5 Myths about Diabetes

 This is a blog post I have been wanting to do for a while, it something I could see fun writing and coming up with, but in the end I ended up using the most common misconceptions that people have about diabetes.I wanted to avoid these but maybe I can email this to some people that I know that are completely clueless about the 'betes.

                                                          You cannot eat sweets....
No.... I eat sugar like no one business plus have you ever tried to avoid sugar? That crap is in every thing, you try and avoid it. All you have to do is give the correct amount of insulin and hope you did everything right.

                                                       You cannot exercise.....
Umm... no. Have you ever heard that for type 2 diabetics,  sometimes a healthy diet and exercise will help control blood sugars. That is really a way for all diabetics to control blood sugars to exercise, so like for all humans exercise benefits us too. The way to prevent low blood sugar is to check before during and after and make sure your blood sugar is above 120.

 The shots hurt...
Ok so they do I mean it is impossible not to hit nerves and vessels but most of the time the needles don't hurt and they are very thin and short and almost always pain free. The same with the inserters unless you use the old medtronic one, that thing hurts. 

You cure it with a pill so it's not so bad...

Nada, there is no cure and even though many wonderful people are looking for a cure we are still always in danger of severe complications. Our hope is that one day we can have a cure; there still is no magic pill.

Only Children can get it....

Even though it most commonly occurs in children it can happen in adults too. Now they call it LADA or type 1.5. It still has to be  treated with insulin and they must take it for the rest of their lives.

I hope this answers some of you none diabetics questions and breaks some of your stereotypes about diabetes. I hope this is your thing you learned today now what do you think readers? What are some more common misconceptions you run into a lot: does Aunt Susie refuse to let your child anything but veggies and meat when your hild is at her house, do people think that all you do is wave a wand over hand to check your blood sugar, I want to know which ones you run into.

Diabetes in the Capital!

The small young girl, looked younger in the face than her height might make you assume. I was pale and shaky and maybe I even cried a little. I wasn't sure about these feelings, they were still new and unfamiliar territory. I did know what they meant though,
 "Mom I think I am low."  The busy capital building was buzzing with people.
 " Are you sure honey?" she questioned "lets check it real quick"
The meter red back a lovely 60. The intern giving us a tour left to find some candy and came back with a box of milk duds and smarties. I swallowed them and my grandfather carried me around the capital for about thirty  minutes. It did take a while for that sugar to come up and then it dropped again that day and my grandmother tried to bring it up with a fourth of a chocolate bar. I don't remember that working real well.

     I remember my first trip with diabetes clearly. And only a few incident that called for emergency care (aka lows but not severe). I went to Washington D.C. with my mom and grandparents; the original plan had been without my mom but I was only diagnosed three months before the trip so she came too. My grandparents weren't and still aren't very well versed in the care for a child with diabetes so it was a life saver that my mom came. Their trip required tons of walking and riding on the bus or taxi, some days we would walk several blocks without stopping for food. My mom of course had plenty of stuff to take care of me but I was still on my strict diabetic diet and had to eat at certain times, one bus tour lasted all night and interfered with my dinner time causing me to go low and no where to stop and rest till it came up. But overall I just remember how much I loved the Smithsonian museum, seeing the monuments and my first plane trip. I don't remember the shots, checking constantly, and being forced to eat thirty carbs for a midnight snack when all I wanted to do is sleep. I remember my papa giving me my first pair of wings and the freezing temperatures at Arlington cemetery but not my mothers constant concerns of my well being. Diabetes might seem overwhelming at times and yes some of the lows, highs, and strange foods might stick out but we will always have the surrounding memories. I was only nine so maybe the thought that I could die from this disease never crossed my mind.
     Diabetes isn't your life, memories, thoughts, and dreams; it is just something you have to squeeze into it all because eventually POD'S (Parents Of Diabetics) we(pwd's) will have our lives, memories, thoughts, and dreams but not diabetes.And those things like that trip to D.C. soon after diagnosis will be things you can smile at. Me and mom still laugh at the way my mom gave me a fourth of a candy bar to bring up a forty blood sugar. Oh the early days....

Soon I will be posting my first vlog! 

