So I found some other diabetes blogs in cyberspace and one I found is about a person who was diagnosed at 6 years old and has had it for 23 years. She is very active in the blogging world with her diabetes writing and I would like to be like her someday.
Her name is Kerri Morrone and she wrote a list of 30 things about type 1 Diabetes and how it affects her that I was very impressed with. I decided to copy her questions and post my own list; so here is the list I made my own, without further ado...
1. The illness I live with is: type 1 diabetes
2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: October 1993
3. But I had symptoms since: September 1993
4. The biggest adjustment I've had to make is: adjusting to the changing demands of a disease that doesn't sit still for even a second.
5. Most people assume: That I am really strong and able to withstand some of the devastation of this disease. It is not who I am but I battle the depression of no cure every day and the loss of focus from low blood sugars all the time as you can't really grow brain cells back...
6. The hardest part about mornings are: waking up and functioning when my Blood sugars are below 70 and realizing this will never end until I make my final exit
7. My favorite medical TV show is: I don't have time to watch TV and I would rather blog and read books
8. A gadget I couldn't live without is: my glucose meter I could live without my pump but then I would have to take my shots undercover when having dinner with friends.
9. The hardest part about nights are: I can't sleep without reading and I can't stop long enough to fall asleep--a reaction to the lows from diabetes--that also probably explains the ADHD--it doesn't really show unless I am around children who are more ADD than me
10. Each day I take 2 pills & vitamins: Actually I don't take pills except vitamin D and for pain but the insulin thing is 24/7
11. Regarding alternative treatments: I will never be able to go off insulin entirely but exercise and diet does help with controlling my blood sugars so I don't have to take as much insulin--if I choose to live by the diet which is hard when noone else is. I have heard about Cell Restoration therapy but the cost is prohibitive and it's not really effective as a cure
12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: These choices suck. I'd rather not have any illness, thank you very much.(I copied that as it reflects my sentiments exactly)
13. Regarding working and career: I'm a SAHM when I am not playing and homeschooling and running--but I don't get paid but I would like to....
14. People would be surprised to know: that it's not as easy as we make it look. Sometimes it hurts in every way.--Can you say mood swings?
15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: that I want to go back to the old reality where I could eat whatever I want, I had the energy to do what I wanted to do and I was actually out there doing it all the time. There is an up side to this list and I will address it on my next blog post.
16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: Have children and I am lucky to have the ones I do--My doctors said that if I tried for a fourth child: my husband might have to make the decision between me and the baby and they might lose both. We decided to be satisfied with 3 but really wanted 5--
17. The commercials about my illness: are never about MY illness. They are always about type 2 diabetes.--we just kinda get swept under the rug.--but I don't watch TV so I don't really pay attention...
18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: eating without having the check and take insulin. Not have to respond to alarms all the time
19. It was really hard to have to give up: Snickers bars but that was inevitable if I want to keep my trim waistline anyway so I guess I don't miss giving that up...
20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: ...Sewing, Cooking, running--well I was actually running when I was diagnosed but I haven't run in 15 years so I have taken it up again.--I cook because I need all natural food as artificial throws my glucose levels out of control.
21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: I actually feel normal when I don't have to check -- although there is that insecurity that is linked with high or low blood sugars that I probably wouldn't have to deal with if I didn't have diabetes.
22. My illness has taught me: that I am not alone and that I can do anything I put my mind to--It has also taught me that I can't give up as long as I live--it hasn't beaten me yet even if I want to give up sometimes.
23. One thing people say that gets under my skin is: Do you want some Celery or something like that when I am having a low blood sugar episode--it clues me in to how I haven't helped them find the right information about how to help me treat my blood sugars and I need to improve.
24. But I love it when people: still accept me and treat me like a normal person and thank me for the information I provide.
25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest" the other one is: When life gets too hard to stand
KNEEL
26. When someone is diagnosed I'd like to tell them: that they aren't alone. And they'll be okay if they take care of it and get some support from friends and loved ones.
