances may be. I really enjoy feeling like I've found 'one of me' in the wild!
