6 Life Lessons From A Type 1 Diabetic
The image below is difficult to view. Do you know why? Because it’s true.
The picture represents one month in a life that would end much earlier without the reality of having to take multiple injections every day.
This isn’t a bad thing and I don’t want you to feel sad. It doesn’t require sympathy. It’s simply a part of life. Everyone has their “thing,” this is mine.
I’m a diabetic.
I prefer the term diabetic rather than diabetes. To say that I have diabetes sounds weak. Using that word makes it seem like I have some chronic condition and I am not in control. Well, it is a chronic condition, but at least I am in control.
I was diagnosed when I was a little boy and I have been a type 1 diabetic for 43 years…43 years and counting.
And I have learned a few lessons over the years that I think everyone could gain from.
But first a brief overview.
Well, yes. My pancreas doesn’t produce insulin, which breaks down and manages the sugar in your body. But it’s really a carbohydrate thing.
People assume, and rightly so, that I shouldn’t eat an ice cream sundae with chocolate syrup. They are correct, I shouldn’t. Neither should you. The part they overlook is that your body turns all carbohydrates turn into sugar.
That small roll you had with dinner, the slice of pizza, the pasta and the cup of rice will all turn into sugar. I understand, you try to eat healthy, but even the mixed vegetable dish that you order from your local Chinese restaurant includes cornstarch. That is super loaded with carbohydrates and will turn into sugar…a lot of sugar.
A healthy pancreas moderates the sugar level in your body so you don’t die.
As a diabetic, if I don’t inject insulin to counteract the sugar, I will go into a coma and die.
Even if I eat nothing during the day, I still need to inject insulin to manage the sugar that my body is constantly creating.
Yes. While too much sugar is a bad thing, not enough sugar is also a bad thing. We need carbs and sugar to counteract the insulin that we take.
Since your uncle’s pancreas isn’t working to moderate the sugar levels in his bloodstream, it’s a constant balancing act.
My sugar level decreases when I don’t eat enough. Exercise will also lower the sugar in my body. So will stress. As a diabetic who relies on injecting insulin, having low blood sugar means that too much insulin is coursing through my body.
Sometimes we need to eat a sugary substance like candy, or juice, to quickly increase the amount of sugar in our body.
If I don’t have enough sugar in my body to counteract the insulin, I can become confused, eventually lose consciousness, and die.
And therein lies the first lesson, which applies to everything in life…
Diabetics can live longer lives by adopting a valuable perspective. Too much sugar is just as life-threatening as too little sugar.
But it goes beyond sugar.
Everything in life requires moderation and balance…meals, possessions, work-life, family-life, love…all of these things benefit from understanding balance.
Moderation is the key to living a successful life. Whether you are referring to food, assets or possessions of any kind, you shouldn’t acquire more than you need…or less than you require.
Popular culture tells us that being thin and wealthy will bring happiness…but you can also be too thin and too rich.
A rainy day is just as important as a sunny day.
On average, I take at least 5 injections of insulin per day. That’s 150 injections every month. Over the course of a single day, I inject somewhere between 80 and 135 units into my arms, legs and/or stomach. I change the dosage based on what I eat, which leads me to the second lesson learned…
Having different experiences is what makes life interesting.
Variety makes life exciting, enjoyable, and worthwhile. I think everyone should travel the world, but variety is most prevalent, and easiest to achieve, with food.
Being a diabetic has taught me this.
I could eat the exact same thing every day and as a direct result, the number of injections and the amount that I inject each day would be similar. This would probably lower the risk of potential complications and would require less tracking of my blood sugar levels, but this would also be extremely boring.
There would be no joy in it.
Eating the same thing every day…at the same time…in the same volume…would suck.
So I keep track and I adjust. I change the amount of insulin that I take so that I can enjoy a greater variety of foods.
Of course, too much variety can have an adverse effect, just as too much spice can make a meal intolerable.
Enjoy more variety in your life.
Lesson 3 is about tools, the things we utilize to make a job, and life, easier. You probably have a drawer full of them in your kitchen. And another in your bathroom. The challenge is that we may not utilize all of the tools that are available to us.
The point is to find your tool and use it…whether it’s a portable USB flash drive for more storage, a pair of Tweezerman tweezers for that nose hair, or maybe it’s a roll of duct tape…to keep the kids in line?
