I spend an awful lot of time reading the posts of fellow diabetics here on Facebook. To share how we feel intimately, then stand back and view from a global level; well things have been frantic this week as always; parents with their T1 children in hospital (the parents in my mind always suffer the worst); the divorces, there is only so much stress the diabetic mind can take; the loss of medical insurance, the DKA, the throwing a can of Coke on your husband (#brilliant), the group meeting and the HR departments unwilling to understand. BUT I SWEAR TO YOU – from the perspective of living with diabetes on a global level, we are doing okay. In terms of fighting the fight and living an optimistic life, we are winning. We hurt, we heal, we learn and we love. We always push on.
I had to leave the cinema half way through Transformers 4 because I kept having to push past everyone to get to the toilet so many times; I gave up in the end because I didn’t want to interrupt their film in the end. I only wanted to jump out of a window once, but I came on here and near complete strangers, who often feel the same way, talked me over it. I had a sugar of 19 (UK) and had to walk up a hill for half an hour with my eyes half shut, to pull me out of it. I had you there all along, even if you didn’t always agree.
So for the Air Hostesses, the engineers, the dads, the good guys and the bad: yeah we swore a few times and it’s often hard to understand when we are not face-to-face. But diabetes damn you; I tell you; on a good day it is not such a bad disease to have.
P
Well done Paul. Thank you for this inspiring blog on a Monday morning.
Great
So very right
Hugs
Smile
Thank you Paul for your blogposts. I second every word – for me perspective plays such an enormous part in how I view my diabetes, and it is posts like yours that help me look at this illness from the healthiest point of view possible. ;-)
ps: just ordered your book online – you are really easily available on Amazon Germany – congratulations ;-)
Thank you everyone.
And thank you Julez!
Hi Paul - I don't know you - never met you, but I like you already. You are so right about the status of diabetes treatment and technology available today and our general abilities to cope well. Personally, I hate diabetes more for the destruction and challenges this insidious condition levels on other people, friends and family. Many of us living excellent lives in spite of having diabetes have some common elements that are missing from those who struggle with their diabetes. The #1 issue found in people who struggle is depression and lower self-esteem. People who cope very well with diabetes are not immune or incapable of depression or low self-esteem but we are alert and aware of our increased risk, have elements around us like educated family and friends who assist in buffering us and more often than not we have strategies and activities that pull us out of the depths of despair. Exercise and life balance are key elements for me to lower my risk of depression.
People with diabetes are rarely taught about the increased risks of depression with diabetes; about the dangers of unrealistic glucose management expectation and how they make you feel. In most, it doesn't take long after diagnosis before you start hiding BG monitor results and often pushing those around you away.
Like in all society, the highest performers in diabetes are often placed on the pedestals of social media and covers of diabetes magazines. However,the true champions are the ones who fight everyday to figure the challenges of this disease out, are willing to learn something new everyday, respect their abilities to grow and change and as a result, have a great balance in their daily walk with diabetes for life. Thank you Paul for bringing this focus forward and lets all keep spreading the urgent news that we are in control of our diabetes.
