Last week I did a series of three posts dealing with the gifts of Diabetes. The three blog posts, The Gifts we Receive, the Gifts we Give and the Gifts we have Forgotten got some interesting responses.
So here is the question, what are your diabetic gifts? Have you received one, given one or forgotten one that is memorable? Let people know, what are your diabetic gifts?
our gifts are so varied. My favorite gift is the one I received from my mom. She showed me how to be a type 1 diabetic, even while she hoped I would never need the training. Her way of doing things, be responsible, care for others, and love yourself even if you feel not so lovable.
The gift of a challenge.
I was diagnosed at age 5. When I was 7, my Dad was taking a business trip, and my older siblings were to go along to visit with Grandma, while I had to stay back with Mom and younger siblings. Mom said I couldn't go because Grandma didn't know how to do my injections (in those days, only 1 shot/day, urine testing and no BGs).
Well, I practiced on oranges (as my Mom had done when I was first diagnosed), and soon I was doing my own injections. So by the time the trip came, I got to go, and it was a great sense of accomplishment and independence. And of course, we had lots of fun at Grandma's house !
I can't really relate to the idea of gifts. I make the best of my D and try and stay positive, but gifts?? A little too "pollyanna" to me.
Zoe, I am surprised I see you giving gifts to people in discussion a lot of the time. I will respect your position and hope you wont think me too pollyanna, but I think you give a tremendous number of verbal gifts and I bet occasionally you get one as well.
Thanks for the response.
Rick
Thank you, Rick; I guess I officially just received a gift! Maybe I wasn't looking at the whole question the right way...sorry for the grinch attitude!
I have to agree with that! I ve never met Zoe personally,yet I feel I ve received both invaluable information and encouragement from her numerous times already, and I ve only become a member of the diabetes community 10 months ago! Her empathy and dedication to help others is most DEFINITELY a gift to others. Go Zoe!
Oh my, thank you julez! I have received so much from this forum as well that I'm always glad when I can give back. That's really nice of you to say and I guess I am being forced to eat my cynical words (in the nicest way possible!).
Thinking more about this question, I wonder if it's seen differently by those diagnosed as children and those diagnosed later in life? I think if you were diagnosed as a child it's both an intrinsic part of your life and walking alongside you as you grow and change. So it can be easy to see how D "made you who you are" and perhaps even be grateful. As someone diagnosed late in life, it just doesn't play that kind of a role in your identity, or at least it doesn't for me and between the incredible time/energy drain, financial drain and concern for your health, it seems pretty silly to think of it as anything but a massive PITA.
But when you look at it from within the framework of "I have it anyway. so what good experiences have come my way during my D journey" then it's easier to answer the question. I for example was fortunate enough to meet an incredible group of women of all ages and length of diagnosis when I started a Type 1 Women's Group. And even though I have moved away from the area where the group is held, meeting and getting to know them and share our common experience was an amazing experience. ::::Waving at the group members on TuD:::::
Everyone's journey is their own, and unique . . . so I guess there will be as many answers to this question as there are PWD. Here's my $0.02.
While I certainly would not go over the top and call it a blessing in disguise -- that would be hyperbole -- the truth is that diabetes has, in certain respects, changed my life for the better. Had I not decided some time back to assume control for real, and manage this the way it needs to be, I almost certainly would not
- Be eating the healthy diet I do
- Have permanently lost those 35 lbs
- Be exercising so consistently
- Have the excellent lipids I do (now!)
- Have met some truly wonderful people (I refer to the members of this community, lest there be any doubt)
So, putting all of that together . . . the "silver lining" metaphor is pretty trite, yes, but things usually become trite because they contain a large element of truth to begin with. Certainly true in my case.
Thank you David for the insightful remarks.
Rick
The issue of gifts is not about the overage gift or no gift of diabetes. Rather it is about the wonderful things others have done for us, or we have done for others, or the gifts given us by those who came before us that make our life easier. The blogs are still posted, look at them if you have time and then think of our incredible gifts.
For me, having diabetes is not a gift. I hate diabetes. But since I have diabetes (a given), when people help me along the way, those are gifts. For instance, the other day I was at the mall and I saw a diabetic share glucose tabs with someone she did not know. That sharing was the gift, not having vs not having the disease.
My greatest gift was being warmly received by the people at the very first db meetup I went to. (About 3 years ago.)
Ah. Did that once (shared glucose). We were at a wedding once and gave a young lady a ride from the wedding to the reception. Along the way she said she suffered from chronic hypoglycemia and was feeling faint. So I said something to the effect, "you're in the right place", and had Bev pop open the glove box and hand her my ever-present roll of glucose tabs. I think that's the sort of thing you're talking about, yes?
There you go,,
Rick
Most of the gifts I have gotten, forgotten or given have happen here on TuDiabetes. At least the D related gifts have.
My friends here a Tub gave me knowledge, without them I would have never made it when I started MDI because I was given little help from my GP. Another gift I got from here was a statement made by Acidrock that made me get off the fence and go for the pump that I now use and love. This may not be a direct quote but he said something like this. Its better to regret something you have done than to regret something you wish you had done but didn't.
What have I forgotten, Well I don't know, I guess I have forgotten. I have received so much that I must have forgotten a lot.
My gift to this community has been my time. As a member of the Care Team I try each day to welcome each new member and help guide them to the resources here at TuD. We on the Care Team also try to support anyone one needing a little bit of encouragement or support or extra help. The funny thing about my gift is that it is really a gift to myself.
That is a wonderful gift you were given. i did not have nearly as a good experience.
I would say even though a lot of terrible mistakes were made with my diagnosis and treatment, some of my gifts were the two er nurses who helped to save my life, where I spent 17 hours waiting for an icu bed, one of whom stayed with me two hours past her shift to make sure I was ok until the next nurse came in, just surviving everything I went through because there were many times I didn't think I would get out of the hospital alive, that my vision did improve a lot, keeping my sanity through it all somehow, and all of the help I have received from various people in real life and here at tu and at other websites. The main diabetes gift I want for all of us is a cure, and or better and less expensive treatments than what we have now.
Thank you mee.
Rick
I like to offer a gift I received. It was given to me by several people at the beginning of my diabetic career, and neither they nor I appreciated what had been given or it's value.
When diagnosed, I was given pretty incompetent advice, from my doctors and other health care professionals. It just didn't work. And because of that advice, I started reading and visiting and joining on-line communities, from which I learned how to take care of myself. I am far better of today than if my doctors had been more competent and I hadn't had to fend for myself.
Without that push, I wouldn't have learned about the "dangerous" low carb diet, I would have thought an A1c of 7% was "great," I would have just suffered with the endo from ^H** and I would have just waited to start insulin until my blood sugar was really, really bad.
Gifts come in strange packages. Years ago, I might have said to my early health care team "Thanks for nothing." But in the end it turned into something really important. So, thanks for that.