What I like about being Diabetic

You may be an experienced D, but I'm newly diagnosed (6 months ago) and still struggling to adjust to my changed lifestyle. I think I can be forgiven for wanting my old life back.

 

I totally agree. I remember crying myself to sleep every night for 6 weeks as if it was yesterday. Thinking why me, not my brothers -and without any internet to reach out to.

However, every minute thinking of the past is reducing 5 mins of your future enjoyment.

Honest. Look at children diagnosed so very young... They adapt so quickly. Its the adults (parents) they have to deal with the anguish n guilt etc....

Not taking away the **** feelings around diagnosis or dealing with it... However, I just personally think I am the normal one nowadays... Everybody else is just living in blissfull ignorance of life and they don't value it as much as they should.

It is hard... I remember it, I never forget my diagnosis. Damn sure though I am 100% a better person for having it.

 

I applaud your positive attitude and I agree with your sentiments regarding the value of life. I no longer take it for granted and cherish every moment. It's still hard to adapt though.......

 

Just remember.. In old age you won't remember anyway.. So be good at thinking of a great future.. As these will be the memories you won't remember... So make good, brilliant ones for now.....lol!!

 

It does get easier, June . I promise . It's very early days for you , and there's a whole package of emotional stuff to work through . From what I've read of your posts so far, you will be fine

As for me, I really have been struggling to find a positive since they told me there would be no free cheese

Signy

 

Aside from free cheese I can't find anything good about this condition. I religously document my food intake, bg levels and inject when I'm supposed to, but I feel I'm under a big black cloud. I'm very tearful, not depressed, just fed up. I don't like this new life I have, but I guess I have no option other than to get on with it. It's a bit soul destroying at times. Oh dear, feeling a bit sorry for myself at the moment. Apologies.

 

Hi June. It is a **** condition no matter what the cause. It is almost a full time job on top of your life. I can't see any positives to it except at least I'm not dead.
No comfort to you but it does become second nature.
You don't have to like it. 24 years of type 1 and I hate it with a passion - but my 'revenge' is to die from something unrelated to diabetes. I live the life that I want and that does mean the ball ache of testing and constant awareness of what my sugars are.
You are allowed to feel aggrieved - it's a massive change if you take it seriously. But I am not my diabetes. Neither are you. You are about to become the most organised person you've ever met.
You can do it. I'm not so sure looking for positives in the condition is the way for me to go. I just know that when my blood sugars are good I feel good. That's what I aim for.

If there is no free cheese are there at least some nuts?

 

I'm liking your post not because I like the way you are feeling ( far from it !) but because you can admit to feeling that way . It's entirely normal, and TBH I get more concerned when I hear of someone being overly blasé and upbeat about it at this stage, because all too often it hits later, and harder .

I don't know if this helps, but acknowledging how you are feeling and allowing yourself to grieve , get angry about it tends to be healing and lead to if not acceptance, but coping. Yes, it IS royal pain in the ass at times, yes, your life is different and no, we have no choice but to get on with it but also can find out tips and tricks that work for us to make it that wee bit easier. But certainly for now be gentle with yourself, you are half way through the hardest part. The first year. And you are doing damn well !

Signy

 

Absolutely right. There is no other healthy way, every other road is a road to despair.

 

Totally fair enough. It is a big shock to the system to take on board.

Nevertheless, when I was first diagnosed, I was very happy. Because I had known deep down something was badly wrong but refused to admit it, denied it when concerned friends and family said that they were worried. The physical shape I was in, I could have had terminal cancer. So I felt very lucky. And I still feel lucky. The technology and knowledge is getting better every day. There is the Internet and places like this forum to access the knowledge easily. And our NHS HCPs really do care and really do do their best for us.

 

June, by far the worst time is the first 12 months post-diagnosis, the initial shock of being diagnosed, the amount of new information to take in plus the adaptations we have to make can become overwhelming, but it does get a little easier as time goes on. Take care.

 

Actually June you are very correct in your thoughts...
You are envouraged to test, inject, record etc.. And that isn't normal living....

My consultants in past 3 years told me to relax my testing and thinking.... A complete change to me. And it has helped enormously.
After 27+ years it was about time!! After I went on to pump, as with some freestyle persons, and for new diabetics ... It can become interfering to normsl living...

I do totally empathise..it is a damn struggle to get a balance...but balancing is key to diabetes. Not extremes.

It is so hard to get balance

 

They told you WHAAAAAT?!?!
:'-(

 

I know, I know

It's a tragedy

Signy

 

Oh dear, I can barely see the keyboard for all the tears rolling down my face. You guys are so supportive and understanding. Thank you. My family (son and daughter) have no idea of the rollercoaster I'm riding. The thoughts before bed and as soon as I wake up are frightening, but having got over many hurdles in my life, I try to view this as just another one I have to climb over. I'm a very determined sort of person, but this diagnosis has knocked me for 6 and made me realise how precious life is. I guess I'm just feeling a bit fragile at the moment and somewhat overwhelmed at the amount of info I have to take on board. Thank you so much for all your support, understanding and above all encouragement, it's really appreciated. Sorry to be a burden. BTW, the song should not be "It's a Tragedy" it should be "Staying Alive" I'm a Bee Gees fan......................

 

Just take it in low carb bite sized chunks... Rome wasn't built in a day.. Knocking out Bee Gee covers on a violin while it burns is not a good idea without a decent insurance policy.. That sort of thing..!

 

Thank you for the encouragement, it means a lot.

 

You're not a burden June! I think I spent the first year alternating between coping, panic and crying - and 5 years on I still have plenty of those moments! I think of myself as one of those clown carts that trundles along merrily for a while and then careers downhill, out of control with its wheels falling off - then somehow back to merrily trundling again!

Smidge

 

I think all of the wheels have fallen off at the moment and feel pretty low, but hopefully tomorrow I shall be back to trundling