amazing as this sound, i can honestly say i’ve never had a bad day; i’ve never regretted D for a minute; and my life is fantastic. it is what it is. you deal with it so you can spend time with more important things. i’m healthier because i’m D; i eat better. i’m freakishly fit for my age (yes, i sprint with college soccer players) and i have done everything i’ve ever wanted to do.
it helps i have no complications. then again, i think my approach has a lot to do with it. it’s a self fulfilling prophecy.
D is a constant part of my life but it has no power and it does not, and never will, dictate to me the path i take.
Look forward, not backwards!
Nah…no secrets here. Just love for life and living, love for family…and just being thankful for all the blessings!
Poker Face!
Omg I am SO good at poker.
I know it’s overwhelming. You are really strong. How old is he? I wonder if he could start to try to manage on his own? I started doing my own shots within a week because I hated seeing my mother’s face when she did the needles. I hated that it made her so uncomfortable, so I told her that I didnt’ want her help anymore. I was 14. I know she worried at first, but I told her time and time again that I could do it. It was really hard, and I cried when I was alone a lot, but when my mom was around- to keep her strong- I told her everything was okay.
I sort of regret that a little now. I mean I’m glad that I spared her the hardship of watching me go through it all, but at the same time, if I had let her in a little (and stopped worrying so much about her feelings) then maybe she would understand better of who I am today… 12 years later.
Thank goodness from the depths of our souls for mothers like you. It’s so hard to be diagnosed as a teen because there are so many other things that are already “going on” with a teen’s body… just add type 1 to the list! Another thing to make him feel uncomfortable or different. But with the proper support network (and it sounds like you’re great support) he will be able to flourish. Maybe he will end up being even more beautiful of a person because of his “diabetes setback”. Maybe he will flourish and take extra pride in himself because he knows how hard it is to live. He chooses life every single shot. Maybe it will set him apart in an even better way than you had expected.
I dont’ remember where I was going with this, Katsz. Sorry.
Just thank you for taking care of him. And thank you for being brave for him.
But, as he gets older, no matter how scary it is at first, he will eventually need to learn to do it on his own. He will fall down a few times, but him learning how to pick himself back up will prepare him more for when he is out on his own. If he’s teen now, he will need to be able to fully understand and to take care of himself in a few short years.
DC Reporter- I wish I knew your real name and we could meet. Your posts are so inspiring. I hope to be freakishly fit for my age some day. 
Bingo! Well said, S. Beating myself up over a high BG or bad choice of food won’t change anything. It’s in the past. So, I fix it, try to learn my lesson and remember it for the next time.
Terry
Okay, I’m lying. I do beat myself up over mistakes. But only for a minute. You have to let it go.
I have grown from my past and look forward to the future. Living, laughing and loving…who could ask for more.
I’m a lot happier than I was before I was diagnosed. I am more aware of my body and more grateful for all the blessings (big and little) in my life. actually was more prone to sitting on my butt and cry in my beer than I am now. guess diabetes is constant motviation - always a new problem to fix.
Beautifully said by Brunetta. " Today is the first day of the rest of your diabetic life." We have a condition that we can control (most of the time) and that is a good thing. I stay positive because each day I have a chance to do or see something I didn’t do or see yesterday. Each day is a gift, that is why it is called the “present.”
Thanks for the topic opener. I’ve been on other forums where if you are happy or successfully managing life with diabetes you become a target and are accused of making others feel bad! I am inspired to read all these posts. Thanks everyone. I once heard someone say we need to do less listening to ourselves and more talking to ourselves…
I was born an optimist, and I like to solve problems, so living with diabetes is a dream come true. No, no, no… I’m able to turn almost anything around. My husband has severe depression, as does his siblings and dad. My husband does everything he can to stay positive, meds, hard work, taking care of his health. He is a hero to me for his herculean efforts. My heart breaks for him. I remain a positive person, grateful for each day. My load is doable. I’m not afraid. I do get worry about fitting in all the life I want to live, things I want to do, places I want to go in the time I have left!
Staying active is paramount for me. I have 12 grandchildren to hike with, swim with, geocache with and ride horses with. I’m grooming them to take care of me in my very old age! I’ve got plans. Spoil them now…
A few things work for me:
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I’ve oscillated between optimistic and depressed regarding my Type 1 for years. The times I am optimistic tend to be the times that I realize that being happy is literally a choice, a mindset. Of course, it doesn’t seem that way when I am in the middle of a bout of depression. Ultimately though, I only have one life to live…I really don’t want to live it depressed. Might as well be happy, and do the best with the cards I’m dealt with.
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In my experience, my sadness/depression has been a very multi-layered onion that I have built up for myself. Ever since I started to pay attention to my self-talk (i.e., those little tiny voices that reinforce either negative or positive thoughts whenever something good or bad happens), I’ve been more enabled to prevent adding layers to the onion, and I’ve managed to even remove a few layers with some positive self-talk. Self-talk is hard to hear at first, but if you’re looking for it you’ll get good at hearing it. And you may be shocked at the types of things you’ve been telling yourself subconsciously all these years…ultimately I learned that I needed to be kinder and more loving to myself.
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If you don’t know where to start, read this book. I am not a big reader, and rarely read anything close to “self-help”, but this book was just what I needed to start learning how to be optimistic…that’s right, being optimistic is a skill:
http://www.amazon.com/Learned-Optimism-Change-Your-Mind/dp/0671019112
Hope this helps,
Tony
Splenda helps alot! lol
Here’s a diabetic cupcake for you lol
This is crazy/cheese ball but people who were T1’ed prior to me give me a big ole smile. Hell, If you’re gonna do it, I ain’t gonna let you do it alone. Somewhere around 20 years in, T1D became a badge of honor for me. Now I am a militant Type 1 who truly believes that if you cure Type 1 you cure them all.
Porcine, Humulin, Novilin, Lantus/Novalog, Chemstrips, glucometers, et al. were forced and tested on you and me. As each became more user friendly, and the Type 2 ‘epedemic’ created the diabetes gravy train of 45 million future customers, any hope of a cure has capsized in a sea of used strips, lancets, syringes and infusion kits.
I use their inadequate and outdated tools, manage my blood sugar and I call, write, and ask for improvements in meters, insulin, etc. Lilly and the other companies that use type 1’s as test subjects OWE us a chunk of those profits because they will never allow a T1 cure.
That’s how I stay upbeat, it also helps to keep me warm after a bad low.
i think the secret might be, and i might be wrong. Is to have a set time to worry about diabetes, make it second nature, and move on and think about something else. Even if it’s just five mintues. And ranting always help to :), because i know i have very select people i talk about diabetes with (i can’t think of anybody right now ex. for tudiabetes)
I’m not optimistic – I’m mad because I can’t eat the things I like. Waaaaaa!! It seems unfair.
i know sometimes i need to throw myself a pity party, cry it out, and pick myself up and start with a new attitude. Only problem is where is this girl i thrive to be? Lately i’m more pity party and crying girl.
Keep the faith, Jason. Keep the faith.
When your day begins at 4:00 AM by sticking a hypodermic needle in your stomach, it’s all easy from there!