As a diabetic we learn so much about ourselves and most of all we can all relate to each others frustrations. I often am reminded at times of high blood sugar that I can guarantee that at least three of my diabetic friends are probably feeling the same way right now. We all share this common knowledge that not even doctors or nurses can describe or prepare us for when we are about to leave the hospital and enter the real world as a diabetic.
Every now and then I write a list of things that many diabetics can relate too, here are some new additions they may or may not have been covered before:
I don't like the taste of blood - however, some diabetics do. When I see other diabetics put their finger in their mouths to clean their fingers after a blood test - I feel sick. Personally I use the used strip put it on it's side and scrap my finger to get off the excess blood. If there is still some left on my finger (I won't lie) I wipe it on my tester case (you can faintly see the dried blood all over the case!)
Eating carb/sugar filled foods are okay, but drinking regular pop or a big thing of juice is not. For some reason I can rationalize eating a piece of cake, but god forbid someone doesn't have diet coke in their house and only regular - I can't seem to grasp taking insulin for regular pop!
Changing your site is like doing homework. You know you have to do it eventually, but the longer you can put it off the better. If that means you have one unit left - you have one unit left - I'll get around to changing it don't worry.....
Sometimes checking your blood sugar is also like homework - really some days it's not until you feel weak at the knees or have a pounding headache that you are really going to consider checking your sugar when you aren't eating. Extra finger pokes - no thank you!
The whole concept of finger leakage is real. One time I tested one of the children I babysits sugar (don't worry his mom was there) and he laughed because two seconds after checking blood was coming out of his finger still when he pressed it. I then pushed my finger (not having checked it in a few hours) and blood came out. Hey, it's like a really cool magic trick.. right?
The whole phrase, "Yes, I can eat that" is common in almost all conversations. You have maybe even thought of getting a tattoo of it or writing it on your t-shirt. I sometimes wonder if people think diabetics don't eat in general - like we just take insulin and cry every time dinner is served.
The opposite of this comes into play sometimes, sometimes you are the one saying, "I cannot eat that, I am diabetic!" to get out of a yucky meal without sounding rude! If you haven't tried this - please feel free too!
You stopped measuring things so precisely or even at all now that you have been diabetic forever or it seems like forever. (Okay, if I am the only one then I feel like a horrible diabetic right now!) But is it not true that we can just know after so much carb counting what a cup of cereal looks like?
Your B/G reminder is just your every two hours after meal annoying alarm. You know it's there, it's vibrating to remind you, but you simply just ACT, ESC and don't bother checking. Sometimes you may think, "wow it was two hours ago I ate? Time flies!"but other than that it's just a stupid alarm.
Every time something diabetes related happens on t.v you feel instantly interested and connected. Anyone watch Grey's lately? You feel like they are making the pancreas cooler than ever - and you are probably learning something new at the same time - like, um, where your pancreas even is?
Lastly, every diabetic that you have met thus far has been super cool, making you wonder if something about the disease does that to people. Maybe calling people 'diabetic' will be the new slang for cool... who knows!
Kayla
I have always that the same way about the pop and juice thing!! I always say "yeah I can eat anything" and will eat chocolate or candies, etc. but for pop and juice...I would never! haha
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