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If You Could, Would You Rather Not Have Diabetes?

F

ForeverDreaming

Active Member
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Hi, My Name’s Emma. I Am 10 Years Old, And I Was Diagnosed With Type 1 On The 9th Of May 2012. I Have Been Asked This Question Many Times Before, Sometimes From My Friends At School, And Also Family. They Always Ask “Do You Wish You Didn't Have Diabetes?” And I Say “No.” Then They Are Always Quite Surprised And Say “Why?” And I Simply Say “Because I’m Different Now. Not Just Because Of My Health, But The Way I Think. I See Life In A Different Way And Appreciate It More.” I Know Diabetes Isn’t A Major Deadly Disease But It Makes Life Very Different. So I Was Wondering... If You Could, Would You Rather Not Have Diabetes?

God Bless.
-Emma
 
Hi Emma,

It does make you live healthier generally and that is a smart answer, but sadly diabetes can be a deadly disease if not managed properly. You sound a very sensible girl and I hope you are looking after yourself. I'd rather not have to take 30 tablets a day and insulin and not worry about a meeting running late to take my food and tablets and if I think it might I take my stuff that I need with me. Do you always stay up so late? I was asleep when you sent this, lol.

Stay healthy and good luck!

Mart (Type 1 - 3.5 years)
 
Hello Emma.
If i could get rid of diabetes i would. I was diagnosed in the december of 1998 as a type 1 diabetic.
I have struggled for many years to control my Blood Glucose levels and now take tablets and 5 injections a day.
It's not all doom and gloom though as u will find if you need any operations in the future. You get to skip most of the waiting list.
You will find that a lot of people that have been diabetic for a long time will be bitter and twisted about having the disease. You are right though it does put another way of looking at life and does put things into perspective.
My advise to you is that if you haven't been offered any DAFNE training yet then push for it as it will make life much easier in the future

Good luck


My Iphone
 
Hi Emma. I would rather not have diabetes. Life would be a little less complicated. I am heartened, however, by the very positive perspective you have on it. It will make it infinitely easier to live with. I was 12 when I was diagnosed ( a shocking 27 years ago!) and wish I had dealt with it with your positive and mature attitude

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 

Why Thank You, Thundercat. Bravo :clap: :lol: And I Wish You All The Best Taking Care Of Your Diabetes. God Bless
 
I have to admit that I was content in my ignorance and did not welcome the diagnosis of T2 diabetes when it came.

BUT

It was caught early and I have been given the chance to do something about controlling it before it becomes a bigger problem. I have learned what foods are a problem, which are downright hazardous and those which are fine to eat. I think healthy people should be made to discover that also.

I don't wish any kind of diabetes on anyone but it does give an incentive to look to your health and to look after yourself. I welcome that part of it.
 
Terryson10 said:
Hello Emma.

My advise to you is that if you haven't been offered any DAFNE training yet then push for it as it will make life much easier in the future

Good luck
Click to expand...

Sorry, I'm Not So Sure What DAFNE Is.

All The Best To You
 
It's Dose Adjustment for Normal Eating. It's a method where you adjust your injection dose to match the amount of carbs you eat


Sent from Terryson10 using DCUK App
 
Terryson10 said:
It's Dose Adjustment for Normal Eating. It's a method where you adjust your injection dose to match the amount of carbs you eat


Sent from Terryson10 using DCUK App
Click to expand...

I don't think it's offered to children!

Emma it's something to ask about as a teenager, I think it's from 14 or 16 onwards.
 
Thundercat said:
That is disgraceful. How are children supposed to manage. Parents could be brought on board to make it a team effort

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
Click to expand...

My friend is a dietician and she has worked at diabetes camps for kids aged 8-12. These are "adventure camps" where they are away from home but with fully qualified staff to care for them. At the camps her role was education. Every day she holds a session teaching about carbs etc.

DAFNE is just pitched at an older audience. There are plenty opportunities for kids to learn the necessary things in a more "fun" way. Emma has already proved she knows a lot about her condition and so I don't think kids have to miss out at all.
 
