Tag: Banting and Best

 “We are what we eat.”  Are we?  Of course we aren’t but the saying, which has been around for a long time, does have some meaning to it.  Believe it, don’t believe it; your choice no harm, no foul.

“Diabetes does not cause complications, diabetes out-of-control does” is a different story because it is not just a statement and it is used in conferences and lectures and in writings THAT CAN be a bit detrimental to those who hear it and I think it is high-time that we retire this statement for good.

I had a discussion about his phrase recently with a friend of mine and although I understand it’s intent; I’m not so sure, anymore, that is absolutely true, and for many reasons.

To be clear, I have used it myself.  I have said it, I have written about it.  But anything so all-encompassing is something which we should look at and at least think about.  But the more I think about it, the more I feel that it’s not something that can be a white- wash for everyone across-the-board.  ‘Diabetes out of control’ is a very wide open statement and no one is in perfect control, all of the time.  So if everyone cannot be in control all of the time, in a practical means, why say something that 100% of people would fail at, during some point or another?

So now, not only do you have the worry of complications but now you also have the guilt of ‘failing’ at it.  And yet, there is no specific time limit of being out of control determining when or how complications would become evident.  So why say it at all?  The intent is a simple one; should you work diligently at managing your diabetes, you will certainly decrease the chances of complications; well say THAT but the blanket statement, as stated, is either just not completely true, or almost impossible to achieve…….so let’s retire it.

Clearly there is science backing the notion of tighter control decreasing the possibility of complications and that can be discussed and presented as needed.  But I do know that it’s not as cut and dry as this statement reads; and I do not think it should be stated as such.

Picture a newly diagnosed family hearing this for the first time.  Each time they go hypo/hyper-glycemic……well……they failed.  At that moment in time; diabetes is out of control…..right?  And let’s say a college student is away their first semester, and as is the case many times, their blood sugars spiral in all sorts of directions; diabetes is out of control…..right?

Tighter control is always the goal.  You really don’t have to remind many people with diabetes of that fact.  It gets pounded at them from every direction, and we parents do it more than probably we should.  I often try to step back and look at things and, to me, the phrase “diabetes does not cause complications, diabetes out-of-control does” needs to either be lengthened to be explained correctly, or removed altogether.

It’s a ‘sound bite’ that when stated makes a point but in reality; it speaks louder than needed to many who try as hard as they can and do not need to hear something that 100% of those who hear it, will fail at some point or another.  Let’s retire the phrase.

I am a diabetes dad.

Please visit my Diabetes Dad FB Page and hit ‘like’.

Being new.

No one likes it.  New at a school, new in a neighborhood, new in a grade, new even at CWD Friends for Life.  There are ribbons worn by ‘First Timers’ at this event so people know that they can help them should their paths cross.  There are ways to help people and there is also David’s way of helping people.

David is a man (I will leave his last name off because he might not want to be publicly identified) whom we all need to take a page from his book of helping; whether at a conference or back in out hometowns.

David is a d-dad and I am convinced that David has taken the approach that he will never forget what it was like when his family was all new at this and made the decision that he is going to sit with as many people ‘new at this’ as physically possible.  All throughout the conference, David seemed to always be sitting with someone knew.  Answering questions, listening, and caring.

No fanfare or letting people know his intentions.  When I first noticed him at a table, I later noticed him again, and again, and again…….always with someone different.

Now that may not seem like a big deal, but when someone is new some place—-nothing can substitute for a friendly ‘Hello, I am ABC.  Are you new at this?”

Everyone ‘would rather’ just hang out with their friends.  At home, at a conference, makes no difference.  It’s easy just to stay within our inner circles and ‘be safe and comfortable”.  But we should all take a page from David’s book of reaching out.  Being new can really suck sometimes.

Being new in this diabetes world………can suck big time.  Don’t wait for someone to COME TO YOU……let them know you are there; you may change much more than just their world………..you may change yours.

I am a diabetes dad.

Please visit my Diabetes Dad FB Page and hit ‘like’.

AAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!
I am a tad angry at myself.

I am a fairly newbie at wearing glasses, more often than not.  For the millionth time I have stepped into the shower with my glasses on.  I have done it before and I decided to ask if I am the only one who does that?  Do you ever wear your glasses into the shower?

And of course I started thinking how many other things ‘get worn’ into the shower that do not belong there both diabetes related and not.  So my article for today poses a very simple question, what have you ever taken into the shower that did not belong there?  Share, we can all use the humor today.

I am a diabetes dad.

Please visit my Diabetes Dad FB Page and hit ‘like’.

There seems to be so many things we feel guilty about when it comes to diabetes, isn’t there?  In addition to blaming ourselves for the very cause of diabetes, as if we are really to blame, I have witnessed a ton of self blaming that is about as counterproductive a process as I have ever witnessed.

The biggest, and most, amount of blame seems to happen as one returns home from the 3-month-check-up.  It goes something like this:
Before:
XYZ’s endo appointment is tomorrow and I am so sick to my stomach worrying about their A1C and that conversation.
After:
The endo really gave to us today because XYZ’s A1C went up two points.

If I lived my life based on the 21+ years of A1Cs, I would have thrown myself off a bridge a long time ago.  It has no impact on my life whatsoever.

