Advice Part 72- Testing character in a few easy steps

Since I was three years old, I have had Type 1 (insulin dependent) diabetes. Just to clear up any confusion, T1 occurs when immune system attacks the pancreas, which stops producing sufficient insulin. It has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with being overweight, eating an unhealthy diet, or not exercising enough.

Anyway. Rant over.

My advice for young players is that whilst there are few "bonuses" associated with having a medical condition like this, it can actually provide you with a REALLY effective way to judge a person's character.

How do I know this? Read on.....

A few years ago, I went to dinner with a "gentleman". As I wasn't sure when we'd be eating, I waited until we arrived at the restaurant and had placed our orders before I gave myself my insulin injection.

The insulin injection looks a bit like a pen. You attach a special needle to the top, dial up the dosage you want, and then inject it into your preferred body part (in my case, the abdomen, near my navel).

All up, this process takes about 20 seconds.

It's not a big deal.

Wanting to be polite, I mentioned to my date that I had diabetes, and I would be giving myself an injection under the table. I explained that (like the VAST majority of people with diabetes) I prefer not to inject in toilets, because they're generally not that clean. And it's a really minor procedure anyway.

Normally, people are fine with this. But my "date's" reaction was somewhat, err, different.

His expression was one of absolute horror. And repulsion.

"What the......?" he muttered. "You mean.....? You're not really.....? You've got DIABETES? I mean, err, umm......yuk......No, sorry, wow. And you have to give yourself an injection? That's disgusting. How can you do that to yourself? Really gross." And with that, he averted his gaze, and crinkled his nose.

Wow. Just wow.

Sure, some people are squeamish, and don't want to see me inject. That's why I warned him. And yes, I'd prefer it if I didn't have to inject at all. But it's a pretty simple equation- without injecting, I WILL DIE. I'm not doing this for kicks, for god's sake. So to say it's "disgusting" is REALLY, really insensitive.

I decided I wouldn't see him again after that. Which turned out to be a wise decision.

So now, when I meet someone I might like, I subject them to my own personal, copyrighted "Diabetes Reaction Character Test" ASAP to see how they respond. You've been warned! ;-)