National Invisible Illness Week: Worrying As A Life Skill

National Invisible Illness Week Continues - And yours truly continues to learn.....

#iiwk12 #invisibleillness

######

So I was talking to my friend the other phone about life - And I blurted out: God, I am so tired of thinking about my health!

And damn if it was like crickets on the other end of the receiver - I literally was like: Helloooo, Is this thing on?? 

And then I followed up my statement by asking: Don't you ever think about your health?

And her response was basically (and I'm paraphrasing here) No, not really. 

OK,to be more specific in my paraphrasing, it was more like,  no she doesn't spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about her health because:

1. She's healthy, takes care of herself and is self admitted General when it comes to eating healthy food 

2. She has her own issues and thoughts about medicine and medical tests

3. She works out

4. A bunch of other stuff I can't remember because at that very moment I was seeing stars.

Part of me was really jealous of her for being all carefree when it came to her health. She'd never heard of diabetes burnout (she's a healthcare professional and for the record, not a great patient,)  and she's never experienced living with a body that didn't have something chronically busted or faulty.

When you live with diabetes you worry a lot - And a lot of times you don't even realize you're worrying  - you're just doing what you're supposed too in order to treat your diabetes. 

Some of the worries are valid, some not so valid. Some of the worries are in your control and some are out of your control.

 But worrying becomes a life skill that you're not even aware you possess when you live with a chronic illness. 

And speaking of worried...... The other part of me was worried for her.  

I know she's healthy, I know she's a food General and I know that she works out like a fiend. 

But I also know that what you don't know can hurt you - And I want good health for all friends, whether their pancreases are busted, faulty or fully functioning.

Here's the thing: As much as I can bitch, stress and feel overwhelmed sometimes because of living with my diabetes 24 X7, I know for a fact that diabetes has made me more proactive in other areas when it comes to my health in general. Diabetes has forced me to listen to my healthcare professionals and my my own body.

I guess I'm writing about our conversation because I was literally floored when I found out that she didn't spend a lot of time thinking or worrying about her health - that just blew my mind!

Because since I've been 8 years old I've worried about my health.... And it was during that conversation I realized that - And it hit me like a ton of bricks.