This is a letter I wrote for a Diabetic Support Group. The Occupational Therapist used to help people with Cancer and they had to write a letter to their disease, so she had us to do one for our group. Let’s hope I am able to attach the file correctly!
7290-lettertodiabetes.pages (131 KB)
Please let me know if I attached the “letter” correctly so you can read it as I wanted to share it with everyone who has and deals with diabetes! Thanks. {:~)
i tried to open it, but it wouldn’t open.
I sure like your letter and can soooo identify …yes I could open it …I was really surprised, because I am not computer savvy at all …is it possible for you to put the steps down in a reply of " how to " open? Are the letter( s) used in a discussion amongst your group members ? Will an educator be present during these discussions and what do you hope to accomplish. I am asking these questions , because we have several support groups : insulin pumpers, type 2 in my commmunity and I like your approach .
Sorry - couldn’t open it - what type of file is it?
My computer blocked it… Can you copy and paste it and not use the attachment? I would love to read it.
Rebecca,
If you could save the letter as an RTF file, anyone can open it. It appears that it’s saved as an Apple Pages document.
Alternatively, perhaps you can copy and paste it as suggested earlier.
Thanks, Jeff! I couldn’t open the original file either. And I don’t even know what “iWork” is!
Your letter really speaks to me, Rebecca. Thanks for sharing it with all of us. I think you’ve captured many of the frustrations we all feel.
Rebecca,
Thanks for sharing what feels like a very personal and difficult letter to write.
Well said!
Thank you very much for a very common, and candid response that mirror the feelings of far too many people. We must indivually, and collectively help the world understand EXACTLY how difficult reasonable control in our society is, the ramifications if you do not, and the reality that very shortly we will ALL be touched by diabetes on some level.
I am a type1, forty seven year old and have had it for thirty five years. I am doing very well and fully understand that my success is due to very hard work, luck and the love and SUPPORT that some people do not have access to.
Our challenges go far beyond the levels of insulin we require. The levels of ignorance and societal mindset and prejudices must change through tolerance and education. There are many times in history where some people profit from the pain of others with or without intention. The pharmaceutical companies and medical industry as a whole, can work with us while we gain control on other levels. At this point and time, my preference is to deal first with the diabetes on both a personal, and public level because this alone is extremely difficult.
We also have a food industry who exists to make money not food, and it is our job help them understand that nutrition in general MUST change for all of us. We must also remember that there was a time when we didn’t know, or could even imagine what we were in for, and must help others understand that IT IS AN ENORMOUS TASK TO RUN GOOD SUGARS!!!
We must value ourselves to change our own psychology regarding our self worth and the strategies we use, and do the same for others so we can prevent anyone else from knowing this pain. A very special thanks to you for your letter, the people at tudiabetes and of course all my love and best wishes for ALL who are touched either directly or indirectly by diabetes. Sooner or later we will beat this thing. Let’s do it NOW!!!
If you are curious about my diabetes you may want to visit Oprah’s web site and in the Diabetes Support Board you will see my blog at www.oprah.com/community/community/health/diabetes called Diabetes The Real Cost.
Love Always
The Anonymous Diabetic.
Hi, Nel,
I had to miss the group session which shared their letters because I was attending another group at my old research facility, City of Hope in Duarte, California. The group which shared their letters is facilitated by both an occupational therapist who is a T2 and a CDE (or nurse, can’t remember her title). Both are very nice people. So, I missed the discussion, but sent her the letter by email. I can ask if she will release her info. for you to contact her.
I’ve copied and pasted it now to a new forum section. Look for it.
It’s been copied and pasted under a new forum now. Look for it.
I was just thinking, just before I read your comment, to “copy and paste”. It’s been done so look for it under a new forum.
Yeah, I copied and pasted it under a new forum with a new “little” note. Thanks.
Gerry, it’s a Mac title, like Jeff said, but I copied the letter with a new note under a new forum. Look for it.
“personal” and “difficult” are two words which used to describe me several years ago. When my acting classes changed to being more “open”, I became more open with my feelings and history. I discovered it was like therapy and over a two year period, helped me tremendously! Now, I’m in individual therapy, (for real, not acting classes!) and working on many areas of my life. But you are right it was a bit difficult when I wrote it and I found myself pouring out my feelings—my “true” feelings. Now I think I need to do more…
Wow, you’ve had diabetes almost as long as I have! Thank you for sharing and I copied and pasted the letter under a new forum where I wrote another note, this time chronicling my food/eating relationship. Check it out. And yes, I’l have to check out that blog…
Thanks, Jeff. I really appreciate what you did for me. I acquired a new Mac which I love, but forgot it doesn’t automatically convert for PC or IBM compatible users. And when I saw it as a PDF file, it was enlarged so much that I realized I misspelled by new nickname!
I’m really relieved to know others share my view and feelings. I love being on this site! I can remember when I worked at a diabetic camp in 1984 as a counselor (Bearskin Meadows in the Kings Canyon National Park in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in good 'ole California!) and the feeling I felt when I was surrounded by so many diabetics. There was an instant bond. We referred to it as “magical”! It’s been so long since I felt that and so needed…