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Diabetes Viewpoints

Don’t Do Nothing…Tomorrow May Be Too Late

By Tom Karlya

Tom pic
My cousin was murdered this month. In fact, the night before I was to be operated on. David befriended a homeless person who took advantage of the situation. The man went on to steal from David and when confronted, he slashed him with a knife and beat his mom with a baseball bat. Verne is recovering and David is gone, just like that.

My mom called me this week and told me that my dad’s neuropathy from his diabetes is getting worse and a walker is now needed full time.

Time.

It’s so precious. In a moment, and at any given time, our lives can be turned upside down. Sometimes we recover. Sometimes we don’t. David is gone and I will heal from my operation. I have written time and time again about how the diabetes community needs to be closer to a ‘one’; one group and one voice; more of a “we” rather than an “I”.

November is diabetes month. What did you do to make a difference this month? This day? What are you doing tomorrow? In a moment, whatever diabetes battle you are engaged in – yourself, a loved one, or even a patient — it can all change. And all of the would have, should have, could have cannot change the fact that now the battle has changed from fighting to losing, or in some very sad cases, lost.

Don’t wait until such time that it’s too late. I’m very critical sometimes of the “it’s all about me” syndrome experienced by many diabetes groups. But they are all doing something. Perhaps they are tripping on their self-imposed governance but they are working nonetheless. I know — I have been active with them for over 12 years. But these groups are run by people, a great deal of the time with results of a job well done that is completed by marvelous people. Most of those people are volunteers too. But what really burns me more, or as a friend of mine says, “frosts my shorts”, are those who choose to do nothing and let the everyday workings, trials, and tribulations of diabetes be done by someone else.

Nothing can change unless someone changes them.
No money can be raised unless someone raises it.
No fight within the schools’ administration can be won without showing the way.
No legislation can be written unless someone writes it.
No fight for rights can be won unless someone is fighting for them.
No taking care of your child unless your spouse takes care of them and no TV show all about diabetes could have been done unless one man said that ‘no’ is not an option.

Do not do ‘nothing’, for nothing being done will result in nothing getting done. Make some decisions now. Make decisions to take better care of yourself; to let your spouse go out and you give the shot tonight; to get involved; to write a check; to do something! Time is too short and we just don’t know what tomorrow will bring. I found that out this month. It took its toll, a bit, on me as a person but furthered my renewal for my continued war because I AM ……..a diabetes dad.