I’ll say it again, it has been years and years since my child’s A1C has had impact on my life.  I have not fretted over it, I have not been nervous about it, and I have not worried that a lecture was coming.

And neither should you.

I have also not whooped-it-up, screamed, or shouted when the number has been within a certain range.

Now hear me, I am not saying that it is a number that should not be given attention.  But if my children try and try to do something (and for that matter if we do the same), and it does not turn out the exact the way they/we wanted——I give praise for the attempt just as much as the result at finish line.  And to be quite truthful with you, in my opinion, diabetes gets too much power in our lives to allow everything that happens to be measured or based upon an A1C number—–4 times a year.

We get it. We look at it.  We decide a next course of action; and we move on.  If you are in a newly diagnosed household start NOW by not placing so much emphasis on the A1C as a report card.  Take it for what it is; a tool in the diabetes toolbox to assist you in your everyday battles.  Use it as the gauge and adjust as needed.

Failure.  This too is another aspect in our world.  There is so much to go wrong when trying to manage diabetes, isn’t there?  We miss, we forget, we leave stuff in the wrong places, we forget stuff at home and people’s houses, we run out, we buy the wrong thing, we forgot that our child’s actions might have been due to their diabetes………………………….we are just so horrible, aren’t we?

Relax.  REALLY……relax.

Do you know the hardest thing to do in baseball is to actually hit the ball.  The very premise of the game is the hardest thing to achieve.  It is why you see averages like .289——that is based on an average to 1.   You will only see someone batting 1.000 if they get up only once and get a hit.  After that it is just a matter of time that the player’s batting average continues to plummet.  Baseball is about who does better at….well….being bad; than actually being good—-if you think about it.

So give yourself a break.  Stop beating yourself up over something that changes every day and has too many outside factors influencing so much.  You are trying and you are trying hard.  Go blame your spouse for not doing the dishes after dinner last night…….let them feel guilty for something for once.

My money is on you!

I am a diabetes dad.

Please visit my Diabetes Dad FB Page and hit ‘like’.

There are quite a few organizations that offer that ‘dream of a lifetime’ to those who have ‘life threatening’ conditions, does your child, with diabetes fit into that category?  Someone wrote to me yesterday and stated that they felt they certainly should be allowed to apply, as diabetes has stopped them from many things.  What do you think?

My answer to this questions would go something like this: Whether or not someone is ‘deserving’ of those once in a lifetime trips, is up to each organization granting the wish.  They are the controllers of  the money and they set the parameters of who is allowed to be awarded such a trip.  If they choose to grant such a trip rests solely on their decision.

But it does lend itself to the question if they know how serious T1 diabetes is?   For that matter, does the world-at-large know how serious it is?  There are only a finite number of trips allowed each year…….should those with T1 be included?

So I ask you today to chime in on the topic.  What are your thoughts?

I am a diabetes dad.

Please visit my Diabetes Dad FB Page and hit ‘like’

Ever notice that there are some people who seem to have gravitated to the act that diabetes is in their life but it does not run/ruin (the only difference between run and ruin is “I”–think about it) their life?  When did that happen?

These people usually have a very positive outlook and it seems that no matter what is thrown in their path, they stay on a positive.  How is that?

I can tell you that even the most positive person has days that they would rather forget.  What I find most interesting is that those who live on the positive-side will tell you that they just decided that diabetes would no longer ‘win’ in their lives.  That may sound easier said than done, and it takes time and practice but I can tell you that the choice is all yours.

There is no magic way of doing things to stay positive, it’s just deciding one day that you, your family, the way you live, will just no longer be controlled by diabetes.  That is not to say it is such a huge factor in our lives, it is; but as my daughter stated a long time ago, “I have diabetes, diabetes is not who I am”.

When I heard her say that in 1999, it was a defining moment for me.  If she was not going to let it run her life, than that would be the mantra of the entire family.  It’s here, there is nothing we could do about that; but how it is treated, well, THAT is something we have a choice.

To be clear, I am speaking from a parent’s point of view and not someone who has diabetes.  But whether you have it, or you are a parent of a child who has it, you can make the call.  Being positive is a process.  There is nothing ‘good’ about having diabetes but realizing many things in your life that ARE GOOD, and appreciating the fact that life is life and we all ‘have something’, is a good start on understanding how to control how much of your life diabetes takes.

People have it worse.  People have it better.  When our second child was diagnosed so many people said, “I could never deal with that”.  Well you could, because if it happened, you would.  It is truly that simple.

You can walk around with your head down and telling everyone how miserable life is; and that is exactly what you will get………miserable.  Start looking around and realize how great things are, it is what many of us do who choose to be positive.  Every morning when I am at home, I look out my bedroom window when I first wake up.  It is at the moment each day I realize a new day is here and with it, possibility.  I actually do this each day.

Try doing something small to start off.  Tell yourself why it will be a good day.  It will not always work out that way, but START your day saying…….today can be a good day.

And move forward.  Find the good…..because the bad will surely try to find you.  What do you do to stay positive?

I am a diabetes dad.

Please visit my Diabetes Dad FB Page and hit ‘like’