Thundercat said:
Thanks for that. Sorry for the over reaction. Things really have changed so much for the better

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
Click to expand...

Not an over reaction - it was a valid point! Kids need educated, it's just done at a different level. I've heard stories of giant stuffed toys shaped as fruit and veg for the really young ones.....
 
Hi Emma, would I rather not have diabetes?
Well thats a very easy yes, of course I do but like you I am optimistic in my approach and lucky in that I have T2 and found good control relatively easy to come by, well if you call losing loads of weight easy :lol: So I find that diabetes hardly encroaches on my life at all now. Of course Ive made lots of changes to the way I life and eat and I was on insulin for a year but tight control and a PMA have stood me in good stead.

I do think that one of the most important things any diabetic can do is to adopt a PMA a Positive Mental Attitude towards it, in fact I believe that a PMA is important in everything we do in life although its not always easy to achieve at times but if you can focus on the things that you can control and not spend too much time asking "why me?" or looking to blame this that and the other it can make all the difference.

You seem to have a very healthy positive attitude to your diabetes Emma and long may you continue to be so optimistic I wish you good health and good luck in the future


DAFNE is aimed at adults and is available in Australia heres a link to their web site if you are interested for future reference http://www.dafne.org.au/
 
A good question Emma and not so easy to answer. I suppose I would prefer not to have it but I knew that I couldn't carry on the way I was. Something had to change and I rather doubt that I would have made those adjustments as positively as I have done since diagnosis. I am fitter, more active, more mobile and generally a lot healthier. Would I have been as motivated to make the changes?

Also, even with diabetes I am in a lot better health that some members of my close and extended family. They have better reasons than I to be worried about the future. I'll be 60 this year so the rest of my life is not going to be a lifetime and as a type 2, the only inconvenience is doing without some of the foods I used to enjoy, but which ironically were the sorts of things that gave me diabetes in the first place.

A good positive approach counts for much in life generally and is a very handy thing to have when you are ill. It will help you through many of life's challenges.
 
Hello Emma.

A very good question you have raised :thumbup:

Difficult to answer for me ... Yes 'and' No to be honest ...

Yes - purely for the release of the daily routine giving me a 'break' from blood testing and insulin injections .
[ diabetes never sleeps nor lets us have a holiday from it ]
Sometimes I can feel bogged down with the regime .

No - for the lack of 'awareness' of my diet routine, living lifestyle and health point of views overall .

Without Diabetes I certainly would be 'more' ignorant of my own health and well being .
Taking far too much for 'granted' :thumbdown:

Having Diabetes it ensures I 'do' keep my eye on myself , monitoring my diet/food , active lifestyle, plan and organise
things ahead that are far better for me generally.
It also teaches me to 'appreciate' things a lot 'more' ... :thumbup:

The only real grumble I have is when I cant have a simple day 'off' from it .

The rest are all strong positives - when I look at the list of living with diabetes ...
I know it can do so much damage etc, but the positives only serve to encourage me
and have moulded and shaped my life for the 'better' .

Hope this can help.

Anna.
 
Hi Emma,

Your question made me remember a film from my childhood (I am 60 now) it was called "The boy with green hair" it was about a boy who woke one day to discover his hair had turned green. He was made fun of and his life was fairly miserable, but as the film developed the boy realised that his green hair actually made him stand out, people wanted to ask about his hair and this would give him the chance to tell them what it was like to be different. He hoped people would start to think differently about those who were different, like us. If we change or lose part of ourselves are we still the same person?
Lee, ginger haired and diabetic!
 

I had green hair for 2 years.... And now I'm diabetic. Does that make me EXTRA different? Haha
 
Hi, I think having diabetes has helped me make lots of good changes in my life and I feel terrific for them, but would I like to go out tonight and eat the entire chocolate aisle in the supermarket, yup! So yes I'd rather not though it wouldn't surprise me at all if when a cure is one day found, you are the one that finds it
 
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