Tuesday, July 20, 2010

A Diabetes Life....


A diabetes life is 24X7, 7 days a week, 365 days a year with no vacation days or time out for good behavior and is often measured in units, numbers, and division involving the numbers 12 and 15.
Our days are based on experiencing highs and lows, but much like Hobbits, we prefer to exist somewhere in the middle.
People with diabetes are strong in spirit, so much so that poking; injecting, and infusing ourselves becomes old hat, except when it doesn’t.
A life with diabetes is not a life where one can never travel light. All sorts of extras are required in order for us to make it out the door.
Many who live with diabetes exhibit OCD like behaviors due to the extras they are required to carry and we check, check, check, and check again.
We continually wonder: did we bring enough? Enough insulin, batteries, test strips, glucotabs, batteries, larabars, needles and infusion sets.
We spend an awful lot of time wonder about carb counts and extended duel wave bolus options.
PWDs wonder if the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy applies to diabetes and our careers, our friends and potential dates.
On occasion, PWDs engage in what some would consider high-risk behaviors involving noodle-based foods such as Chinese and spaghetti.
Our collective wish is to own our disease, help others to do the same and reach the highest levels of “Blood Sugar Nirvana".
Our ultimate goal is to see a cure for diabetes in our lifetime.

8 comments:

Rachel said...

A life still meant to be lived...and lived well in spite of the hurdles diabetes throws at us.

Scully said...

A lovely written post.
reminds me how important it is to have others in the DOC that we can relate to and who understand.
Thanks!

Pam said...

This is kind of how I've been thinking this summer. Grace's numbers have been challenging,to say the least, but they haven't stopped us from having a great time. I work on the numbers, Grace works on having fun and being a kid.

~Suzanne~ said...

Great reminder that just because we live with diabetes (and all that goes with it), it doesn't mean that diabetes is our life! I am so happy I live in a time where not only do we have insulin, but we have meters and pumps and CGMS... who knows what's next :)

Penny said...

I couldn't agree with you more Kelly. Grace has diabetes, but it doesn't stop us one iota from living as an 8 year old should. I will not hate this disease, I will not put my energy into that. I think we chatted about this. I focus on the positive - my daughter is alive, we are all well and we are here, living a grand life.
Amen Kel!

Unknown said...

It is sometimes very helpful to keep things in perspective, isn't it? 100 short years ago we wouldntbe here, would we?

Anonymous said...

Your post inspires me a lot in writing my own blogs. Just wanted you to know that! I love being able to share my stories with so many others in the same boat. We are in this together, all of us, paddling upstream, but we all will get there with the help of one another! Keep up the terrific blogs. Come check out mine everybody!! http://thediabeticmindset.blogspot.com

Steve

Andrea W said...

I have found a new comfort in the DOC. I now know people who share their experiences and understand. I don't post or comment a lot but I read and learn and laugh and cry. It has been so wonderful to have others get what I am "going thru" Thanks for the wonderful, truthful thoughts.