Nostalgia

[June_C]

Sitting in front of my pc reading messages on the forum with the radio on in the background and along comes Lionel Richie singing "Destiny". I remember it from years ago in the days when I wasn't diabetic. I'm a newby, still trying to come to terms with this condition, but does anyone else long for those carefree days when diabetes happened to everyone else, but not you? Maybe it's only affecting me as I'm still trying to come to terms with this awful condition. Perhaps in a few years I'll think nothing of it, have it totally or very nearly under control and it won't affect my every waking moment.

 

[Robinredbreast]

Hi June, I haven't really ever thought of it in that way. The only thing I remember is my mum saying to me
" why did it have to happen to you" ( because my sister was the one who didn't mind blood, needles, or if someone hurt them selves badly, she would be the one watching, not me and nursing runs in my family). But I coped really well and just got on with it, but that was a long time ago now. tbh I would still rather not have diabetes, but I think we all feel like that sometimes, what if........................

 

[noblehead]

Yes is the answer to your question June, how wonderful it would be not to test bg levels multiple times a day, work out the carbs in your meals and bolus, carry supplies around with you all the time and not have clinic appointments to attend.

 

[June_C]

Thanks Noblehead. It's reassuring to know that "old hands" (no disrespect meant) at this malarkey also wish for those carefree days. It makes me feel less of an oddity wanting to turn the clock back. I hate having to check my bg levels umpteen times a day, worry about what exercise is doing to my levels, think about everything I eat , carry around half a pharmacy and attend those endless clinic appts. But hey, this is my life now. At least I've got one

 

[noblehead]

Well why wouldn't we wish for carefree days June, after all we are human and want the minimal amount of stress and inconvenience in our lives, but your right at least we are alive and well and there's far worse conditions that we could be living with.

 

[Andz-O]

I was diagnosed with Diabetes a month before my 19th birthday seemed like the end of my life, spent my 19th birthday in West Wales with a group of mates watching them get drunk while I drank diet coke ( bit different from my 18th birthday !!!) that was 30 years ago.(not an old hand more an old fogey ) it would be great to wake up and not have to check bg levels and having to inject insulin every day.But we can live with Diabetes, you rule Diabetes don't let Diabetes rule you

 

[Spiker]

Sometimes I do think of those carefree days. But then I think - genuinely, and not as just a rationalisation - that in those days I was just harming myself but I didn't know it yet, hadn't broken down my body's reserves of resilience yet. So when I do think back on the days when I was carefree, I wish I hadn't been.

Hope that helps somewhat June. It is a difficult time, what you are going through.

 

[Pasha]

Its a shock to get any lifelong disease. I had a heart attack at age 46, thought that it was the end of my world etc. Human beings are remarkably resilient and we soon learn to adjust to our new situation, even try to use it to make sure our health is then the best it can be.Takes a bit of time to get our new bearings and that then just becomes our new "normal".Its even said that getting old is not for sissies, but thats another subject and your not there yet. Cheers, you will soon feel much better.

 

[LucySW]

But hey, this is my life now. At least I've got one

That's it, June. At least we have. And we can make our lives much, much better !!

 

[LucySW]

It particularly got me recently when I made my daughter's birthday cake and couldn't have any. (I wasn't being a martyr - We made my bday cake from polyols/erythritol, but it didn't work that well, spiking me for several days. Have to import some Splenda.) it was lovely to have them eating it, but I would have liked to join in.

 

[Flowerpot]

It is a tough thing to get to grips with June and I can understand how hard you are finding it.

It must be very difficult to start to adjust when you are recently diagnosed and can clearly see the impact it has had on your life. I was diagnosed aged 12 so it's a distant blur for me. My Mum would probably look back with more nostalgia on the impact it had on my life than I do. I don't think back and picture myself skipping carefree through life without glucose tablets stuffed in every pocket.

