Recently we were having a discussion in our house about all of our definition of a cure. In the midst of the discussion, Kaitlyn stated that she has had diabetes for so long (20 of 22 years) that she would find it odd not to have it.
Now this may surprise you, but that got me to thinking. Never before could one single outcome change our entire lives. Although we certainly have friends who do not have a child with diabetes, others have come and gone in our life since diagnosis…..and in our life; times two.
conversely (sort of) would all of the good be traded in for a single outcome as well. Think about it. How many people are in your life now that would not be there if your child, or yourself, was diagnosed? Think of your connections with charity events, boards, education, online community, friends, good friends, spouse (yes people have dated and even married due to meeting through the diabetes community); and yet just one single outcome would tilt the scales completely.
Imagine all of the great things that have occurred because we are in a community we ever would have signed up to be par That one thing was no diabetes at all. I have met incredible, I mean INCREDIBLE people on this journey.
Would I have traded it all for my kids not to have diabetes. Would I trade being part of the initial group that worked long and hard when I was a staff member at JDF (now JDRF) and created what is now the Walk to Cure Diabetes; would I trade being in front of Congress, NY State Assembly and even the United Nations discussing ways to help; would I trade the incredible opportunity to be at dLife; would I trade this absolutely astounding D.O.C.: would I trade being such a huge part of the CWD family; would I trade the countless of incredible encounters with incredible people to celebs to elected officials; would I trade the people who I have come to love; Would I have traded the work I have done with the LIONs Club gaining ADA accreditation for our local hospital and also educating over 20,000 kids annually about diabetes, would I trade the most incredible and dedicated people in the world at the DRI where I am employed who are the most focused in curing this disease forever and there is a whole lot more that would be up on the consideration lis: would I trade ALL OF THIS for one single item–to have never been part in the first place?
In a New York Second.
I love everything and everyone in our lives; but I wish I was never here. But I do not live my life in what could have been, I live my life it what is. And what is, is our life with diabetes times two (and now times thousands because of everyone I now know).
We will beat this disease. And after we do, I will have all of these great friends who I love so much in a world without diabetes. And that means you.
I am a Diabetesdad.
PS Stay in touch via FB; go to Diabetes Dad and hit ‘Like”–thank you
5 replies on “One Thing Tips the Entire Scale…..Don’t you agree?”
Tom, in my opinion one of your more powerful postings. I originally got a computer back in the early 2000’s just to do research on type 1 diabetes, soon after my son was diagnosed. Would I have been online if he was never diagnosed? Probably, but not until much later. One of my first online “discoveries” was childrenwithdiabetes.com”. Like you, I have become friends with and inspired by countless people I’ve met through the internet, and through diabetes. Would I trade it all for a cure, or a “non-diagnosis” in the first place? Like you, in a New York second 🙂 But my life has been so enriched by the people I have met and the people I read about online.
“In a New York second…”
yep, with you all the way on this one! Well said, Tom.
Me, too, in a ny second. But I am so grateful for the amazing people in this community. SO grateful. I am looking forward to running Children Without Diabetes events. Get back to work…
Same here, in a NY second. I couldn’t agree more .:)
I would find it strange not waking up at 7 am and not checking bgl and giving 2 shots and doing a carb count before each meal to figure the proper amount of insulin to take. I would find it strange not checking a bgl 4 times a day and taking 2 shots of long acting insulin daily and taking 3 shots of short acting insulin. I would find it strange but I would learn to be not so strange.