Do you consider having diabetes an inconvenience or something else? If your answer is something else, could you put the way you feel in words to explain how you view this disease. Do you consider yourself as having a disease? Thanks
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Something else. I view disease as a natural part of the human condition. Experience with disease give me a more honest perception of the human condition that I am thankful for.
Here is a recent interview from a young author who explores the topic that might interest you. I heard it yesterday on the radio. Hit the play button for the audio. Interview
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I just read the article that you suggested and the poem. and I felt so inspired by this article. Thank you so much. I happen to go past that facility every time I travel to Washing DC for my medical treatment. I always think that I should apply for a job there. I have a degree in Psychology and experience working with people with mental illness, quite serious. It is funny how you can pass a place and have a totally different idea of what it stands for.
No way! Thats wild. It sounds like a place that is primarily Developmental disability. I just ordered a couple copies of her book - one for me and one for my buddy with bipolar 1.
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I’ve always felt that dealing with reality was the best way to live. I have a metabolic disease called diabetes. Accepting its reality allows me to take steps to learn how to live well with it, despite its presence in every facet of my life. I see denial as a short-term coping mechanism that causes great harm when held onto for too long.
It’s the rare person who gets through life without some sort of major challenge. How we respond to something difficult, like diabetes, can have a great effect on our happiness. “Life selects the picture, but you choose the frame,” describes my philosophy. I take joy in my ability to control my blood glucose well.
I see no weakness and feel no shame in acknowledging that I have a disease. I am not perfect; no one is. I feel the same way about the term, disability.
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It was the hand I was dealt and I just deal with it. My thinking is everyone has something that they have to deal with. Yes, it can be a major inconvenience,and it does get in the way of plans, but I try to just roll with the punches.
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I absolutely have a disease. I also have a disability. Both require that I put more effort into certain things and find adaptations that work for me. Neither one holds me back from doing things I want to do, though I may do certain aspects of those things differently, like eating a low-carb muffin instead of a regular muffin or reading something in braille instead of print. Neither term is negative, they’re both just part of me.
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I think I do regard it as an inconvenience, but I have come to terms with it. I try hard to keep myself fit and healthy because in my view if you welcome complications into your life through lack of care then you are even more inconvenienced. I think you have to acknowledge you have a disease, but one that is manageable.
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Jen said it all for me also. Except I use large print or audio. I live life to the fullest. Nancy
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Having diabetes has ruined my life. There is no cure. I will forever be alone and poor because of this disease. Sorry if this is too strong for some of you. It’s how I feel.
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To me, diabetes is a disease. I have had it for 43 years and I acknowledge that not everyone agrees. Now here is the funky part. I am fortunate to have it. My life would have spiraled out of control without having it. Do I suggest it as a lifestyle? no of course not. But over the many years, I have come to have a different relationship with it.
Oh and by the way< got on better terms with diabetes once I was DX’s with RA.
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I definitely think I have a disease, and do diligence to do what I need to do to keep healthy. And yes, having to do those things is often an inconvenience, but part of who I am and the hand I was dealt.
Having diabetes itself does not make me unhealthy, but choices I make can. Have had T1D 50+ years, since age 5, so it’s all I know and is what it is.
In my early years, we only had insulin and urine testing. But with my parents, we did the best we could to follow doctors advice. I am fortunate to have no serious lows or DKA, and good health care. In fact having diabetes was partial motivation factor for me to do well in school, college, and get a good job. And lucky to be left-brained and have family that supported me.
I also was introduced to things over time (BG testing, MDI, pump, CGMS, etc), and can only imagine how overwhelming that may be for those diagnosed now.
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Please excuse my wandering off topic, at least somewhat. @Sheepdogs, does your user name mean that you live with a dog? For the first time in my life, seven years ago, I started living with a yellow lab hypo-alert dog. The emotional comfort and companionship I feel from my dog continues to amaze me. I, otherwise, live alone, too.
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At this point in my life diabetes itself is an inconvenience. I don’t remember not having so don’t spend anytime trying to accept my condition. Now the one complication that I have, depending on the day, can be a major pain in the @$$ and also depressing. But the good days now outnumber the bad, so that makes it easier.
I have a different perspective than most who have responded so far. I didn’t get type 1 until age 70. My high school and college friends, as well as my quilting buddies have had cancer, heart disease, parkinson’s disease and alzheimer’s. Some haven’t made it. But I’m now 76 and all I’ve had to face is diabetes. In comparison to the others, I see this as a cinch. Besides, I’m analytical and having to figure out all the possible ways to make things work more smoothly as a diabetic is an interesting challenge. Sure diabetes is an inconvenience. But so what? That is minor.
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LOL, @Sheepdogs. Way to be honest. Its funny because its (also) true.
Hi, fellow ROPer. 
I use large print as well, I just thought braillle sounded better in that sentence, and I really like braille so I mention it wherever an opportunity arises. I’m not a big audio person, though. If I read something in large print or braille I remember it almost word for word. If I listen to it in audio, I don’t remember anything. It’s kind of unfortunate, because audio would be a really good way of absorbing information if I could find a way to make myself absorb it better.
I consider it a scourge and I hate it…
I’ll PM you.
Back in my 20’s and 30’s I merely looked at it as an inconvenience. Almost no one except close friends and family knew I was diabetic unless they saw my needles and test kits in my room. Over time though I realized it is a disease that somewhat disables me. I have to say that cumulatively it has taken it’s toll on my lifestyle. I always feel pressed for time as like I said, over almost 40 years the time given up to testing/injecting and doctors visits adds up to a significant portion of our life. I always think back to one nurse at children’s hospital saying to me that it was something I could control while cancer and other things were much worse. So I always think, It could be worse and I’m good after that.
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