I hope things start to improve for you and that diabetes and all its monotony occasionally starts to run on automatic pilot and not occupy your every waking moment. I wish you well

 

[Jeannie87]

I was diagnosed as type 1 diabetic just before my 18 birthday (1972 - so yes I am ancient ) Looking back now, I was very cavalier in my attitude towards it, and went a wee bit crazy for a few years, bearing in mind in those days the "prescribed diet" was appalling,the syringes were glass and had to be sterilised and kept In surgical spirit, and the needles were huge. It was one injection a day and urine testing which I hardly ever bothered with, so goodness knows how I have arrived here all these years later still alive and enjoying life. I am now on MDI, and to be honest in such a routine with it all, carb counting etc and blood testing, I hardly give it a thought. I don't restrict myself on high days and holidays, just maybe eat a smaller portion of birthday cake and adjust my dosage - not always successfully but diabetes is a strange thing, it affects everyone differently. What is good for one diabetic and works, is not so good for another. I try and mostly succeed not to think about it too much, there are many worse things to have. Also I don't obsess too much about it, easy maybe for me to say as a long termer, but I am just very grateful to be alive and enjoying life. I more or less eat what my family eats, and I also enjoy wine and the weekend gin and tonics. Everything in moderation. There are times when it gets me down, but I try to not get down about it, and live for today. I've not always been the best diabetic (who is?) but I've no complications - as yet, and try my best nowadays as I realise life is precious. I hope this doesn't come across as smug as I can appreciate totally that feeling when newly diagnosed ......it does get better, trust me......️️

 

[Jaylee]

I was diagnosed as type 1 diabetic just before my 18 birthday (1972 - so yes I am ancient ) Looking back now, I was very cavalier in my attitude towards it, and went a wee bit crazy for a few years, bearing in mind in those days the "prescribed diet" was appalling,the syringes were glass and had to be sterilised and kept In surgical spirit, and the needles were huge. It was one injection a day and urine testing which I hardly ever bothered with, so goodness knows how I have arrived here all these years later still alive and enjoying life. I am now on MDI, and to be honest in such a routine with it all, carb counting etc and blood testing, I hardly give it a thought. I don't restrict myself on high days and holidays, just maybe eat a smaller portion of birthday cake and adjust my dosage - not always successfully but diabetes is a strange thing, it affects everyone differently. What is good for one diabetic and works, is not so good for another. I try and mostly succeed not to think about it too much, there are many worse things to have. Also I don't obsess too much about it, easy maybe for me to say as a long termer, but I am just very grateful to be alive and enjoying life. I more or less eat what my family eats, and I also enjoy wine and the weekend gin and tonics. Everything in moderation. There are times when it gets me down, but I try to not get down about it, and live for today. I've not always been the best diabetic (who is?) but I've no complications - as yet, and try my best nowadays as I realise life is precious. I hope this doesn't come across as smug as I can appreciate totally that feeling when newly diagnosed ......it does get better, trust me......️️

Hi, i remember those days too.. (8th birthday, 1976.) The clinics back then. I always felt like I was at a "drug rehab unit." Lol

 

[Croc]

I look back on the days when I ate probably 2 or 3 times what I do now, smoked, liked a drink and never put on an ounce.

Now I don't smoke having given up 10 yeaes ago, rarely have a drink and the I get this b*****d disease and can't have cake!

Lifes a *****!

 

[June_C]

I was diagnosed as type 1 diabetic just before my 18 birthday (1972 - so yes I am ancient ) Looking back now, I was very cavalier in my attitude towards it, and went a wee bit crazy for a few years, bearing in mind in those days the "prescribed diet" was appalling,the syringes were glass and had to be sterilised and kept In surgical spirit, and the needles were huge. It was one injection a day and urine testing which I hardly ever bothered with, so goodness knows how I have arrived here all these years later still alive and enjoying life. I am now on MDI, and to be honest in such a routine with it all, carb counting etc and blood testing, I hardly give it a thought. I don't restrict myself on high days and holidays, just maybe eat a smaller portion of birthday cake and adjust my dosage - not always successfully but diabetes is a strange thing, it affects everyone differently. What is good for one diabetic and works, is not so good for another. I try and mostly succeed not to think about it too much, there are many worse things to have. Also I don't obsess too much about it, easy maybe for me to say as a long termer, but I am just very grateful to be alive and enjoying life. I more or less eat what my family eats, and I also enjoy wine and the weekend gin and tonics. Everything in moderation. There are times when it gets me down, but I try to not get down about it, and live for today. I've not always been the best diabetic (who is?) but I've no complications - as yet, and try my best nowadays as I realise life is precious. I hope this doesn't come across as smug as I can appreciate totally that feeling when newly diagnosed ......it does get better, trust me......️️

Thank you for your comforting words. I'm just impatient to get through this newbie stage and stop thinking about it all the time.