Die-abetes.
Yes, I know there's no "e" in it, but that's how it's spoken. I'm not crazy about the name, so I've decided to change it. Is it that simple? Yes my friends, it is.
I refuse to be associated with a chronic disease that has the inference of death. No thanks.
If live-abetes doesn't flow well for you, may I suggest, "Thrive-abetes."
When we manage well, and put our best foot forward - giving our all, we will thrive. Sure our readings may go haywire sometimes, but that doesn't mean we aren't thriving in spite of it.
So whatever you prefer, Live-abetes or thrive-abetes - let's live well and thrive together.
Keep pumpin'....
Showing posts with label Attitude. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Attitude. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Thursday, June 25, 2009
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'....
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'....
Thursday, June 11, 2009
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'....
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'....
Monday, May 11, 2009
Diabetes Sucks
Diabetes Sucks. That is a very strong statement. Two short words, but generally those that say it have years of struggle behind it.
Lately I've encountered many fellow diabetics that have used this phrase (and some much stronger verbiage). If you know me, or have been around this blog for awhile, you know my approach. In a nutshell, 20+ years of intense high and low blood sugars - mostly high on average. Diabetes affects everything and everyone it touches (including family, friends, and loved ones), so it's been a long road for all of us.
I've been thinking about the phrase for awhile, here are some thoughts to consider:
Diabetes sucks?
Compared to what...those without it?
Do you know anyone in the grips of cancer? Parkinson's? Bi-polar disorder? AIDS? Poverty? Unforgiveness?
Diabetes sucks?
Even if that's true to you, does complaining make it any better?
Diabetes sucks?
That's a bad way to approach a disease that does not inhibit it's recipients like other debilitating diseases do. What hindrances must we face? The fear of future complications? Why would we waste time worrying about what may or may not transpire in the future? We need to do all we can do today, and tomorrow will be here soon enough.
I don't consider myself any better than anyone else. I'm not smarter, more wise, or more mature. That being said, I really don't think 'diabetes sucks.'
I think it's obvious that diabetes can be a struggle, but so can anything else. Life can be hard, and often is. But that doesn't mean we should all sit around and complain about it, because that's not going to benefit anyone.
I'm not suggesting we ought to be disingenuous or insincere, pretending everything is o.k. when it's really not. What I am saying is that we get one chance to make a difference, one chance to give it our all, so rather than focus on how hard our plight is, I think we should be grateful for the medical advances that allow us to live full, long, healthy lives. Remember, it wasn't all that long ago that type-1 diabetes was a death sentence, a time when there was no insulin to take; no pumps, no blood sugar meters, no shots - nothing.
In reality, we are living in the best time ever as diabetics. We are on the cusp of a cure, and living with diabetes has never been easier.
Diabetes sucks?
Not to me.
Until next time, I'll be pumpin...
Lately I've encountered many fellow diabetics that have used this phrase (and some much stronger verbiage). If you know me, or have been around this blog for awhile, you know my approach. In a nutshell, 20+ years of intense high and low blood sugars - mostly high on average. Diabetes affects everything and everyone it touches (including family, friends, and loved ones), so it's been a long road for all of us.
I've been thinking about the phrase for awhile, here are some thoughts to consider:
Diabetes sucks?
Compared to what...those without it?
Do you know anyone in the grips of cancer? Parkinson's? Bi-polar disorder? AIDS? Poverty? Unforgiveness?
Diabetes sucks?
Even if that's true to you, does complaining make it any better?
Diabetes sucks?
That's a bad way to approach a disease that does not inhibit it's recipients like other debilitating diseases do. What hindrances must we face? The fear of future complications? Why would we waste time worrying about what may or may not transpire in the future? We need to do all we can do today, and tomorrow will be here soon enough.
I don't consider myself any better than anyone else. I'm not smarter, more wise, or more mature. That being said, I really don't think 'diabetes sucks.'
I think it's obvious that diabetes can be a struggle, but so can anything else. Life can be hard, and often is. But that doesn't mean we should all sit around and complain about it, because that's not going to benefit anyone.
I'm not suggesting we ought to be disingenuous or insincere, pretending everything is o.k. when it's really not. What I am saying is that we get one chance to make a difference, one chance to give it our all, so rather than focus on how hard our plight is, I think we should be grateful for the medical advances that allow us to live full, long, healthy lives. Remember, it wasn't all that long ago that type-1 diabetes was a death sentence, a time when there was no insulin to take; no pumps, no blood sugar meters, no shots - nothing.
In reality, we are living in the best time ever as diabetics. We are on the cusp of a cure, and living with diabetes has never been easier.