A blop

    So as many of you who read my blog know me and my diabetes have a love hate relationship. Sometime I can rock this disease determined to have an A1c lower than eight and other times I really don't give a rip. My disease is one that scares the crap out of me, yet makes me unique and have a different take on life that others don't have. Sometimes it feel like an advantage and other times ( most of the time) it feels like an anchor holding me to the bottom of the ocean. I wonder what it is like not to have to worry about what you eat, how it will affect you, or just not have to think.
    Despite how much I dearly love my family they seem not to care or even worry anymore. It hurts a little to know I have no one at my side to fight this disease that is on going and never ending. Not having someone to talk out the problems with or help me review my blood sugars to work out the knots. If you are someone who knows and care for a diabetic even when they grow out of needing constant attention they still need someone there to help or to just talk it out.
    A few weeks ago when my siter was visiting she mentioned my stay at the hospital over the  Christmas holiday. I had severe pain in my abdomine and my mom took me to the hospital because she thought that it was DKA ( it wasn't) but that is a story for later time. Anywho she said these words that stung through me worse than that pain did,
   " Oh yeah you went into the hospital for you kidneys or something."  her vioce was one as if she was talking about the silliness of Justin Bieber or something other.
    OR SOMETHING! Are you kidding me even though that incident had nothing to do with my kidney's she didn't give a rats butt that it could have easily been life and death and right now I could have been on dialysis right now. She used to know, she used to be the one who got me juice in the middle of the night. The one who work up to me crying after having a siezure from low blood sugar. She is the one who was there when my mom began to think I had something wrong ("d" symptoms). She is the one who helped me learn how to hide my pump in my bra telling me it looked like a cellphone . She often sat with me while I cried for no reason over a low and was even there at my last doctors appiontment. Where did it go, why did she not care anymore, it broke my heart.
    My mom did a similar thing the other day and even though she might not have meant it or might not even remember it but during a quick conversation  I ask her if she though when we get our new insurance we could get a new meter ,
 " Oh I don't care about that" she said it quickly and cheaply.  Now when my blood sugar is low she lacks the compassion to wait for it to come up and for me to feel better, or when my blood sugar is high the fact that I get  tired and sick and cranky and unable to control my anger. These words are often said, "I don't care what your sugar is you will not act that way." Low or high she doesn't care anymore she used to be my pancreas my pump holder and indicated my sugars and problems . I feel alone and scared that I have been dumped out of the pot to do it all on my own.
   I know I am whining but I do feel alone. I hate that some days I go without a shot because I'm just sick of it but to my mom I am in denial  and I am killing myself. It isn't so cut and dry so much is mixed up, more than even we realize. I sad to see the support I always had slip but I am glad my mother no long worries or beats herself over it all, I always felt guilty about that. Go and hug your broken pancreas people!

   P.S. I might do something amazing soon keep in touch.

Happy Birthday Daddy! A true D-Dad

     Today is my dads birthday, he is fifty two ( don't tell him I told ya'll). My dad is a special person and he handed me several good genes. And thanks to the fact that heredity can be ruled out of by diagnosis he is not blamed at all for giving me a disease( thanks for that one dad.) My dad is a pretty amazing guy he is very laid back, cooks really good food and works really hard. He some how or another can make people feel relaxed and at ease, he knows how to fix a problem but only problems that require it. He is incredibly gifted at making me feel guily and special.
     I clearly remember my dad being there during my hospital stay. He is the one that held my hand while the nurse gave me an I.V. and he sat through class to learn how to count carbs and care for my now full time job of diabetes. My dad would have been fine to sit back and watch but he didn't, he gave me shots and learned a little math. He did give me shots even though I didn't like it, his hands would shake and squeeze my skin to hard. He went to the pump information meetings and learned how to do a pump site and read the history to check blood sugar readings and bolus amounts. And through the years my mom took on more and more then I slowly began to take over. I do all my own shots now, I do lantus on my own, and write my logs, it was even my desision to go off the pump last July. My dad occasionally helps me count carbs (he is really good at that too) and reminds me to check my blood sugar and do insulin.
     My dad is one of the quiest poeple I know but the only person that can make me smile when I don't want to. He is a source  of assurance in my crazy life knowing he will come home and somehow make me smile. He is the man of no nonsense with wisest advice. My dad doesn't get a whole lot of credit for caring for my disease but in my heart I know he does a very good job and tries to help as much as possible.
This disease is overwhelming and hard to handle. You can often feel alone and tired out; we all have a person and mine is my dad. He is the comfort without a hug and funny without the joke. I love you dad and have many more happy years. You Rock!