Diabetes is a unique disease in many ways.

One way that I never really realized until recently is the guilt it places on the patient.

With other diseases, your doctor is in control of everything. Your medicine, how often you take it, and how much. But with Diabetes, the patient is the one who has to manage it. So when there is a problem, the patient gets blamed.

But is that fair? Sure, I know that I decide if I am going to take my insulin on time, or bolus correctly. I am the one who either chooses to exercise or not and eat healthy foods or not. Those are up to me.

But, tell me this, who is to blame when I take my insulin correctly, exercise, do everything right, and for no reason my blood sugar is 270?

I have left my house for work with a BG of 110 and if I have a terrible day on the highway, I can get to work and be over 200! Without eating a thing. All it takes is getting cut off or almost in an accident and my sugar will spike. Who do I blame? The other driver? My inability to deal with stress? Every other person trying to get to work and who are in front of me?

I am tired of taking all the blame. I am tired of feeling guilty. I am supposed to control something that is not predictable. Tell me how you do that?

And this is not just for the type 1's like me. Type 2's get blamed for having this disease. They get told that because they are overweight or ate one too many serving of pasta that they gave themselves diabetes. How messed up is that?

"Well, that's what you get for being fat." Like it's a punishment. Like it's deserved. It kills me that those of you with type 2 have to feel guilt for having diabetes. That is not fair and inaccurate since I know MANY type 2's that are not overweight.

The question of guilt comes up again when thinking about treatment and care. Do doctors think that guilt is a motivator? It is not for me. I think, "Well if screwed up so bad, I may as well screw up some more!" I know that is not the right attitude but it works as a defence mechanism and it happens, at least for me it does.

So what is the cure? What can we do? How can we get through all this shame?

Blame Diabetes.

Try it. For one day, when your BG is not where you want it, blame diabetes. It's the disease. Let diabetes take the bullet for once.

We deserve a break.