Saturday, June 2, 2012

Find Acceptance

As I am finishing up the Eckhart book, A New Earth - I am looking back at the notes I jotted down (once again) and one note that I thought would be a good start is about acceptance. Acceptance is a huge subject when it comes to dealing with diabetes, whether that is type 1 or type 2 diabetes. When you are diagnosed with diabetes, no matter what age you have to learn to accept it because your life can come to an enormous halt  if you refuse to accept your diagnosis.


Acceptance doesn't always come right away and it doesn't always stay. You can accept that fact that you have diabetes as a child, but deny and neglect it when you are a teen.  This is when you hear horror stories of parents trying to figure out how to get their teen to take insulin or stories of short lived lives of diabetics who decided they didn't want to treat their diabetes anymore.  Yes, diabetes is connected to mental health, yet most hospitals are not focusing on this connection and making sure that all those living with diabetes are able to accept their diagnosis.

I was lucky, I instantly accepted that I was diabetic. I often tell the story about the doctor asking why I was smiling in the E.R.   I had no idea why I was smiling, but I guess that was my way of saying, 'I accept this'  I haven't had a day that I decided I didn't want to do this anymore. Of course there are days that I do not check my sugar nearly enough, but I always am sure to give insulin when I eat and treat lows and highs.

Accepting is a funny thing because it is not like you have to accept you have diabetes and smile about it every single day.  Accepting diabetes includes accepting that diabetes is going to make you mad, accept that anger and then push through it.  It is okay to have bad days, just don't let those bad days turn into bad weeks.  Accept that living with diabetes is going to be tricky, but 100% manageable. I am a person with goals and dreams, goals and dreams that grew 10x bigger after being diagnosed and I can honestly say that despite being diabetic (as many people may think it holds you back) I have accomplished a lot in the past three years and will continue to do so.

So, whatever you need to do to accept your diabetes, do it. Finding acceptance is what will make you feel good waking up every morning and going to bed at night.  Diabetes doesn't stop anyone from dating, going away to school, creating a family, having a career, bungee jumping, climbing a mountain, or eating your own birthday cake.

Kayla

1 comment:

  1. Inspiring, Kayla! Writing my own T1D blog has helped me channel some of my own acceptance issues into writing. I do believe my family is having a harder time accepting my diabetes than I am.

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