[Aftiel]

Steve's post made me look at something.

I find it interesting that stories we hear about Diabetics are always bad. I don't hear people say "so-and-so is perfect and has no problems with diabetes."

What I always hear is "I knew this one person one time who went blind and had their leg cut off!"

As a result, I think we attach everything we feel to Diabetes -- and we shouldnt.

I am part of the over 40 crowd. As I look around the office, I see co-workers with asthma, back problems, chronic pain, panic disorder, high blood pressure, and vision problems -- and none of them are Diabetic.

I dont have any of the problems I just listed, and I AM diabetic.

Point is, simply growing older brings about changes, aches, pains, etc. But we should not attach all that to diabetes alone.

If diabetes is the root of all evil, then we would all be blind and missing limbs, while people without diabetes would be home free.

A co-worker last year had a blood vessel burst in his brain - he isnt diabetic. Some things just "happen."

I think sometimes we get this vision that if we weren't diabetic, we would somehow never have aches or pains, and be able to run a marathon -- that we would somehow "feel better" - but that isnt the case.

40+ years of just being alive brings about changes - with or without a disease.

The person next to me was complaining this morning about their lack of energy and feeling tired all the time.

They arent diabetic.

So I work hard to keep everything in perspective, and remember that everyone has issues with something - diabetic or not.

- Aftiel

[DeusXM]

Yeah, that bugs me too, and you don't even have to be over 40. Most doctors seem to think that any sort of medical problem you have 'must' be directly related to your blood sugar.

[SueM]

Originally Posted by DeusXM

Yeah, that bugs me too, and you don't even have to be over 40. Most doctors seem to think that any sort of medical problem you have 'must' be directly related to your blood sugar.

My EX GP always used to say "it's your diabetes" no matter what the problem was
So I asked him to point me in the direction of the medical text book with this syndrome.
He never offered that diagnoses again while I was still his patient

[Vic L]

My issue with the everyday of having Diabetes is when you live in an area that only has two maybe three doctors that support pump therapy, you get shyty service. They act as if you have no one else to help you so deal with it. Well I can't handle it anymore and I fired my current doctor and his pathetic staff. Online consulting can be done with this condition. Take the test, send in your BG results and go see someone if issue arise.

Now I have to jump threw hoops to get accepted with this new doctor. Bad days don't end, they happen.

Vic

**I haven't posted in months but thank goodness there is a place for me to vent**

[Aftiel]

Good points !

Does it amaze anyone else how LITTLE many Doctors know about Diabetes?

As far as other people go, I only tell key people in any situation that I am Diabetic.

I have grown tired of trying to change blatant misconceptions that people have. Grrrrrr

- Aftiel

[jen_slc]

Originally Posted by Aftiel

I find it interesting that stories we hear about Diabetics are always bad. I don't hear people say "so-and-so is perfect and has no problems with diabetes."

It's this way in many aspects of life, isn't it? Always the bad. When I read this, the first thing I thought was, 'that's exactly how my job is.' I'm in public health and you never seem to hear about the good things, it's always the bad. This new disease or that new disease. But in fact, what is seen as "bad" right now doesn't compare to what "bad" really could be because we don't see the accomplishments of public health, just like we don't see/hear the good diabetes stories nearly enough.

Originally Posted by Aftiel

So I work hard to keep everything in perspective, and remember that everyone has issues with something - diabetic or not.

Excellent words to live by. I think just about everyone I know (all non-diabetics) is unhealthier than I am, so I consider myself lucky to be living only with diabetes.

[Cinnabon]

Originally Posted by Aftiel

Does it amaze anyone else how LITTLE many Doctors know about Diabetes?
- Aftiel

Not one bit. I feel as if the pump users have put MANY endo's on the curb, waiting for the bus. Just like my opinion on the cure, but I wont jump there... LOL

Geat point!..

Ignorance, they make diabetics seem like we are contarded or something.

[Aftiel]

Cin,

I went to see my new endo for the first time the other day.

Believe it or not, one of the FIRST things she mentioned was putting me on the pump.

Basically she said:

Switch me off humilin and on to Lantus

Get my cholesterol down

Move me to the pump

She rocks totally - I am so glad I found a Doctor like that.

- Aftiel

[Princess_In_KS]

After reading Steve's original post & Aftiel's thought-provoking response, I continued through my merry day.... A day which was not so great: irritable, testy, tired, miserable to be around/with - I didn't even want to be around me.

I came home & was looking over responses to a previous post I made and stumbled upon a quote in Harold's signature that changed my perspective on diabetes, Steve's post (I was completely & totally sympathetic, still am!) & maybe even life in general:

LIFE IS NOT A JOURNEY TO THE GRAVE WITH THE INTENTION OF
ARRIVING SAFELY IN A PRETTY AND WELL-PRESERVED BODY, BUT RATHER TO
SKID IN BROADSIDE, THOROUGHLY USED UP, TOTALLY WORN OUT, AND LOUDLY
PROCLAIMING..."WOW! WHAT A RIDE!" Thanx for posting this Harold!

Yes, diabetes is very scary - terrifying, depressing, mind-blowing, frustrating... I really could keep going here. BUT, it gives us a legitimate excuse for living every day as if it were our last.... (if we upset someone we can always blame it on our blood sugar )

Why live our lives in the above-mentioned adjectives?? We can still be all those things & marvel at the fact that we are NOT dead, we are just living a more challenging lifestyle.

Hope that this makes sense... again, Thanx Harold!!!!!

[Erin]

I pride myself on doing everything my doctor tells me not to do, doing it hard, doing it fast, and doing it well... then waltzing into her office 3 months later with an A1c better than the one she was fully satisfied with previously. My mantra is "Work hard. Play harder!"

Then smiling smugly and telling her about the last good party I went to / insane day of work I dealt with. She was trying to explain me to a medical student last visit... it was really funny. "This one, I don't get... she does everything she isn't supposed to do, but it works for her, she's never over 8... and she's crazy"

Maybe I'm just a baby compared to some of y'all, but I for one, think this diabetes thing ain't so bad at all. At least my mental math skills are kept sharp!