It really is a ten second chore to check your blood sugar. On the scale of things, we spend much more time doing less productive tasks than the important tasks of keeping up with our diabetes. But, for some reason that ten second task translates to a huge obstacle for those that suffer from diabetes burn out. Sometimes, in my mind I know I should check my blood sugar, my purse may even be close by with my kit, but I still ignore the call and go without knowing.
It's bad! I know it's bad and when I think about all of the complications that can arise with unnoticed and uncorrected high blood sugars, you'd think that would be enough to convince me. But like the smoker knows the consequences, most diabetics know, but still cannot resist the urge to ignore or push aside the duties that we were given without request.
For getting over diabetes burn out, it takes a lot of emotional self talk. Really thinking about why you're not checking or administrating insulin for a meal. Diabetes very much so can alter your emotions and really bring you down without warning. Personally, writing really helps me with keeping in check with my diabetes and reminding myself of what type of future I want. Often times I do blood sugar checks in the midst of blogging because I begin to feel the motivation kicking back in.
We can't expect to be full of happiness, inspiration and rainbows all of the time. After all, we all know that urge of frustration we get when dealing with high blood sugars, or that sudden urgency during low blood sugars. Beyond the ups and downs of blood sugars, diabetes in general is a big task at hand, and it is a daily task. It's okay to feel like it's not fair, or to feel like you need a break. As much as we all wish that diabetes would take a day off or go on vacation, it's like our shadow.
Accepting diabetes doesn't mean holding its hand, kissing its cheek and buying it flowers. It means, knowing that it is there, doing what needs to be done, and not letting it take a hold of your life beyond what is necessary.
Kayla
I can't comprehend diabetic burnout. I don't have other diabetic friends. I don't have much support for my having juvenile onset (type 1) diabetes. I've never EVER in my 47 years of being a juvenile onset had any sort of burnout. I've always and I mean always known I have, at first check my urine sugar, then later on my blood sugars.
ReplyDeleteI personally think what causes this burnout you're taking about Kayla, is the pressure that the doctors, so-called diabetic experts and then the diabetic themselves put on themselves to keep their blood sugar levels that the ridiculous levels they know consider "normal". When I was diagnosed, a "normal" fasting was 80-140. That is where I try to keep it. I figure since I don't have any complications, I'm doing pretty good.
Burnouts are totally bummers... I have days where I take a break... For the most part I can feel what I'm at and take insulin according to what I feel. Those vacation days are necessary to keeping sane! =) I figure once in a great while won't hurt anything! -A
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