I was diagnosed at age 30. I am not at peace with it, I am not ok, and nobody has anything new to say about it. Same old.
You could say it really bugs me. You could say I’m downright angry.
(added sun mar13 '10)
I’ve received lots of great feedback, and only one jerk. It’s nice to know that there ARE people who understand, usually those who have been through it.
I’ve heard lots about DKA - i was in acute dka when diagnosed, and i don’t know how i survived. That was the worst thing i have ever been thru. I remember being sooo thirsty, if i was riding in the car thru a puddle i wanted to get out and lap it up. Riding past a pond, drink it all up. I’ve never suffered before like I did before I knew what the heck was going on. A1c was 12.5 and my next step was hyperosmolar coma.
I do look at my son looking for hope and inspiration to fight this s.o.b. condition, and sometimes it just makes me feel terrible, very sad. I can’t do things like I used to because I also have a herniated disc. That’s another story. Hey while we’re at it, let’s not leave out bipolar mood disorder. Throw that in the mix with fluctuating blood sugar and see how ya manage that. I know there are people who understand that too, but the ones who don’t are unable to keep their mouths shut, and that’s not something you want to subject someone to when they’ve already had enough. ANYHOW, it’s nice to know i’m not alone.
I was diagnosed at 26. yep it sucks. hope you are dealing with it - come to terms with whenever - but take care of yourself
My father was in his late 20s and in the military when he “got” T1. The army thought he was goldbricking when he was so sick he couldn’t even walk up 2 flights of stairs, much less do the other typical military exercises. The army screwed up with his diagnosis and kicked him out! Anyway, he was angry and negative and didn’t really take care of himself until 15 years later, when I (at the age of 12) was diagnosed as T1. Then he started taking care of himself and paying attention and learning about T1 on my behalf.
I suspect my diagnosis saved his life. Once he started working with me and accepted it, he was much happier. I don’t mean happy to be T1, I mean just happy. Don’t let T1 mess up your life.
There is nothing I can’t or don’t do because of diabetes.
Hi Steve,
It’s a bummer. But I try to think of it like this. I should have died shortly after my 27th birthday, leaving my newlywed bride a widow. I never would’ve gotten to see my three kids. So every day I’m above ground is a good day (despite having to deal with diabetes).
This looks like the best reason for you to cope with it, if not accept it:
http://www.tudiabetes.org/photo/583967:Photo:280125?context=user
Cheers and good luck,
Mike
You know, one of the things I hate about our society, is that it tries to tell people they need to pretend everything’s fine and peachy keen all the time… That we have to be positive, and happy, and delighted… all the time… And let me tell you, that is a CROCK.
It’s okay to be angry! Be angry… Feel your emotions, and confront them! We have to embrace where we are, in order to move beyond where we are… You’ve just been dealt a very difficult blow to your daily life, and routine, and to your health… and it’s okay to be angry, and scared or worried… The important part is to be angry enough to do something about it. To learn the most you can about this disease, from forums like this one, and from sites like Jenny Ruhl’s “Blood Sugar 101.”
In fact, more of us should be angry, together… so that we can make sure EVERYONE is made aware of Diabetes (all Types), and how it can affect our lives, at any age… and so that people can have valid information, at diagnosis, made available to them, so that they can take control, and not feel so lost and hopeless.
It’s alright to be angry… And we’ll be here, sharing in your journey.
I was also 30 when i was diagnosed, i received the news early in the morning and that day was supposed to be one of my happiest one because in the night i was attending a concert that i was expecting for months…
I didn’t enjoy at all the concert, i was sad, angry, even i was a bit mad with my friends… they looked so happy, enjoying the concert, their lifes, their moment… at the end it was a crappy day, and a crappy month and probably it would be still crappy but then i learned that i can’t go on like that, because i was missing a lot of things…there’s so many things in life that still you can do… so instead of being angry i decided to go on with it, instead of being a rebel about it i would learn how to deal with it and start to cope with it, learn to live with it so my life would go on as it was before that awful day.
Be mad, be angry, if you have to cry do it, there’s no shame… get it out of your system, whenever you feel ready start your battle because there’s so much in life that you can still enjoy, and we don’t have time to waste!!!
You’re not alone, believe me. After 36 years I’ve gone through angry, scared, sick and tired and just plain fed up. Now it’s just what I do. I have broken down in tears at my Doctors and thrown things. (a separate incident, not at my doctor!) I know I must think about it constantly but it’s become almost sub consciencely in that I’m no longer “aware” of it. Checking, injecting, eating is so ingrained in me that it feels like breathing and what keeps me going is the fact I want to keep breathing as long as possible with as few complications. So I guess is all I can add, again, is you’re not alone . What’s important is not to let that anger turn you off from taking care of yourself and I know that’s easy to let happen. Use the anger towards the disease to say, “You’re not going to get the best of me, I’m going to win!” Best of luck, I’m sure you can win.
Can’t tell you how you should feel about it, but I can suggest what you might do about it.
Go for a run. That’s what I do. Hit it back.
And keep a picture of you and your beautiful son nearby.
Terry
Oh. And hang out here.
I was diagnosed 13 years ago at the age of 28. Angry isn’t the word I’d use to describe my feelings at the time. I went through therapy for over 2 years. My therapist likened my diagnosis as the loss of a loved one, my health. I did go through the stages of grief too, and it took me quite a while to come to acceptance. I still get periods of fury and anger at this disease. But I completely understand, I’ve felt similar.
I’ve found myself a great support group which I attend every month. I take care of myself and have learned to put myself first, as I need to. But I’ve also learned to put my diabetes where it belongs in my life. It doesn’t run my life, it doesn’t define me. Its part of who I am. I’ve also had 3 children since my diagnosis, so I feel like I conquered diabetes in a way.
Do what you need to do for you.
Okay you are angry…You have every right to be…SO WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?
Are you planning to stay angry for the next 30 years? What are exactly are you angry at?
I was diagnosed at 25. We’re lucky for being diagnosed so much later in life. People who got it earlier have been exposed to more organ damage for a longer time-- they’re more likely to have complications earlier in life, and they had a much more difficult childhood.
I frankly don’t care how you feel because people grew up with this and had it much worse for longer. You got it when you were 30 for Christs sake, tons of people on here got it when they were 3. Act the age your were diagnosed as and deal with it.
I feel you pain…I was diagnosed at age 20. I’m still trying to cope with things and understand everything. I’m here if you need a friend.
Sounds like we could all use one of these bracelets right about now (thanks to my husband, who bought one for each member of our family)!
Angry, Hell yea!!! I lived 52 years and then boom, call me type 1.LOL
ordered one just now–for those days! thanks for the link!
It does not matter when you’re diagnosed - if you could understand at age 3, you would definitely be pissed at diagnosis then. I don’t think you are right to say “act the age” to the OP or to anyone else for that matter…maybe except to your own children.
Being diagnosed as type 1 diabetic is difficult to accept. Especially so when you are used to live life as a normal person for so long.
Are you saying you never get angry? Your justification for condescension on the OP does not hold - if you ever get angry at anything at all, would it be okay for someone to come up to you and say that you should look at someone less privileged than yourself and be grateful, how would you react?
@ robert if you don’t care how i feel then shut your mouth. say it to my face and i’ll shut if for you punkazz
@john thanks, you see precisely where i’m coming from - thirty years of not having to monitor every single thing that goes into my stomach and then all of a sudden WHAM i have to start eating a model diet. YIKES i am not a portion kind of person
amen to that, what an adjustment to be FORCED to make
thank u