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Today diabetes did not stop me

Diakat

Diakat

Expert
Retired Moderator
Hi all,

I thought it might be nice to have a thread for minor victories. We all know diabetes can be (is) rubbish, and so many posts cover the struggles.

So this is intended to be an "I can still do it" thread. For those days where you wake up in the teens but still make it to work, for the days when numbers are unexpectedly perfect, for finding that cafe that serves something that won't mess up the numbers. For a day where you tried a new sport, new food, new destination.

Let's celebrate the good stuff, not just share the tough times.
 
After the initial period of mourning for my previously almost perfect health:
  • I am now much fitter because of the extra exercise.
  • I lost weight that I did not need.
  • I am eating in a much healthier way.
  • I now drink alcohol only in moderation
  • It has been a very stressful year (for reasons having nothing to do with diabetes) but the previous items in this list definitely helped me deal with the stress.
  • Odd to say, being diagnosed with a nasty chronic disease has given me a new sense of perspective and eagerness to enjoy life.
  • I feel closer to my wife and daughters. Not sure why, but definitely so.
Edited to add: not really "minor victories" I know!

There's lots of little stuff too. During my daily walks I see a lot of wildlife and when I get home I Google to find out what these critters are called and how they live their lives. During my home exercises I find myself "meditating" for a few seconds while lying on my back between cycles-of-ten.

Wish-list: Getting back to my hobbies (building old-fashioned valve radios, and plastic modeling). For some reason I lost all interest in hobbies when diagnosed nine months ago.
 
Hey @Diakat . Great idea for a positive thread. Surely it's gotta be one of those sticky threads.
Diabetes didn't stop me having a lovely home cooked English breakfast this morning. It also didn't stop me doing an hours shoulder workout up the gym, I hate doing shoulders :banghead:.
As an aside I'll be awarding you today's " top banana " award for a brilliant idea.
 
therower said:
Hey @Diakat . Great idea for a positive thread. Surely it's gotta be one of those sticky threads.
Diabetes didn't stop me having a lovely home cooked English breakfast this morning. It also didn't stop me doing an hours shoulder workout up the gym, I hate doing shoulders :banghead:.
As an aside I'll be awarding you today's " top banana " award for a brilliant idea.
Click to expand...
Thanks, (nice shoulders).
 
tiredoftrying2017 said:
Wow!!! How did you do it @Taliesin?
Click to expand...
I stopped pretending that "one chocolate bar won't hurt" - once I collected all the chocolate in the house up and gave it to a friend, I ended up giving her the exercise bike I couldn't use as well ;-)

I live as close to 100% on Huel as you can reasonably get, with a small amount of fruit to change the flavour. I only drink sugar free pop, except for Wednesdays when I meet friends for a cuppa (only time I have milk). I snack on nuts or Bombay mix. Because neuropathy and fatigue limit me as far as movement is concerned, I've reduced my calories per day to suit.

I won't lie: it helps that when I was ill in 2012 I lost my joy in food (I'd previously been an enthusiastic cook) - I'm often not even aware of being hungry and I'm not a stranger to "ooh... 4.2 - I suppose I ought to eat something".
 
Taliesin said:
I stopped pretending that "one chocolate bar won't hurt" - once I collected all the chocolate in the house up and gave it to a friend, I ended up giving her the exercise bike I couldn't use as well ;-)

I live as close to 100% on Huel as you can reasonably get, with a small amount of fruit to change the flavour. I only drink sugar free pop, except for Wednesdays when I meet friends for a cuppa (only time I have milk). I snack on nuts or Bombay mix. Because neuropathy and fatigue limit me as far as movement is concerned, I've reduced my calories per day to suit.

I won't lie: it helps that when I was ill in 2012 I lost my joy in food (I'd previously been an enthusiastic cook) - I'm often not even aware of being hungry and I'm not a stranger to "ooh... 4.2 - I suppose I ought to eat something".
Click to expand...
I was so much hoping the answer would be by writing poetry...
 
I would say Diabetes has not stopped me doing anything since diagnosis, nearly 15 years ago, I have
- been trekking in the Himalayas
- sailed across the channel
- spent a week doing Via Feratta in Italy
- tracked Gorillas in Uganda
- built houses in Ghana
- skydived
- canoed down the Wye
- found a lovely man to spend my life with
- changed jobs multiple times
- walked up volcanoes in South America
- tasted amazing food and wine
- written a blog
- done an Open University course
...
 
Diakat said:
Hi all,

I thought it might be nice to have a thread for minor victories. We all know diabetes can be (is) rubbish, and so many posts cover the struggles.

So this is intended to be an "I can still do it" thread. For those days where you wake up in the teens but still make it to work, for the days when numbers are unexpectedly perfect, for finding that cafe that serves something that won't mess up the numbers. For a day where you tried a new sport, new food, new destination.

Let's celebrate the good stuff, not just share the tough times.
Click to expand...

Great idea! I'm 55 yrs old and over the weekend I split and stacked 5 cord hardwood using a Maul (cross between a sledge hammer and an axe) and a wedge. It took me 8 hours by myself as my spouse is currently experiencing the flu.

I take great joy in still being able to do such activities - most of my 55 year old friends would not be able to do the same thing. But I got to tell you, I sure feel the physical strain days later - when I was younger maybe the next day - now it takes 3 days to recover - LOL

On Monday I only did a 2.5 KM power walk as I was still pretty stiff but today I was back to my 5 KM routine and I'm pretty well back to my normal.

One other thing I forgot to mention ... during my wood activities (getting ready for that Canadian winter) I managed to keep normal BGs and as a result of the energy I exerted was able to cut 12 units of humulog for both Saturday and Sunday because I simply didn't need it.
 
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