Diabetes Viewpoints

The Road From Acceptance to Joy (continued)

Indeed getting insulin shots involved a change in lifestyle: let there be no doubt about it. But the alternative was even worse - having to test myself and get insulin shots a few times a day didn’t seem too bad compared to the prospects of losing my eyesight, a limb, or my life at an early age, resulting from a mismanaged diabetes.

I am not perfect…

I have been a perfectionist through most of my life and I like things done a certain way. (Don’t we all?) So the other challenge I faced was coming to terms with the implicit imperfections of life with diabetes.

Here I was faced with a case, where circumstances like stress, an infection, or hidden carbs in foods could send my blood sugars for a ride, and there was nothing I could do to change that. I could only try to not stress myself or get sick and make sure to get absolutely every carb count perfect. See how this can be tricky?

I had to admit to myself that I have diabetes. And today, when my sugars do not respond to my best efforts to keep them down, it still drives me nuts. Accepting that I would be faced with moments when circumstances beyond my control could affect my diabetes was a huge hurdle, but overcoming it could help me lead a healthier life. I’d rather take care of my diabetes and be able to laugh at myself in the mirror than pretend nothing is happening and fear the consequences.

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Disclaimer
dLife's Daily Living columnists are not all medical experts, but everyday people living with diabetes and sharing their personal experiences. While their method of diabetes management may work for them, everyone is different. Please consult with your diabetes care team to find out what will work best for you.