Why having diabetes is awesome

I mean it, really. I'm not rolling my eyes, sighing in exasperation, mumbling sarcastically, "aawwwweeesssooooooommmmmeee."

Having diabetes is awesome, and here's why:

Diabetes forces you to be more aware of your overall health.

Diabetes helps you appreciate the little things in life more.

Diabetes makes you realize the fragility of life.

Diabetes causes you to be thankful for all your other internal organs that DO work properly.

Diabetes allows you to be a part of a community of caring, compassionate individuals.

Diabetes is top-of-mind in the public eye, therefore receiving a lot of funding and research dollars annually.

Diabetes REQUIRES you to pause sometimes, when without it we most likely would not.

Diabetes creates opportunities for us to overcome.

Diabetes motivates you to be the best you can be.

Diabetes forces you to be aware of your surroundings.

Diabetes requires forethought.

Diabetes is manageable.

Diabetes will not hinder you from becoming a star athlete, performer, politician, scientist, doctor, teacher, professional, employee, parent, spouse, sibling, or child.

Sure, diabetes gets a bad reputation (and by some accounts, rightfully so). But it's not ALL bad, and if we all look hard enough, I bet we could extend this abbreviated list exponentially. I've saved my personal favorite reason for last...why I think having diabetes is awesome:

We have the insulin pump.




Keep pumpin' my friends....

What your parents said

Last week I was invited to be a speaker at a local camp for families with diabetes.
There were four groups of children(as well as their parents), divided by ages . In preparing, I created a sheet that asked a series of questions.
Namely,
1. The easiest thing about dealing with diabetes is..
2. The hardest thing, etc....
3. The best thing, etc.....
4. The worst thing, etc.....
5. I wish my child knew....

The parents had the above questions, and the kids' sheets had the same questions, but the 'tense' was altered. For example, Q.1 read, "the easiest thing about having diabetes is..." and the last question was, "I wish my parents knew..."

Being that the responses were anonymous, I had hoped for honesty. What I got was beyond what I had hoped for. Here's a sampling of the parental responses...

The best thing about dealing with diabetes is...
-"There is treatment for the disease my son has."
-"Seeing the courage my daughter has.."
-"you can still do the same things that everyone else does"
And more than one parent said plainly,
-"nothing"

The worst thing about dealing with diabetes is...
-"dealing with potential restrictions on future activities."
-"missing activities with other children."
-"having it for the rest of your life??"
-"not knowing the future."
-"feeling like I am always bugging him about his sugar (level) or treating."

Now, let me address some of these answers: diabetes should not restrict or hinder you from anything. That's outdated info. Kids with diabetes do not need to miss anything. Further, we are on the cusp of the cure. As I said at camp, THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO HAVE DIABETES!!

Not knowing the future can cause anxiety in anyone (with diabetes or not), but faith and a secure foundation can really counteract your fears.

And finally, "I wish my child knew..."
-"I would trade places with him if I could.."
-"How smart he is.."
-"how proud of her I am."
-"highs and lows will still happen even if you do everything 'by the book'"
-"there's nothing she can't do"
-"by not testing and taking care of himself how he is hurting his body."


These answers reveal much of what all parents feel for their kids. How many of us would do anything to take away our child's hurts, fears, or struggles?
Now compound that with a chronic disease that takes no prisoners, and the helpless feelings must multiply.

Yet there is another side to these answers that shows how diabetes affects more than just the diabetic. It affects the whole family, and includes friends, classmates, and more. Education is real power when it comes to effectively managing diabetes. There's no reason a child today should feel limited or inhibited in any way by diabetes.

All of this reinforces the conclusion I had previously reached, which is everyone with diabetes should be on the insulin pump.

It allows freedom and flexibility; but most importantly it is the best tool we have today to treat diabetes.

Stay tuned, because the next post will highlight what all the children with diabetes had to say, and you are NOT going to want to miss it!!

Until there's a cure, there's the pump.

That's why iPump.

Perspective

This is a picture of the grand canyon from afar.



Here is a picture from the grand canyon on the ledge.




Here is picture of the grand canyon from inside.


Notice how all three photos offer differing views and alternate perspectives. Additionally, from a distance the canyon does not appear all that impressive. But as you get closer to the ledge, and ultimately inside the behemoth, you gain a new appreciation for its formidable essence. And if you've ever been there, you know pictures don't do it justice.

To me life with diabetes is just like that.

