Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Diabetes Holding You Back?

It Shouldn`t. 

Do you feel like some days this bloody disease dictates your every move, you likely feel that no matter what you tweak, no matter how well you measure you are often left with the weird, "where`d that come from" reading. 

Well, welcome to being a PWD or a Parent managing a PWD.

It's not for the faint of heart, it's not for the weak, and its not for the lazy.  Diabetes requires determination, courage, humility, a desire to never ever give up and a whole lot of work. 

As any of my regular readers know, I am surrounded by diabetes.  Literally. No exaggeration. It did indeed almost push me to the brink, or completely off the deep end(mentally). But something strange happens when you fall.

You pause. You look around. You ask yourself some key questions that only you can answer. Like, how did I end up here, how can I get back up, who can help me, and then finally how can I improve and persevere?

Another thing happened to me. I realized that diabetes is only one aspect of my life. It's like the dreaded question you get from people at a party, so, "What do you do?" Use your imagination to answer that.

It is not what you do that defines who you are.  Seriously, Diabetes does not define me, it has certainly influenced many things in my life like;  lifestyle, job choice, interests, hobbies.  But it is a part of me, like my job. It is what I do, not who I am. I am a father, parent, son, brother, citizen, etc...

I am trying to shift my thinking, so I apologize for the philosophical discussion above and below.

I am grateful for my life. I am grateful for my family, I am grateful that diabetes has had a positive influence on me, and my life choices.  I think I value health and love the miraculous human body because at a young age something went wrong with mine.

I have to re-frame this chronic disease in a positive way in order to work with it, instead of working against it, and viewing it as a burden.  This is how I plan to manage my family's diabetes. 

I think in light of the world calamities currently taking place, it kind of puts it in perspective.

Diabetes is what it is, and you can only do the best you can. We aren`t dealing with tsunamis, or a government that wants to bombs us. When compared to these disasters it makes you appreciate what you have, which is what we need to focus on, not what we don`t have (which is a functioning pancreas)

Diabetes is what it is. A burden imposed onto us to deal with with out our consent. We either deal with it or we don`t.

I refuse to let diabetes hold my family back! 


Trev

5 comments:

Celine said...

Atta boy Trev! Diabetes is something you have not something you are. I have dark hair, blue eyes, diabetes and big feet :)

Glad to read that you're feeling a little less in a funk and little more inspired. Keep us posted!

Unknown said...

Love your mind set Trev. I agree. Although, I know it is hard for people to get to this point or to keep this mind-frame up...it is the place we have to get to ... to really LIVE with "D". Jeez, I am talking like I have it... I mean this is what I hope to pass onto Joe.

Keep up the great work AND perspective is a wonderful thing.

Shannon@ The New Normal Life said...

what a great post and an insperation to us all!! THANKS for sharing!! I hope Brian is reading your blog I think you and he would get along great. Brian is my husband t1 himself and dad to a 2 year old with t1

Trev said...

Well tell your husband I said hello, I think we have much in common! Toddlers are tricky little people, in the food department. Hope your family is doing well!

Jules said...

dont aplogise, that was a great post. im going thru mental struggles with d - i guess i have to come to terms with it (hba1c) and our control isnt who i am. im not a bad mother if im struggling... ykwim? its just a number... im doing my best. etc etc.