Greetings,

I am an employee at a residential facility that provides support for individuals needing constant assistance. I manage type 1 diabetes, which necessitates self-administration of insulin and diligent monitoring of my blood sugar levels. To keep track of my glucose, I employ various methods: 1) An app on my mobile that receives data from a sensor on my arm, 2) manual scanning of the arm sensor using my phone when the app is unresponsive or when the phone is too far from the sensor, and 3) occasional traditional blood tests, which I use less frequently than the other methods.

One of my colleagues, named Amanda, whom I work with during the week, often oversteps boundaries concerning my diabetes. Her interest in the condition stems from her husband having type 2 diabetes and owning two diabetic cats. Despite my attempts to establish clear limits regarding my personal health, Amanda regularly intrudes with probing questions.

A typical day at work involved me manually scanning my sensor for a quick glucose reading—an activity Amanda witnessed. As usual, she inquired about my well-being. I reassured her that I was fine and mentioned that she need not worry each time she sees me use my scanner. I expressed that I would let her know if I was in any discomfort or if my levels were off. Despite claiming to respect my feelings by promising to not check on me again, Amanda continued her usual inquiries.

This consistent behavior led to a more heated exchange where Amanda confronted me, labeling my previous responses as rude. She insisted her questions were out of concern. I explained, once again, the necessity for frequent monitoring and asserted that while I appreciate her concern, her constant questioning felt invasive. In response, she scoffed and suggested I refrain from scanning when in her presence to avoid her inquiries. This suggestion was unreasonable to me, given the importance of regular monitoring of my condition, especially at work. Our conversation ended with her sarcastically proposing that I check my glucose levels away from her, an idea I dismissed immediately.

Imagining this scenario on a reality TV show, the tension and drama would undoubtedly be magnified. The audience might sympathize with the need for personal space and medical independence or perhaps view the confrontation as an unnecessary escalation. In such a setting, both viewpoints could be dramatically highlighted, leading to a divisive audience reaction—some siding with the need for privacy and understanding of medical conditions, while others might perceive it as a trivial misunderstanding blown out of proportion for entertainment.

I have this nosy coworker. How should I handle it?

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