Type 1 diabetes causes many trials and tribulations, throw in type 2 diabetes on top of that and WOWSA, your world is turned upside down. Three years ago, I was writing my eulogy for my funeral, because I knew it was not going to be far away. Dealing with the depression that accompanies diabetes along with some pretty mean snide remarks some family and associates made along the way, really pissed me off but also started to beat me down. I was trying to "pick" the next wife for my husband, while I was still here, I wrote letters to my sons for them to read after I was gone, because I still wanted to be a lingering influence on their lives. I kept digging deeper and fighting even though many a nights I cried for the good Lord to just take me. My Doctor and her team standing by me all the way, while total strangers touched me deeply w/ their encouragement and knowledge. Every appointment, meeting or get together w/ more and more people lead me down different educational paths, unraveling what my future could hold. Now three years later, I cry again, but not due to pain and depression, but because I feel I have gotten my worthiness and meaning back. God made it clear, he was not taking me yet, so I had better figure this mess out and with alot of help along the way, I can say confidentially that I have.
Diabetes strikes at any age, any gender and it all boils down to how are you going to deal with it? I learned the disease is not one fits all, treatment is different for each individual person, and each person must grab a hold of the disease and control it the best they can. This disease makes you extremely tough, both physically and mentally. Non diabetics have no idea what a diabetic goes thru just to get thru the day, and you know what? that's ok, that's what makes us stronger. We tend to appreciate, laugh and understand more deeply. Maybe instead of looking at our disease as a curse, we should look at it more of a blessing. We know our time here on earth is limited, so we must accomplish more w/ the time we are given.
Metformin and CPAP are the newest tools added to my arsenal I now use to help control this disease, they have extended my time here, and I am grateful for the technologies & medicines that are created everyday to help diabetics and others. After a very long long time of desperation and despair, I once again feel the sun shining on my face in the morning and will continue to try to touch as many lives as I can in a positive way. Trials and tribulations, yeah, you can say I have encountered many due to this disease,but they only make my integrity and will that much stronger as I continue to push forward living with diabetes.