There is no Vacation

Type 2
#1

First, don’t get me wrong – for heavens sake take a trip! That’s not what this is about.

This year I discovered that there is no vacation from diabetes. I tried. I tried taking a summer off. Bad idea. I tried to take a week off. Still, a bad idea. Weekend? Nope. Not worth it.

For those of you who can get away with it – I don’t know how you do it. But I found out that I’m diabetic and every day is a diabetic day. If I want to feel good about myself, feel up for the day, be at my best I have to follow my routine. I can’t take a day off testing. I can’t take a day off my eating routine. I can’t just do what I want. When I do I pay for it.

I’m not talking about that occasional item on your plate that you have planned. I’m not talking about – oops, I forgot to test this morning. I’m talking about that day you look in the mirror and say I am so tired of all this, the heck with it. I think I’m normal, I’ve talked to other people who have done it. I have actually gotten to the point that I said why not skip the meds tonight, just go to bed – ENOUGH!

It took one of my students talking with me to really realize what I had been doing. She is on a gluten free diet and we were comparing recipes (her mom makes awesome kale chips!) And we started talking about that daily grind, that daily routine and how some days it wasn’t so easy. And even though she is not diabetic and I’m not on a gluten free diet we understood each other. When I don’t eat right, don’t test, don’t walk, don’t drink my water – I feel wrong, I feel off, I usually get nauseated and its so not worth it. And there she was explaining it to me. She is awesome.

So the next time I look in the mirror and think – VACATION! I’m taking a day off from being diabetic! I remind myself that this is a way of life, a decision to feel my best and there are no vacations. AND if I don’t take a vacation from diabetes, I can manage a trip/vacation and have a great time. The wisdom of a 12 year old – who knew?

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#2

I agree that it is difficult and SUCKS to look at yourself in the mirror with t1d, but I feel like it has a lot of advantages! We get excuses to leave classes AND akward situations, and, there is a camp I go to (camp Kno Koma) where I met hundreds of people like us who are still some of my favorite people EVER up to this day.:slight_smile:

1 Like
#3

Hello Marcia_Skidmore,

Thank you so much for sharing.

I’ve mentioned to others in this group that I have not been diagnosed with diabetes. I think it is important that you be aware of this.

Your written thoughts revealed the similarities between a person diagnosed with a chronic illness and someone who doesn’t live with a chronic illness, however, decides to adopt “behaviors” that promote “good health” (which we know is relative to the individual.

You are 100% in saying that there is no vacation and it doesn’t matter if one has been diagnosed with a chronic illness or adopts health promoting habits that prevent illness. New routines, behaviors and habits, sometimes referred to as one’s lifestyle, do take much effort to sustain.

Some people sustain not so good behaviors for so long a period the sequelae are hypertension, type 2 diabetes, heart attack and eventually a stroke as in the case of my brother. He comes home from rehab this Saturday.

Although at times I have lapses as far as engaging in the behaviors associated with being healthy, If I take a “vacation” it is indeed a very short one as I am very clear about the outcomes of being on vacation too long.

Thanks for your post. I wish you success as you sustain the behaviors associated with managing your diabetes!

Jo

#4

While a genuine vacation in the true meaning of the term just isn’t an option, I do, once in a (very great!) while, indulge in a mini-getaway—24 hours. That can take a lot of the sharp edge off the struggle. Of course, that’s only reasonable—or even doable—for us well controlled T2s. And the rest of the time I have to work very hard to be well controlled so that I can get away with it at all.

#5

I make sure if I am eating extra carbs it is in conjunction with exercise. I recently did go on vacation. I had a 30 carb donut and tea. Then walked over a mile. My blood sugars where good,normal. I plan ahead. Nancy

#6

"I’m not talking about that occasional item on your plate that you have planned"
We all do that Twin Chick.

#7

Melody Crystal – I don’t think you understood the post. I’m saying when I choose to ‘forget this routine’ and go on vacation from being diabetic I get sick every time. I’m saying I’ve finally ‘grown up’ and realized this isn’t something anyone can fix but me. That I’m not talking about when I plan a cookie or plan something in my routine that isn’t in the plan. I’m saying I can’t look in the mirror when I’ve let myself down.

I’m not saying I can’t look myself in the mirror because I’m diabetic.
I’m just saying you can’t deny it and be happy.

#8

It’s no coincidence that “depression” and “denial” are near one another in the dictionary.

$0.02