Two Roads

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Permalink Reply by landileigh on June 16, 2008 at 10:53am

i would take the road i am currently on. diabetes and all. having the gallbladder surgery changed my life in so many ways. i got out of a job i had been miserable in. my marriage took a turn for the better. and so on...

without diabetes - there would be:
no manny (my papasmurf)
no gina (crazy cousin on the other coast)
no kerri (mrs. sparling)
no amylia (my sweet)
no beth (brilliant creative)
no kathy
no shannon
no ninjas
no bernard
no patty
no andreina or santi
no donna (and her kindness)
no allison
no elizabeth or david
no amy
no elliott yamin (see new profile photo!)
no friend after friend after friend

i have to say, i wouldn't change my road for anything.

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Permalink Reply by Libby on June 16, 2008 at 12:34pm

I would take the diabetes. I was diagnosed with melanoma 8 years ago and am thankfully fine, but I didn't manage to change my lifestyle the way I have since I developed LADA. I am eating a really healthy diet that I am sure will help me prevent a recurrence of the cancer. I like to think that diabetes is maybe saving my life.

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Permalink Reply by Judith on June 16, 2008 at 12:58pm

Oh landileigh and Libby, I wish I had achieved your equilibrium on this. I'm not there yet. I would definitely take another path. I had already begun to take huge and scary steps to change my life profoundly and didn't need diabetes to get me going. But here it is. The best I can manage is day-to-day coping.

I will say that without TuD, even that wouldn't be possible and so I am thankful for all of you!.....

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Permalink Reply by Manny Hernandez on June 16, 2008 at 3:10pm

To be or not to be, huh? Great topic, Gina!

I would still choose the road with diabetes. Having diabetes has brought great things to my life:
-I lost weight as a result of my diagnosis;
-I am more aware of my body and what it does (and what it doesn't do any more);
-Though late (diagnosed in 2002) I got out of myself and poured myself into the world (started the community in early 2007): this has given my life a new reason, a new hope. Not only the hope we all have for a cure... The hope to help more people feel better and feel accompanied while we all wait for a cure together.

Through TuDiabetes and EsTuDiabetes, I have met some of the most incredible and inspiring people: people that I look up to and people I can't wait to meet in person (in most cases, we've only met virtually).

I wouldn't go back or change a thing. The syringes, the infusion sets, the lows and the highs, life with diabetes and life since TuDiabetes has taught me so much... Isn't it funny? :D


Signed: Papa Smurf. :)

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Permalink Reply by Karen Vecchitto on June 16, 2008 at 4:33pm

I would have to say that I would definitely take the non-diabetes road. It has not been easy over these 27 years. I am truly afraid of what my future holds. There were times in my life when I was totally out of control (BS-wise). Then other times that it wasn't so hard. I just don't know what I am going to face 20 or 30 years from now. It seems as though I will be doomed to suffer from heart disease no matter how careful I am now. I haven't seem many positives as far as this disease goes. Maybe someday it won't seem so hopeless and futile...

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Permalink Reply by diabeticidol 94 on June 16, 2008 at 5:52pm

Hello! thats a hard choice. But i do not want to go back to before i was dx in 94. Because that would mean living my brothers dx and journey all over again. Life is really ok were i am now. Not! saying its perfect. BUT IT HAS ITS BUMPS IN THE ROAD. I would really not like the old road. At least this road my brother paved my way. And i take it as a mission from the almighty to spread the awareness and ups and downs and challenges of this deadly diease.diabeticidol94

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Permalink Reply by saundra barragan on June 16, 2008 at 7:25pm

I would definitely take the diabetes. I have learned so much and met so many wonderful, compassionate and caring people on here. I take much better care of me and am much more open and aware of people all around me. I think I am a better person for sharing in this world and understanding so much more than was possible for me before. Without my diagnosis I would not have taken this first step on Tu Diabetes. I would never have known this beautiful family here, never have talked to and cared about so many people from all over the world. I love and cherish all my blood family and my friends, but now I know what it is like to have an even bigger family. This is a deadly disease indeed, but together we can all make it.

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Permalink Reply by Mr. Peachy (Craig) on June 16, 2008 at 8:09pm

That's easy. The road I'm on. Being type two has taught me an awful lot about life, health, and happiness. Not to mention the camaraderie. Being placed into a situation of having to choose between living a full life or dying a slow miserable death is a no brainer for me. I talk to an awful lot of people who succumb to circumstances and give up. My mother was one of them. I plan to outlive my kids with all the knowledge and determination I've amassed. Naturally, I'm going to challenge them to try and outlive me.

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Permalink Reply by debb on June 16, 2008 at 8:44pm

it's a hard question. one i may have answered differently a year ago. i believe that i have been given a wake up call. because of diabetes i have lost many things. one being my marriage. but because of diabetes i have gained many more new things. i feel more alive and happy now then i did. so i guess my answer would be, this road. the road of challenge and awareness. it may not be easy, it may not be fun sometimes, but it's my road and god set it up for me, so i am where i am suppose to be. maybe on the other road i would already be dead and buried. it's that grass is greener thing again.

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Permalink Reply by Steve RRR on June 16, 2008 at 9:30pm

In a second, I would take the road without diabetes. The road with diabetes is all I have known for 42 years; the only reason I might stick with that is because it is all I know.

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Permalink Reply by Stuart on June 17, 2008 at 3:50am

Hello Gina:

Given THAT choice????!!! 8 O

No diabetes, zero hesitation at any price....
Stuart

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Permalink Reply by Big Nick on June 17, 2008 at 4:48am

This is a very interesting and difficult question. I was truely uplifted by all the positive replies so far, and say I'd have it no other way.
Being naturally curious and having T2 has opened up many new avenues and made me aware of things that would have eluded me otherwise. My family and extended family (apart from a few dissentors) join me in a healthful diet and the effects are plain to see. I can help my mum & dad who were 88 and 83 this month and give a range of information to many people with health problems. Modern orthodox medicine would have continued to have my blind obedience. I would have dismissed alternative therapists like everyone else. I would have continued to eat all the wrong foods believing that they were good for me. Perhaps I would have contracted one of the other diseases of civilisation, believed in the doctors and have already died in ignorance.

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