You know most of the cure related talk is about “for our kids” and to be honest It kind of pisses me off. People should realize that adults have far more stress then kids and personally I think its much more devestating as an adult to deal with. I know because I had it as a kid and though I didn’t like it it didn’t ruin anything about my life other then “no sugar allowed” which I didn’t follow all the time anyway. I was care free with no worrys other then diabetes. I did everything most kids did. I also clearly don’t remember feeling so regularly ill all the time like I do these days which is a big factor. Maybe there is another underlying problem but I doubt it. I guess I can understand for those who have familys to cherish the moment. I still have my mom and dad but its nothing but stress in the household. The bottom line is Diabetes = human suffering no matter how you slice it and I’d still love the opportunity to escape for as long as it takes to cure it. Well within reason !
Gary, I know what you are feeling…when your mind set is in a depressed state the “D” is intensified. I lived it many years. Since I have made personal life changes, it isnt so bad. I guess the good in my life outweighs the bad. I wish you better days and know that you have a “Diabetes Family” here on TuD, and we care about you.
Our community was saddened to learn , that one of our insulin pumpers wife’s " went to sleep " at age 61 .She came back from her usual stint at the gym ; complained about chest pain , hubby took her to local hospital , was transferred to a larger center , never woke up : heart attack …no history ; her parents are still alive . I am certain , knowing this lady as I do , if she had the choice , did not want to go to sleep even if it was to find her hubby cured 10 years later.
I’ll check into that Kelly
Here’s a funny one on me. My husband and I had been married for MAYBE 6 weeks and I had to go to the ER with a SERVERE kidney infection, his mom was a CNA there, anyway when they kept saying “Mrs. Dickerson wake up” I thought they were talking about my mother-in-law. I got so irritated that I opened my eyes (Hey what can I say that medicen they gave me for pain really made me wanna sleep) and I heard “Mrs Dickerson has opened her eyes she’s back with us now” I told them at the Er that I was waiting for my husbands mom to answer them and she wouldn’t so I opened my eyes to see where she was! After MUCH laughing they told me “Your now Mrs Dickerson too” LOL! You just had to be there! LOL!
I might not have been there, but I can imagine! You should tell you husband to make sure any EMTs or ER workers call you Doris so you will know they are talking to you! I will have to remember that if I ever get married and change my name.
I really hate to tell u this but I’ve been a diabetic for 37 out of my 47 years! I DIDN’T WANT my children to get it. NOW I HAVE A TYPE ! DAUGHTER who is now 22. IF YOU’VE NEVER HAD KIDS AND FELT THAT HEARTACHE WHEN THE DR TELLS YOU THAT YOUR KIDS HAS DIABETES YOU WILL NEVER KNOW!!! DIABETES IS NOT HUMAN SUFFERING!!! YOU JUST ADAPT AND GO FROM THERE! SOUNDS LIKE YOU"VE GOT A PROBLEM ADAPTING TO THE FACT YOU ARE DIABETIC!!!
Sad to say but you are setting a BAD ewxample for the furture diabetics if all you talk about is the “suffering” YES I LEAD A PRETTY MUCH NORMAL LIFE!!! HEY IT WASN"T JUST FOR THE KIDS I WANTED TO FIND A CURE FOR ALL OF US!!!
I agree Doris! I don’t have kids, but I do have friends with kids that are Type 1. I know how much they worry about their kids.
Jim posted the link to this YouTube video the other night - I Choose to Live. My life might not be perfect, but it is my life and I would not trade that for anything!
You know Kelly I have more major problems that diabetes now. Oh I really wish for those days back where diabetes was all I had. To hear someone fuss about diabetes and not liking the fact that there are those of us out there trying to find a "cure’ for all of us really upsets me!!! YES I CHOOSE TO LIVE and not feel sorry for myself or things that are bothering me now!
Doris,
Despite how you feel about it this is noted on Diamyds website…
Diabetes − a chronic disease
Diabetes is associated with serious complications due to elevated and fluctuating blood sugar levels, resulting in considerable suffering and extensive costs for society.
Your entitled to not feel that it is suffering but I can’t see it any other way.
Hey it WAS FUNNY!!! Now I know almost all of the EMT’s and ER know me by my frist name. It REALLY helps! LOL!
Fine it you want to look at it that way. But I have to keep in mind there are much WORSE things out there!!! Hey I’m living through a few now. If you let a tecanal pharae from ppl who haven’t had to live with it daily catorgize you then so be it. But as for me I don’t think I will let anyone tell me that Im “suffering” from Diabetes. That’s the main reason I don’t read all this stuff out there about diabetes b/c it WILL get you to thinking you “suffer” from it!