27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: that I can live a normal life outside of taking care of my diabetes
28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn't feeling well was: visit and cheer me up
29. I'm involved with Invisible Illness Week because: I am actually not involved with this because I just found out about it
30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: ...like you might understand me a little better and not judge me harshly when I fall since everyone does....
Sep 26, 2009
Steph This one is for You
Dear Steph:
So I started reading your blog tonight or actually this morning and I just want to cry. You put all of your frustrations out there for the world to see and I just don't have the guts to do that but I feel the same way.
Anyone who wants to see how I feel sometimes should go here and check out Stephs blog because it is a really great look into the life of a Type 1 Diabetic. She calles her blog: my D Life...
If you want a support group, I think we should start one ourselves and get others that we know of to come. Then we can all hang out and have fun without the stigma of diabetes. We can also support each other in taking care of ourselves and share our strengths, weaknesses, despairs and triumphs.
I was always worried that you didn't like me or something for the way I acted at Wilderness Trek oh so long ago. We never kept in touch but that is a changeable thing with the information age. Email, Facebook, Twitter, etc, you name it, it is easier to keep in touch now than ever before. Why are we in contact? Why aren't I helping you face this? Why do you feel like you are facing it alone and that everyone thinks they know more about it than you do?
I would love to comment on your blog but I guess you will allow comments when you are ready. Thanks for letting me read it and I hope we can talk soon.
Chrystal
So I started reading your blog tonight or actually this morning and I just want to cry. You put all of your frustrations out there for the world to see and I just don't have the guts to do that but I feel the same way.
Anyone who wants to see how I feel sometimes should go here and check out Stephs blog because it is a really great look into the life of a Type 1 Diabetic. She calles her blog: my D Life...
If you want a support group, I think we should start one ourselves and get others that we know of to come. Then we can all hang out and have fun without the stigma of diabetes. We can also support each other in taking care of ourselves and share our strengths, weaknesses, despairs and triumphs.
I was always worried that you didn't like me or something for the way I acted at Wilderness Trek oh so long ago. We never kept in touch but that is a changeable thing with the information age. Email, Facebook, Twitter, etc, you name it, it is easier to keep in touch now than ever before. Why are we in contact? Why aren't I helping you face this? Why do you feel like you are facing it alone and that everyone thinks they know more about it than you do?
I would love to comment on your blog but I guess you will allow comments when you are ready. Thanks for letting me read it and I hope we can talk soon.
Chrystal
Sep 25, 2009
Drill Sargeant
At the end of July, I got a letter in the mail about a recall from my pump manufacturer of all of the infusion sets I have been using.
The issue was when there was rapid elevation change and the resulting change in air pressure would cause a malfunction in the vent of the infusion set. WHAT?!?
You mean Ragnar wasn't all my fault??!!??--Remember my Ragnar Relay post where I was having huge problems with my sugar levels while I was running that 188 mile relay race? Yes! It wasn't all my fault...
I didn't even know that the infusion sets had to have vents and hadn't even thought about how exactly my pump works. I guess that is another example of using technology that I have no idea how it works but I just know it does and there is someone out there smarter than me who thought of all this--amazing to say the least.
So apparently, when there was a change in air pressure the infusion set would malfunction and I would get more insulin than I input into the pump or I would get less insulin than I input--kinda sounds like I might just want to rethink the whole pump vs. multiple shot daily regimen because I think that would never happen with a shot.
The issue was when there was rapid elevation change and the resulting change in air pressure would cause a malfunction in the vent of the infusion set. WHAT?!?
You mean Ragnar wasn't all my fault??!!??--Remember my Ragnar Relay post where I was having huge problems with my sugar levels while I was running that 188 mile relay race? Yes! It wasn't all my fault...
I didn't even know that the infusion sets had to have vents and hadn't even thought about how exactly my pump works. I guess that is another example of using technology that I have no idea how it works but I just know it does and there is someone out there smarter than me who thought of all this--amazing to say the least.
So apparently, when there was a change in air pressure the infusion set would malfunction and I would get more insulin than I input into the pump or I would get less insulin than I input--kinda sounds like I might just want to rethink the whole pump vs. multiple shot daily regimen because I think that would never happen with a shot.
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