Recognizing silent illnesses

I saw this today, and thought I’d fill out my own version. How fun and thought provoking!!!

  1. The illness I live with is: Type I diabetes

  2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 2004

  3. But I had symptoms since: a few months before my diagnosis. Hindsight is always 20/20!

  4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: all the supplies, the hassle, changing the pod, alarms, beeps, counting carbs, guessing carbs…etc…

  5. Most people assume: that only sugar affects my bs and that diabetes is no big deal…

  6. The hardest part about mornings are: leaving my baby!!

  7. My favorite medical TV show is:I’m over health related shows…I got burnt out on ER years ago.

  8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: Omnipod.

  9. The hardest part about nights are: being fearful of having a low…having highs and feeling sweaty, lethargic, gross.

  10. Each day I take __ Insulin, Zocor

  11. Regarding alternative treatments: None really…I try to eat right and stay active.

  12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: I’ll take what was dealt to me.

  13. Regarding working and career: Grateful for my job that allows me to take care of myself. But it would be nice to be independently wealthy!!! HaHa!!!

  14. People would be surprised to know: Much I hate to change that stupid pod every 3 days. I know I should be thankful I’m not still taking multiple shots daily, but for some reason I really hate changing my pod…go figure.

  15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: That this does not go away, and it does have very severe consequenses of not taken care of properly

  16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: eat cake!

  17. The commercials about my illness: cheesy and stupid…everyone in the commercials are at least 150 years old and 100 pounds overweight…stereotypes

  18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: Not having to count carbs or worry about my feet.

  19. It was really hard to have to give up: I haven’t given up anything…I eat a carb free dinner if I want a sweet dessert.

  20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: Excel spreadsheet with tons of bs related data…:slight_smile:

  21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: Not count carbs…eat pancakes with real syrup!!!

  22. My illness has taught me: That I need to take care of myself because I have responsibilites to my family as well as to myself to be around for a long time!!!

  23. One thing people say that gets under my skin is: Either asking me if I can eat that…or trying to get me to eat MORE!!! I hate that.

  24. But I love it when people: Have a genuine interest in diabetes and how it affects me!

  25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: God will not allow anything to come into your life that you cannot handle.

  26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: "It’s really not as bad as it seems at first…there is a learning curve, but once you are educated, it is easier to feel in control of your diabetes

  27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: That no one is perfect…everyone struggles with something

  28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: Go to the pharmacy for me and fix my fav meal!

  29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: I care

  30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: that you care too!!!

Amy, this is a nice list. I particularly relate to 24 and 26. And for 28 it has to be my wife and her endless searching and experimenting on changing recipes around to give me a variety of food that I really don’t have make adjustments to have one thing and skip another. She is a keeper to be sure.

very nice