Believe me Gary, I know all about complications & how expensive it is and don’t need to “read about it,” I have lived it! I call my foot the million dollar foot because of what it cost to save it. Maybe other people don’t think it was worth it, but I do. I live in pain on a daily basis. But if my choices were living in pain or dying, I would choose pain. I have a friend dying from cancer and he doesn’t have that same choice that I do and he would gladly live in pain if he could.
I agree with you Doris. I have never sat around and felt sorry for myself and I am not about to start now!
At least they call you your first name now! The EMTs that werre here in July called me Kelly. I probably would have freaked even more if they had used my last name!
That’s it!!! Feeling sorry for myself takes up too much time! I gotta live for HERE and NOW!
Well I guess its how you view things. For my disposition if everyone was sicker then me it would make it easier to bear but that still doesn’t mean its not a horrible not existence. There are people I know that could never cope living with this just because of the injections or dietary restrictions. The bottom line again is not feeling well mentally and physically for me. The mood swings are brutal. Let’s hope for all our sakes Dr Levetan’s promise to me that their Pancreate will reverse our diabetes.
I know that you must know that whenever they use “suffering” in a medical website or reference, they are not truly talking about people being depressed to death about having a condition. They could’ve very well just written that people have eczema, that results in considerable suffering for them, and expenses.
I get it. I see that you are tired, and depressed… and this might be a cry for help, I’m not sure. But now that we have Diabetes, we have a few real choices (that don’t involve freezing anyone)… And those are:
- Whining, refusing to take advise seriously, and getting even sicker.
- Dwelling on the scary things so much so that we never leave the house.
OR
- Embracing our current reality, and
- Reaching out to people who can help us, and really be open to listening and doing what they suggest, be it doctors, new CDEs, other people with Diabetes, or therapists. Yes, we need therapists sometimes, in this game of Diabetes…
It is okay to feel depressed. But once you acknowledge that you are scared, tired, and depressed, it’s time to get some help and move away from the self destructive thoughts. They don’t help anyone in any way, least of all, ourselves. Trust me, I’ve ridden that depression bus for 25+ years, and it’s just NOT worth it.
"There are people I know that could never cope living with this just because of the injections or dietary restrictions"
Dumb question, Gary: how does one NOT cope with D or any other disease? Do he/she lie down and refuse to eat? Refuse his/her meds? I think we don’t have much choice other than to cope with what we’ve been ‘given’. Other than suicide, what options are left? And is suicide really coping? I’ve been suicidal, more than once, and realize now that I was choosing a permanent solution to what was then a temporary problem. Ok, D isn’t temporary, but the depression can be and so can today’s particular events that drive one to think about not coping. Tomorrow is a new day. Rather than dreading it as another day of suffering, maybe we can look at it as an opportunity to survive another day, unlike so many people around us who do not have that option. That’s another reason I’ve learned to keep on keeping on - because I can. While diabetes isn’t the best thing that has ever happened to me (by a long shot!), it isn’t the worst either (also by a long shot)
I think if the cure were to come in 10 years, I would rather have lived and loved and even struggled in that interim, than just be awakened into a cured world. How can we appreciate the cure if we don’t actually endure the disease? That tired old saw about life being a journey kinda rings true, in spite of all the hills and bumps on the road. I don’t think the art of coping is really a choice, but just a reality to be faced. And there are far worse things to face each day with than diabetes - even when you have it ‘bad’… there are soooo many others out there ‘coping’ with much much worse. You’ve already put 35 years into living your life with diabetes - you should get that Certificate of Achievement that Kelly got from Joslin… and much more - like the respect and admiration of everyone here, at the very least.
and admit defeat? never!
Nope, Diabetes is a PIA life could be worse and has been worse. I have overcome many things in life I refuse to let the D beat me. I have watched friends suffer and die of many things, I have watch some give up and die, and many more go out with dignity.
Some of the people that have been the sickest have shown me that life is worth living to the fullest. Well I think that at times it is better to jump before you are pushed, there are only a few reasons I could justify jumping and well to me Diabetes isn’t one of them. I have chosen to live each day as best as I can. Diabetes does not have to be terminal. Has taking a massive does of insulin and going to sleep for good cross my mind yes but the realization that it’s not worth it has won out. If a person can choose to fight cancer, AIDS, MD, drug addiction ect. I can choose to live with Diabetes. Defeat is not an option to me.