My tool is a small machine, a glucose meter. It measures the amount of glucose (sugar) in my blood and I never leave home without it. Never. It measures in milligrams per deciliter, but that’s not important. It’s about the number that pops up when I do a test. A number below 70 (low blood sugar) is bad. A number above 185 (high blood sugar) is also bad. Of course, 30 is really bad and 400 is worse.
So in addition to taking shots, I prick my finger 4 or 5 times a day in order to track my blood sugar count. This helps guide the amount of insulin that I inject to keep me within an acceptable range. It also helps me add more variety and joy to my menu every day.
Find and use the right tools to make life a bit easier.
I probably visit more doctors than the average person. At least 4 times per year. Some have been fantastic, some just meh. I understand that I can’t “rely” on their prescription and analysis without asking questions and bringing my own life experience into every visit with every doctor.
I understand that this is a hard one for people to “swallow,” but let’s go with that analogy for a moment.
Think about all of the meds that you may take over the course of your life.
When you have a cold, you take 2 tablespoons of cough syrup with 2 aspirin. Maybe your nose is stuffed so you take 2 Sudafed. Your friend/wife/partner/teenage daughter will also take the same dosage. Even though there may be more than 100 pounds that differentiates you from them.
Why is the recommended dosage the same for everyone?
If that cold turns out to be an infection your doctor may prescribe the same 250mg tablet of amoxicillin for everyone in your family, including your uncle Stan who weighs 350 pounds. Why is that? And why are prescriptions based on 5’s and 10’s? Why is there not a 264 mg tablet of whatever?
That’s because medicine is based on averages and acceptable ranges.
Average is not always acceptable.
I remember when the first nutritionist told me that a blood sugar level of 70 mg/dl means that I have dangerously low blood sugar. I thought something was wrong with me. The meter said 72, but I felt fine. If I had listened to her advice, I would have taken juice and my sugar would have shot up to 400.
She didn’t provide a caveat. Maybe 70 is low for some people, but others are fine. Some are low at 100. Many new diabetics become overwhelmed with the numbers. They are easily confused with the measurement of carbohydrates and the recommended dosages of insulin.
The only way to figure it out is through trial and error.
Just like every fingerprint is unique, everyone’s body is different. Be informed, and understand the importance that your individual metabolism plays in every aspect of your life. Especially when you visit the doctor.
Ask questions.
The only dumb question is the one not asked.
Although I have a “chronic disease,” I have been fortunate enough to travel a lot and live in strange places. I lived on the west coast of Africa for a year, and also in the Caribbean for a few years. Being a diabetic didn’t mean I stopped living.
Enjoying variety in life corresponds directly with the ability to be prepared.
I didn’t “throw caution into the wind,” I just came prepared. I don’t ever go anywhere without my kit. That kit contains insulin, syringes, a form of sweets or candy, my tester, and my test strips. My friends may make fun of me with my bag, but they understand that I don’t go anywhere without these things.
Preparedness goes beyond just carrying a few items. Being prepared requires thought. If I am going to be somewhere warm, I need to consider a way to keep my things cool. If traveling someplace cold, my insulin needs to be protected from freezing. When I am living in a location where the availability of the medicine that keeps me alive is unknown, I need to make plans to bring enough to sustain me.
If I ever become trapped in an elevator, or stuck on a train, I am prepared to deal with the consequences.
Yes, I have forgotten my keys, many times…no, I have never forgotten my kit of diabetic tools. Never, not ever.
Please be prepared.
This goes without saying. People love to give advice. I’m doing it with this piece.
Much like myself, I’m sure they all have good intentions. But when a family member seriously thinks that if I increase my vitamin B intake, I will cure my diabetes, I have to just smile and say thanks, but no thanks. The kelp shake that you read about in Men’s Journal is not going to help me fight my chronic disease.
With that, I would still like to offer the opportunity for more advice.
If you, or someone you know, has recently been diagnosed as a diabetic…or if you are having difficulty understanding how to live with it, please reach out to me.
I am not a medical professional. I am not trained in psychology, and I am not asking for payment of any kind. But if you feel that a conversation would be helpful, or you would like my perspective to some of your questions about living with diabetes, please consider adding a comment below. I will do my best to respond or set up a time to talk.
Thanks for reading. I hope some of my perspective has been helpful.
If you would like to read more from me, please try this story about remembering your little one.
6 Life Lessons From A Type 1 Diabetic
Research & References of 6 Life Lessons From A Type 1 Diabetic|A&C Accounting And Tax Services
Source
0 Comments