"So will your clothes hide your pump," Mom asked.

 
"I think so," I said. "I usually wear it on my waist band, but for this I'm probably going to put it in my pocket."

 
"Good, and if they see a bulge they'll likely think it's a cell phone," she said.

 
Truth is, I had actually considered disconnecting. But with the nerves I know I'll have, I don't want to risk the high or the low that will come with that stress. Even as proactive and look-at-me-and-my-pump that I can be, there's definitely a time and a place for it. And even though we shouldn't be judged on looks or accessories, I know that we are. I don't always want diabetes to be a topic of conversation, I don't want to be judged or be pitied because of diabetes. And I don't want to earn--or not earn--something based on this stinking disease.

 
Truth is, when I went shopping for clothes for this occasion, I looked for items that would make it easy to conceal Toohey. Writing that feels so deceptive, but it's not. I want these people to focus on my words, my achievements, my body language, not the medical equipment attached to my hip.

 
We hide other parts of ourselves all the time. When you meet new people in any situation, you don't always let everything hang out right off the bat. There's a certain level of acceptance and understanding that has to be established before we reveal the more intimate parts of our lives.