Diabetes sucks?
Not to me.
Until next time, I'll be pumpin...
Monday, April 20, 2009
"He's A Bad Boy"
About 3 weeks ago I spent the day skiing and at the end of the day as my oldest son and I were getting ready to leave we overheard a commotion next to us.
"Where is it?"
"I don't know..."
"Where could it be??"
"I had it on, and it must have just fallen off..it has to be on the mountain somewhere"
"We HAVE to find it.."
I interrupted and asked, "Did you misplace something?"
The family looked over (panicked) and replied, "an insulin pump."
I pointed to my waist and revealed my minimed and said, "like this?"
A look of understanding set in, "yes, exactly like that."
We struck up a conversation and I inquired about how long my younger comrade had been diabetic, his readings, and his overall health. Shortly thereafter, they asked if they could use my meter, as his meter was also gone. 5 seconds later we saw a '304,' and I told him I had a spare needle and Novolog if needed. I pressed on about his diabetes management when out of the blue a relative spoke up and said,
"He's a bad boy."
Frankly, my heart sunk and I was mutually embarrassed (he's 16), and devastated for this young man. I turned to his relative and emphatically said,
"No, He's Not."
It's hard enough being a teenager. But when you add in the challenge of trying to control and effectively manage a disease that reacts negatively to stress, hormones, and every other developmental stage of growing up, it compounds the difficulty of becoming an adult.
Maybe it was the years of being scolded by doctors and nurses who could not understand how hard it was to try your best and still 'fail' at attaining normal blood sugars. Or maybe it was the absurdity of defining a young mans character, his essence, his fragile identity by something as fickle as blood sugars. (I wonder how many of us would be 'good' if all of our life struggles were measured and displayed for others to see?) Maybe it was all of that, and more.
Regardless of why I felt so strongly, I feel equally as compelled to say (and keep saying), your blood sugars do not define you! Sure we could all do better (not just at diabetes management, but everything in life), but lets not be too quick to judge one another when we simply have no idea what their struggle may be.
No, he's not a bad boy. He's a young man coping with a devastatingly deceptive disease that will turn him in to a strong man that is more in tune with his health than most others.
I challenge each person reading this blog to be an encourager to your diabetic friends, family members, or even yourselves! The world is full of enough discouragement, let's agree to help build one another up, even when we stumble and fall!
Until next time, keep pumpin'....
(P.S. His pump was later located on the mountain!)
"Where is it?"
"I don't know..."
"Where could it be??"
"I had it on, and it must have just fallen off..it has to be on the mountain somewhere"
"We HAVE to find it.."
I interrupted and asked, "Did you misplace something?"
The family looked over (panicked) and replied, "an insulin pump."
I pointed to my waist and revealed my minimed and said, "like this?"
A look of understanding set in, "yes, exactly like that."
We struck up a conversation and I inquired about how long my younger comrade had been diabetic, his readings, and his overall health. Shortly thereafter, they asked if they could use my meter, as his meter was also gone. 5 seconds later we saw a '304,' and I told him I had a spare needle and Novolog if needed. I pressed on about his diabetes management when out of the blue a relative spoke up and said,
"He's a bad boy."
Frankly, my heart sunk and I was mutually embarrassed (he's 16), and devastated for this young man. I turned to his relative and emphatically said,
"No, He's Not."
It's hard enough being a teenager. But when you add in the challenge of trying to control and effectively manage a disease that reacts negatively to stress, hormones, and every other developmental stage of growing up, it compounds the difficulty of becoming an adult.
Maybe it was the years of being scolded by doctors and nurses who could not understand how hard it was to try your best and still 'fail' at attaining normal blood sugars. Or maybe it was the absurdity of defining a young mans character, his essence, his fragile identity by something as fickle as blood sugars. (I wonder how many of us would be 'good' if all of our life struggles were measured and displayed for others to see?) Maybe it was all of that, and more.
Regardless of why I felt so strongly, I feel equally as compelled to say (and keep saying), your blood sugars do not define you! Sure we could all do better (not just at diabetes management, but everything in life), but lets not be too quick to judge one another when we simply have no idea what their struggle may be.
No, he's not a bad boy. He's a young man coping with a devastatingly deceptive disease that will turn him in to a strong man that is more in tune with his health than most others.
I challenge each person reading this blog to be an encourager to your diabetic friends, family members, or even yourselves! The world is full of enough discouragement, let's agree to help build one another up, even when we stumble and fall!
Until next time, keep pumpin'....
(P.S. His pump was later located on the mountain!)
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