I think I may have misspoken when I told you in my post about Sonia Sotomayer that I "hid" my diabetes in my last two job interviews. What I meant was that I put my pump in my pocket instead of wearing it on my pants pocket like I usually do.

But one commenter brought up a good point. That literally hiding a part of a person's life that can affect their performance on the job is definitely wrong. There is definitely room for interpretation on this. For example: how much differently is a pilot affected by blood sugar versus an ER physician versus a fast food worker versus an editor? Sure, there's a big difference and the people around them are affected also in different ways.

Had I been asked point blank if I have diabetes I would have told the truth. But the fact is that having diabetes is not something that will make a huge impact on my work life. And I believe it won't have a huge impact on the work life of a person who sits on the Supreme Court.

And yes I believe there are jobs that can be affected by a person's blood sugar (someone mentioned a pilot going low or a nurse or doctor going low). There are exceptions to everything, of course. But  we've seen countless people excel who are in positions that have in the past been restricted to those without diabetes (I'm thinking specifically of a type 1 flight attendant who fought for her right to continue flying).

I guess what I'm really trying to say is that 1) I did not literally lie to my potential employers about my health status, and 2) with certain exceptions I believe people with diabetes should not be arbitrarily counted out of being able to perform any job just because they have diabetes. Or any chronic illness for that matter.

In Sotomayer's case, yes there is the likelihood that her lifespan is shorter than others on the court, but just because being on the Supreme Court is a lifetime appointment doesn't mean she should be excluded. As others have mentioned there's no guarantee that she or anyone who has been appointed to the court won't succumb to another fate. Everyone on the court could die of another ailment *before* she does.

She shouldn't be counted out just because of diabetes. No one should.