Frustrated with diabetes and teaching

This is my first time on this community website and I guess I got on it because I am Extremely Frustrated with myself and my diabetes management. I have been teaching Elementary/Preschool for going on 10 years now and it is getting harder and harder to manage my diabetes. In fact, I feel like a failure because I have discovered over the years that I cannot balance teaching and my diabetes no matter how hard I try. I don't go to the gym like a use to because I don't have time and I'm exhausted by the end of the day. Plus the stress of teaching affects my blood sugars in a very negative way. That's the life of a teacher I guess. Sheesh I just can't do this anymore.

Sorry you’re having such a difficult time right now. You might want to post your comments in a forum rather than a blog, more people will see it that way. Takes time to figure out the website but welcome:)

Good morning,

I am so sorry you having this difficulty. I was a school administrator for about 16 years and a type 1 diabetic, my daughter in law is an elementary and Pre-School teacher. I get it I really do. I understand the stress and understand how bad it can be as you teach. Teaching is not for sissy's and if you have done it for 10 years are under stress.

I do have some suggestions Just some observations really, they might help, might not.

1. And most important I think is give yourself a break. Blood sugar and stress move in the same line. The more stress you have, the higher your blood sugar is likely to go. When you have high stress you need to say to yourself it is ok to run high. I know you want to bring it down and that can be done. But for the time being notice the trend and mark it down then say to yourself just because you wrote it down you are getting better.

2. Laugh. Please at least once a day have a good laugh. The more you find this humor at work, the better you will feel. I like to laugh at myself, and say hey I can have fun, I am a big kid after all. So have a good laugh laugh at your self waiting for the bus or at the very least think back on something a kid did or said at school that was funny. I have been around those kids they are funny if you look for it.

3. Make sure you are up to date. Do not leave things to the last minute. Work ahead when you can.

4. Think about the reason you became a teacher. I know you wanted to change the world. To some extent most teachers do when they start. But remember change starts with one kid at a time.

5. I had to get therapy to keep things going. Please consider it. It helped me immensely and there is no shame in it. We have a complicated disease, complicated life and complicated jobs. It helps to get perspective. There is no reason to suffer. If you need permission knwo I give you permission but do not wait for your principal to push it. I made a mistake at work and I knew i needed help so I got it. I have no idea of your mental state overall and i am not trained in the field. What i can say is that in my life, I got pushed, more by me than my boss. But I was pushed by events.

I suggest you get some assistance even if it is short term. Yes they can and might order it, but you choosing to do it before something breaks, you yell or you have a stress related health issue which will make it more difficult. trust me talking to someone will improve your blood sugar and your outlook.

Good luck and please let me knwo how things work out!!!

rick