A Day in the Life of a Diabetic
What is it like-
Say the people we meet-
To live everyday,
With Diabetes?
“It sucks!”, we say.
It really is true.
We are not trying to be vulgar,
Or sour, or rude.
The schedule’s hard to get used to,
Especially when you first get it.
Let me explain, a day,
In the life of a Diabetic…
First you wake up,
It should be before ten.
Then, you do a finger-prick and shot,
And eat your breakfast.
After breakfast,
You may do what you please.
Maybe go get some ice-cream?
Not with this disease!!
See, with Diabetes,
You must measure your food.
You cannot eat extra.
It’s sort of like a rule.
So, then you so something,
Or you get really bored.
And that could cause,
Your reading to soar!
Then, you’d have to drink water,
To lower it quick.
You want to stop,
But you have to drink it.
And if you lower it too much,
You better watch out!
You could have a seizure,
And then, pass out!
If you get the reading lowered,
As you had planned,
You wait until dinner,
Then do a shot again!
After all the trouble,
Another finger-prick, and shot!
Should I keep going,
Or should I stop?
I’ll keep on going,
If that’s what you want,
But this disease sucks!
It makes candy a taunt!
Then, after dinner,
Can you see a movie, with friends?
Yes, but no popcorn.
It never ends!
And when you get home,
You must have some more food.
A bed-time snack,
Which you must measure, too.
And this snack,
Requires another finger-prick and shot.
Man, two’s enough!
-You probably thought.
Soon, you walk into your room,
You wonder if you’ll be okay,
Until you wake up,
To start the next day.
So, finally you lay there,
Inside your bed.
Hoping tomorrow will be better,
Than this day has been.
And you can’t help thinking,
That it’s so pathetic,
That tomorrow you’ll have to go through,
another day as a Diabetic.
By Rik Strayer
Diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes on March 14th, 1994