I am totally sold on a healthy, happy attitude being a key in treating “D”. Without that, I think we can tend to think we have been sold down river for a life of hell on a lancet.
So, share with me, some of the ways you keep a healthy, happy, positive, go-to attitude for yourself. If you don’t have a way, maybe we can help you here. I know that there is a “Diabetes is funny” thread, but this is for an attitude adjustment…or dealing positively with your “D”. Please share we can all use it.
Hi Cathy!
I try to keep looking for new foods and combinations to try. I don’t think of anything as being off limits just portion size and if I am willing to go on the high side for it. I really don’t handle pasta and pizza well so they are a rare treat. It just makes you appreciate them more.
I intend to lose weight and get healthier because I am going to be here for as long as the good Lord permits and want to do the things I want to do. I will control my life, not the diabetes. I will talk about it and test in front of others because I am not ashamed of it and may give someone the courage to ask a question or get some help of their own. It is a part of who I am.
I wrote this in the Accepting Diabetes discussion, but it applies here, too:
I’ve accepted it as one of the most effective motivators I could have. I appreciate that my prediabetes makes me take better care of myself. I love how much better I look and feel from my improved diet & exercise habits. I feel good about myself for being able to take actions that I know will improve my life in the future. And I am thankful to have a “legitimate” reason to not give in to my husband’s requests to eat crap for dinner every night.
Hi Cathy,
I have a similar problem and decided the only way was to learn more. If you’re worried about being alone with D, you’re surrounded by people who are coping. Like any change in lifestyle it may take time and you will wobble along the way. Like learning to walk, you get back up if you fall. Get the facts, own your condition and be prepared for the occasional slip.
Dori and Elaine have made strong points about diet and exercise. As a type II you’re now on a unique health plan. I was diagnosed nearly three months ago and I’ve lost an inch around my waist every month so far - the silver lining does exist!
For emotional management, take a look at http://emotionalintelligencecentral.org. If you want to articulate things to those who don’t get it, take a look at http://www.newconversations.net.
Probably the biggest help was to set limits and give myself time to prepare. It’s easy to overload on info or get D fatigue from concerned friends/family/colleagues/forums. Make sure you’re prepared for hypos, plan your meals and give yourself time to breathe. If you learned to walk, you can learn to live with this.
Hope this helps and welcome aboard. :o)
I think the first step to accepting diabetes is understanding this. For me I did so much research until it wasn’t scary anymore. Now I just continue doing the things I love and try new things. I don’t know what i’d do without sports and succeeding in them with diabetes kind of keeps me going. And the sports don’t do any bad in helping to control my sugars either.
I agree, people can make diabetes sound so scary and as if it were a life sentence or even worse a death sentence. I think whatever works for you to take away those thoughts is great. That’ too is an attitude, you chose sports and participation ( a double benefit) and decide that’s what you needed to remove the bad thoughts, scary thoughts from your “D”. Good for you.
Education is great and I highly recommend it, remembering that none of us are alike…and not all treatments will work in the same manner and the same way for us. You take the education you can gleen from where ever your sources are and apply them to your life. The more we know, the less afraid we can be.
You are oh so right, I had to chose between getting psyched up about losing weight or bringing my numbers down to a normal range. I couldn’t concentrate on WW points, and carb numbers to do both. I chose the carb numbers (a new system for me at that time) and hoped the other would follow. AND thnkfully it did. I have lost another 10 lbs, reaching my goal of 200 lbs and heading down, with BS numbers of 130 - 120 averages. A double bonus.
But I can’t make anyone want that for themselves, and that’s where my attitude comes in. I have to want to do it, want to have it for myself, and THEN hope that others want the same, but knowing that I can’t make them.
Thanks for the new sites, I’ll check them out.
I just try to be flexible some days are good and some suck when it sucks I try to remember it’s only one point in time and a good patch is coming. I try the best to control what I can control and deal w/ the stuff i can’t. I’m still grumpy but I’m dealing with it
Do what you can do and what you can’t do you can’t. There are days when things are GREAT, and days that things really suck. You do the best you can with what you have. GREAT attitude. Thanks for sharing!
Attitude is everything… in all things. I am actually kind of enjoying the changes I have made taking control of my diabetes. I am getting in the shape that I was in 20 years ago. Now that I am controlling my numbers I am able to workout longer and harder. I enjoy the fact that I prefer to walk places now instead of driving like a short run to the store. The 11 year old Rottweiler isn’t always happy tho but he puts up with me. LOL I enjoy eating 3 healthy meals and snacking all day on healthy things like fruit and nuts instead of eating one big meal a day and fueling the body on 3 or 4 or 5 one liter bottles of pepsi. Not feeling all buzzy and woozy when Im high and BLAAA when Im low. Then going way high and crashing again…ughh
I will be there to watch my girls graduate from highschool and college and get married and start their own families. I won’t lose a limb ( as I almost did in July) to complications. Or my sight.
