DBlog Day

Wow, ok, here's my take....

6 Things I Want You To Know About Diabetes

1. It's a sleep stealer.....

Jessi was diagnosed March 1, 2001 at the age of 19 months. The last uninterrupted night of sleep that involved more than 6 hours of blissfull worry free sleep was February 28, 2001. How many hours I get to sleep per night now weighs heavily upon her blood sugars and active insulin. On the average, I sleep in blocks of 3 hours, if things are good.

2. You carry more with you than ever expected....

My purse is not a purse. It's actually a JanSport shoulder book bag. I've seen kids at her school with these. They use them for school books......I use mine for juice for lows, medical bag with cold compartment for insulin, a few low carb snacks, a few high carb snacks, her glucometer, and somewhere in there is the wallet that contains the method of payment for said items. And maybe the car keys.....

3. You become a label reading geek....

I would have never thought that a trip to the grocery store would involve so much thought. Don't buy that one, it's high carb. Don't get that one, it's high fat. Don't even think about that soda pop! The sugar free isle is a joke in and of itself, for the same amount of carbs and fat, I can feed her the real deal and not affect the levels too much. Although some stuff is spot on, I prefer the real route. Ya gotta live.

4. You have an opportunity to spread knowledge.....

Even if it is through frustration from stupid comments or questions. Most of my encounters have been decent, involving friends asking and real concern. A few times I could have shook my head to get the dumb out, but I have to remember that there isn't a lot of CORRECT information that the general public knows. That's where I come in, so I look at it as a chance to educate someone, even if it is in layman's terms. (which seems to be the easiest route to explain and be absorbed) Be the good example about the information, you may be the impact they need.

5. You will discover things you never thought possible...

Like the ability to super multi-task! Caretakers can check blood sugars while driving 60 miles an hour on the freeway while reaching into that HUGE purse-like-thing for the juice or the snack that's needed, all the while preparing the syringe for the injection that will be needed for said food/drink item while hands free talking to other siblings on the phone about where to wait until pick up, and not swerving one bit in your lane!

That and how to count carbohydrates, measure for an insulin dose or program an insulin pump. But most importantly....learning all you can to keep that loved one (or ones) as healthy as they can possibly be so that one day they will take over and blow your mind with how responsible they are.

6. Each day will be completely different...

Diabetes doesn't play fair. What works one day doesn't work the next, even if it's exactly the same food and program. So stressing out and worrying about the things that you have no control over is mute. Diabetes cannot be controlled. Do the best you can and go with it. Control what you can....healthy foods, routine, pro-active care, etc.. It really will get easier to handle as time goes on, because it becomes a part of who you are and how you function as a family or caregiver or patient living with diabetes. Each day is a blessing. And as a PWD or caregiver or friend or family member remember that you are doing your best, and you are still here to continue doing so!