Yes, We CAN Eat Ice Cream!

The 22^nd Annual Ice Cream Social on the Circle is happening Friday!

Sponsored each year by the American Dairy Association of Indiana, this event celebrates National Ice Cream Month and recognizes the Hoosier State’s #2 ranking in U.S. ice cream production. It happens on Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. For just $3, guests can indulge their taste buds with gigantic sundaes made from Edy’s Slow Churned Light Ice Cream and drizzled with Smucker’s chocolate, strawberry, caramel, or butterscotch syrups. Sundaes will be served by more than 30 “celebrity” scoopers that include local media personalities, sports notables and business dignitaries - including Tony Hoard of America’s Got Talent.

All the proceeds this year go directly to the Diabetes Youth Foundation of Indiana, which runs the only D-Camp in Central Indiana and supports, educates and encourages young people with Type 1 diabetes. (Disclosure: I am a DYFI board member.)

So, if you happen to be in or around Indianapolis: stop on by!

Now, we have to get into some ranting and raving. I wasn’t planning on it, but it’s unavoidable. I need to vent. So please, accept my apologies from the start for any asshattery that follows. And in respect to the above-mentioned Disclosure, nothing posted here is meant to signal my speaking for anyone but myself. It’s my blog, and I write what I want.

(/Ranting Digression Begins):

A message to the point: Yes, we CAN eat ice cream.

It’s a myth to think otherwise.

This is specifically in response to Mr. Eco Chef who made it a point to call up and berate my friend, Fellow Adult Type 1, and passionate D-Camp Director about the evils of sponsoring this kind of event where we’re encouraging people to eat ice creamy sugar in the name of Type 1 diabetes.

First, you might want to start off by understanding there’s more than one type of diabetes. Go look it up. Insulin is necessary for any human and everyone needs it to live – whether it’s natural in a working pancreas or artificially supplied by syringe or medical device.

So, before you open your pie-hole and criticize what you believe is an "atrocity," get your facts straight about the condition you're focusing your misinformed energy on. This isn't the Diabetes Dark Ages, and we can responsibly eat what we want as People With Diabetes.

Onto the myth… That we can’t eat cookies or ice cream or anything of the sort. It's a myth perpetuated by those who are convinced that any ounce of sugar is pure evil and will likely lead to an otherwise avoidable death.

For those in the know, clearly this isn’t true. We People With Diabetes know based on our daily regular experiences of Living With Type 1 Diabetes that we can eat sugar or pretty much whatever we want – assuming we correctly calculate the carbs it breaks down into and then we take the correct amount of insulin for what we’ve consumed.

Maybe in the old days, the "no sugar" mentality was the way it was. Before diabetes management and technology and medical professional knowledge evolved to what it is today. Now, it's pretty common knowledge for those who actually want to know or care - that we CAN eat sugar and ice cream.

Those who think otherwise need a clue. Just like you may think you can "reverse" Type 1 diabetes or cure yourself of this autoimmune chronic condition, you are sorely mistaken. I direct you to a video, to view at a time after you pull your thick head from the confines of your ass. (A.K.A. What NOT to say to the Parent of a Child With Diabetes.)

Obviously, eating a tub of ice cream every day isn’t healthy for anyone – including those with any form of diabetes. And it may not help our waistlines. But an occasional ice cream sundae with sugar-free chocolate syrup, at an ice cream social, is not going to kill us.

Oh, and a specific note to you, Mr. Self-Proclaimed Eco Chef Extraordinaire: You truly suck. Next time you have the urge to tell a young lady so incredibly dedicated to a charity that there’s a “special place in hell" for her, please don’t. If you don't support the message or focus of a fun event, don’t attend. We exercise that ability regularly by not tuning into your stupidly idiot cooking segment on the morning news every other Saturday. We stay classy, and it'd be nice if you did the same even if that’s a stretch for your close-minded melon of a brain to comprehend.

There’s no need to condemn us as an organization for being a part of this ice cream social, saying that we’re a lost cause and have sold our souls. Clearly, your claim that “no child with diabetes should have sugar” shows what a moron you are. You may proclaim to be “an educator who travels around the U.S. ‘reprogramming’ people on how to eat healthy,” but I say you're an uninformed fool twisting the facts to suit your own agenda. And for that, I call bullshit on you.

So, I dare you to show up and protest. I double-dare you. Seriously, I do.

Don’t make me summon the D-Mob. Just like you wouldn’t like Dr. David Banner when he gets angry, you certainly wouldn’t like the outcome of pissing off the D-Community. I guarantee it. We’ll go all Incredible Hulk on your ass, medieval style.

Some may be thinking at this point: This Hoskins guy is mad, over-reacting, going off the rocker on someone in much the same way as the above-criticized Wonder Chef did in the first place. Yep, that may very well be. I am mad. Probably over-reacting. Acting like an ass-hat.

But there's a difference: at least I know What The Fructose I'm talking about, not sanctimoniously criticizing someone without first knowing what I'm ranting about. From one asshat to another asshat, Chef: I Call Bullshit on your asshattery.

Why is this so important to rant about? Because so often, kids are made to feel different because they can't have ice cream. Or a cookie. They are singled out in class and made to feel different. Other kids make fun of them. They aren't invited to sleep overs or birthday parties because other parents are too scared of what could happen because of diabetes. As adults, People With Diabetes are criticized by friends, family, and co-workers over every little thing they eat.

Most of the time, it's because of this perpetuated stereotype and myth that fuels this. People don't understand that it's OK for diabetics to enjoy treats in moderation. We can because of modern medicine and health management.

And the kind of crap you spew damages our efforts as a community to make people more aware of what is and is not true. So for that, I denounce you and your despicable tactics.

(Digressive-Rant Completed, after taking a breath or two – or 12 – and avoiding any more rise in my blood pressure… Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy.. La la la la.)

So with that, I’m off to the ice cream social on Monument Circle, where I’m going to be a volunteer scooper and will most definitely enjoy a hot fudge sundae and some good times in general – all to benefit D-Camp!!!

On second thought, laced with calm and sprinkled with smart-ass: Mr. Chef, please join us. I’ll offer you a sundae. But no cherry.

And if you show up, I'll be pleased to meet you. Hope you guess my name.