As they say in the 101st…that/those outcomes are just unacceptable.
Perhaps this is simplistic, but I have two options and neither of them is being free from diabetes: I can either be positive or negative.
When I’m positive, I see the results of my efforts (testing, logging, counting carbs, etc), I can set goals and work toward them (such as testing more often), and I feel like I’m moving somewhere. When I’m negative, I feel helpless, stagnant, and unhappy. In the first scenario, I feel a sense of control. In the latter, I feel like I’m a victim.
I don’t look at my Diabetes as a positive or negative. I just look after it the Best that I can.
Sorry, I should have said that severe RA(autoimmune disease) to me is WAY worst the last couple of years than Diabetes cuz I can’t control how the drugs that aren’t helping much any more. I do appreciate the way that Diabetes can take over the lives of many Diabetics.
Terrie, pain is a horrible robber of our lives. I have OA and it is in my knees, right now, I am sitting at the computer with my braces on to keep them warm. But if I stand up, it’s like walking on nails in my legs. I surely understand that sometimes pain is the worst enemy and the diabetes is nothing in comparison. The meds for the diabetes are nothing in comparison to what the meds for pain can do to your system, your mind, your attitude. My thoughts about pain are beginning to change since I joined a Chronic Pain group. It’s just people like you, like me who have pain 24/7 or more, (which is hard to believe) but I am learning ways to deal with it. If you want, I’d be happy to share some of them with you or anyone else who is dealing with chronic, severe, or pain. It really sucks.
Geez, I’m sorry that you have OA and that you can understand what I’m talking about. You’re right. The pain may be less some days(which is Great)but it never totally goes away. My Mom suffers from OA also.
I’ve had many People with severe RA to talk to through the years since many of our Relatives and some Friends online have or had it. Sadly for us, some are deceasesd now.
I certainly do feel sad for the Diabetics who are suffering with complications also and I hope that they are able to find some enjoyable times in Life.
I seem to find humour in times I least expect, which helps. Like this morning when I was getting a glass of water in the kitchen, I noticed 2 black birds on the garage roof, picking leaves out of the overstuffed gutter and throwing them on the ground.
It occurred to me that these birds were flying happily above and noticed the yukky-looking gutter so they had to come down to start the cleanup for my Hubby, so it would look Better.
I also called my Hubby up and told him the birds were mad at him for not cleaning the gutters. My Hubby got a laugh out of it too and said Yup, he’d better get those gutters cleaned. LOL!
No, it’s not the drugs that I’m taking. I’ve always enjoyed humour. I watch comedy shows often. We’ve always enjoyed our different Pets through the years also. They are Very important for therapy and make us laugh. 
I also push myself as hard as I can, to accomplish things. Like I know that I’ll be cleaning out that gutter. =)
Sure I’d like to hear how you deal with some of your pain. I pray that your day is going Better Cathy.
Terrie, and all, laughter is a very good healer. Like some antidepressants, it releases endorphins to help us feel better. So laugh often, long, and loudly. People will stare, but hey, they should try it. I’ll PM you later. So much fun.
Cathy
I look on diabetes as challenge. Neither a good or bad challenge. It’s not a curse and it’s certainly not a blessing, lol. It just IS!!
Yes I occasionally remind myself that this is a dangerous condition because without that reminder I might forget and just go crazy on the old carbs.
I agree with a healthy attitude as long as it does not get out of hand. Diabetes has forced me to lose weight and exericise and lets face it a diabetic who controls their blood glucose is probably healthier than most other people!
So I can’t have that baked potato, bread, cake, pasta and other high carb foods. So what? There are plenty of other foods and as someone else remarked there are fun ways in finding other food combinations that are safe.
Oh and of course now and then I do have a naughty treat! And cos it’s naughty that makes it all the more delicious. A bit like stolen apples (so I’m told lol) are much tastier than ones you’re allowed to pick from the tree.
Whereas for a non diabetic eating naughty foods just doesn’t have the same frsson. Aww poor things!
Frank
non diabetics don’t know what they are missing do they lol!
Today, I have an awful attitude, but one that is expected. It is the first year without parents, the first year there was no phone calls from anyone with a “Happy Turkey Day” No card with a “I’m thankful for you” inside. It stinks. But I was very good about my eating yesterday, and hope that my numbers are going to show it. I have scheduled my A1C for next week, and finally will get in to see it. I am just feeling like, what’s the purpose — except my life. I know that it’s my pained body and my lousy attitude, but it will get better. I know it will.