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"Surviving" diabetes?

Alexandra100

Alexandra100

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,803
Location
West Yorkshire
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I began reading this article from "the Guardian" because I have a friend whose wife is being treated for throat cancer and I thought it might interest him. But I found it quite upsetting, and realised that a lot of what this woman “living with and beyond cancer” (Macmillan preferred terminology) is saying might apply to us. I am certainly living with diabetes (or, since I am not officially even pre-diabetic, with raised bgs or glucose intolerance serious enough to cause complications). Every finger prick blood test a new drama of hope and (often) disappointment. And I realise that I need to change the balance to prioritise the "beyond diabetes" side of life.

I guess @donnellysdogs would have thoughts to share?

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeand...erm=276927&subid=26042718&CMP=EMCNEWEML6619I2
 
Thanks for sharing. It is an interesting thought. A diagnosis for a life threatening condition always rocks our world so its hard to see how to get back to age of innocence when we thought ourselves immortal.
I've been reading about the concept of entropy (aka sh*t happens as it is the nature of the universe for things to become disordered whether thats your cells multiplying out of control or your metabolism becoming dis functional). Living with a long term chronic disease like diabetes at least gives me the chance to continually try and restore order in my body and to be grateful when I can or not too hard on myself when I can't. But I can't be cured and being well controlled/badly controlled is not a permanent status just what his happening right now. At least I get some illusion of control whereas I imagine this doesn't apply to cancer and a survivor must make adjustments to the possibility of living on the edge of chaos yet happy that you got lucky too in surviving this far.
 
It depends on how philosophical you wish to be I guess. And whether you are a glass half full or half empty type of person.
Except in the case of those who achieve significant weight loss and appear cured, we do not live past having a chronic illness like diabetes. WE LIVE WITH IT.
We can regard it as a companion - irksome, friendly, a pain in the behind, or a cheerful imp. It is not going to desert us, flee or disappear. We may try to hide from it but it is still there.
I guess some form of accomodation or acceptance is what we hope for. My doctor says he does not envy me but he respects what I have gone through and am going through.
He actually asked me to put a question on the forum, How do we make diabetes fun ? - I am still waiting for more replies. Hint ! Hint !
 
Everyone is different, as said many times on this forum. Some people cope emotionally, others don't.

I went through the cancer thing 5 years ago - surgery, chemo, Herceptin infusions for 12 months, and radiotherapy. Whilst still on this 12 month treatment I was diagnosed with T2. I threw myself into controlling diabetes and forgot all about cancer most of the time. Cancer thoughts never leave completely, but much depends on the individual. I am in remission and regard my cancer as being in a jar in the lab, not in my body. I was given the Moving Forward - for people living with and beyond breast cancer when I was discharged on my 5th anniversary. I haven't needed it. Hopefully I never will.

The difference between cancer and diabetes is we cannot control cancer, but we can control diabetes. There is absolutely no comparison.
 
Apologies for derailing a bit on such a thread. @kitedoc . Would the question ......" how do you have fun with diabetes " elicit more responses?
As for the thread. I really wouldn't like to have ever been in a situation that would have enabled me to answer.
For me. Diabetes I can control. I put in the effort I see the rewards.
Cancer.....the thought alone gives me a feeling of total uncontrollable emotions.
For anyone who has been there and is still here I find you truly inspirational.
 
therower said:
Diabetes I can control. I put in the effort I see the rewards.
Click to expand...
Goodness, I wish it was like that for me. Personally, one day I put in the effort and seem to see rewards but the next I may put in the identical effort and the rewards are at any rate much less. So basically I control the effort but not the rewards, which doesn't feel good, though of course, I agree, still feels a lot better than cancer.
 
Alexandra100 said:
Goodness, I wish it was like that for me. Personally, one day I put in the effort and seem to see rewards but the next I may put in the identical effort and the rewards are at any rate much less. So basically I control the effort but not the rewards, which doesn't feel good, though of course, I agree, still feels a lot better than cancer.
Click to expand...
Even the worse days when everything goes wrong, make you appreciate the good days all the more. I guess it's a kind of negative reward.:)
 
I am not a particularly strong person with regard to emotional or mental health but I do feel that life is like an ocean, tsunamis and violent storms at times and then doldrums at other times and there's me in a tumbledown rowing boat that I hope won't sink before finding dry land. Sometimes I reach a point where I can approach a golden sandy beach only to be blown off course. Such is life.

I used to joke that all of my adult life I have just stumbled from one crisis to the next. But I am chasing 60 and I am still here. I may be broken but I now I look back and do you know how I feel? I feel that even though others may pity me I have had a stonking good life, I've lived and loved and dodged enough bullets to be able to say that I would do it all again in a heartbeat.

Stay well, folks.
 
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