In the past I thought of tight control and healthy management as unattainable. I heard, read, and acknowledged all the possible complications, yet to me the complications were like the canyon from afar.

20 years in to diabetes, and still complication free I could feel myself getting much 'closer,' yet still was denying the enormity of my future if I did not change course, and fast.

Finally a series of life-events combined and I was standing on the ledge. One of which was a slight foot tingle, and I feared that denying the 'canyon' any longer was just not possible.

So 22 years in to diabetes I took a figurative leap of faith over the edge, and much to my surprise I did not go plummeting downward at break-neck speed.

The most amazing thing happened, actually.

For the past 7+ months it's as if I have been carried up on eagle's wings. The insulin pump has opened up a whole new world for me.

The least way I have been affected by the insulin pump is by having normal blood sugars. That's right, the normal readings are the least of my gains. My focus, my energy level, my patience level, my everything...better!

Being on the pump does not mean the years of mismanagement have not affected me adversely, or that it may not in the future.

But for the first time in my life I am now walking away from the ledge rather than toward it, and I feel GREAT in the process!

Until next time, I'll keep pumpin'....

Stinking complaining never did anyone any bloody good

Diabetes is not the end of the world.

It's not impossible to manage, nor is it the great hindrance to a charmed life.

It can be a challenge, yes. It can be an inconvenience, yes. It can even be difficult. But it doesn't need to be any more than that. We can (and I certainly have in my lifetime) given it much more credit (or blame) than it deserved. It's been a crutch at times, but it has also been a motivator as well.

I don't think I need to be heralded or congratulated for having diabetes. My plight is not necessarily worse (or better) than any others.

Growing up, I had a brother that was so severely handicapped that he could not talk, walk, sit up or communicate in any way. Developed only as a 2-month old and with a life expectancy of 2 years, he lived to be 36 years old having only passed away 8 years ago.

No one in my family complained about him. My parents literally sacrificed their lives to take care of him. And they said nothing negative, ever - not a peep.

Depression and other mental issues run strong in my family. OCD, bipolar, even schizophrenia. No complaints, no whining.

I took shots. Took, past tense; as now thankfully I woke up and tried the pump! So I deal with diabetes. Big deal.

I'm divorced, I'm diabetic, and I have a son with Down syndrome. And......????

I'm blessed.

Our readings may go hay-wire once in awhile. We may not always feel awesome. Waking up in the middle of the night is scary. Complications and the threat therein can be daunting. Counting carbs can be tiring.

But complaining about any of it will never help. Ever.

I'm blessed. And if you're able to read this, listen to it, or in any other way receive this message - so are you.


Keep pumpin'....

22 years coming....

It was a long road.

Frankly, I had all but eliminated the possibility of ever wearing an insulin pump. I was totally against the concept, and hated the thought of being 'wired up' 24 hours a day.

I was diagnosed as a type-1 diabetic on June 20, 1986. So that means for twenty-two years now I've struggled mightily with obtaining ANY thing resembling control.

I used to laugh at those One Touch commercials that always showed a perfect '120' reading. I thought, 'yeah, right...'

My family and friends had encouraged me to give it a try, but I just could not wrap my mind around being tied down with this thing 24/7. But when my son, who has Down syndrome was born, I started to think about things differently.

I began to think about the importance of good health. Further, I considered the path I had been on for over two decades and what the long-term implications were. It was (and is) scary. So one night I googled "insulin pump" and began to research the options.

In a later post, I'll compare and review each of the pumps I was considering and give my reasoning as to why I ended up with the Medtronic/Minimed 522. But for now, suffice it to say I feel I made the right choice.

So my last A1C was about 10.5, which equates to an average blood sugar of approximately 255. (to calculate your average, check this out: http://bloodsugar101.com/A1Ccalc.php)

After two weeks on the pump, my average is 146 (6.7 A1C) and headed down!! Honestly, I've never felt anything like this. The energy, focus, positivity - I simply cannot recall ever feeling anything like this.

All of my fears were unfounded. Being 'wired up' is no big deal whatsoever. And going from 6 shots a day to 1 infusion set every 3 days is a major benefit!

If you are a diabetic struggling with control, I understand where you're at. I had been told I was in the top 2%...just so 'brittle' that no matter what I tried, control may not be attainable. Listen to me, that is false information. I just want to encourage you to consider a more progressive approach to diabetes management.

In this day and age, there is no reason to suffer through the 400's only to crash in to the 30's. There is hope. If I can do it, most certainly anyone can!

Until next time, I'll be pumpin...