Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Zoe on October 4, 2010 at 9:50am

None of those changed for me. Being diagnosed Type 1 in middle age I personally think it has a lot less emotional impact than if it happened at a younger point. I'll be interested to see if others agree.

None of those things changed for me: I was and am still: Introverted in some ways, extroverted in others, a night owl, punctual, organized, neat and outwardly friendly but inwardly a bit shy.

What has changed notably for me is that I've returned to a much earlier state in my life of feeling somewhat alienated from people "not in our club". When I was a teenager/young adult it was the 60s and I was about as counterculture as you can get. What that meant in part for me was that I had a definite "us and them" mentality where I felt only a small segment of like-minded people could truly understand and everyone else was on the outside if not actual enemies. Having type 1 diabetes and seeing how little others understand of its daily management has brought some of that alienation back. Fortunately, with maturity and belated wisdom there are none of the "enemy" feelings, but it definitely has returned a sense of alienation I haven't felt in decades.

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Permalink Reply by KimKat on October 4, 2010 at 11:08am

Hi Zoe,

You and I sound alot like in our personalities and habits. I was diagnosed when I was 40 (just this year) but it definatley changed me. It had a big emotionally impact on me. I guess maybe it that vein of "ok I have taken plenty of s**t already, and I am sick of it so carpe diem." Which isn't really me - well, at least not the OLD me. I look back on how shy I was as a kid - ugh - I miss out on so much. I guess I have decided enough is enough you know - esp. when I was dx, I thought about all stuff I was going to be limited with and it made me so sad and I already left limited in the "shy' factor of my life so I figured if I am going to be limited in what I eat etc I want more of the other stuff. So in a way, yes, that alienation feeling that you are talkinga about it.

It was almost like I felt that because something had been taken away from me that I wanted something else in return (something I didn't have when I was very shy but always wanted - more friends). But I still hesitate to tell people about my D because I worry they will treat me differently. I feel like now that I am more "carpe diem" about some things that I am making strides in my shyness but it is certainly hard to find reliable friends in todays world and as you get older it is also harder. But I am not afraid of it as much as I was before - I guess I figured if I can handle this I can handle getting over being shy. And I also figure that if I have to deal with this - than damn it, I DESERVE alot a friends. :)

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Permalink Reply by KimKat on October 4, 2010 at 10:02am

OMG Tim! YES! I am glad someone else has experienced these changes - I thought it was just me.

I am newly DX - it is has been about 7 months for me and yes I am different. I am guessing you feel this way too or are different?

From your list:

I was introverted (and I am trying to be more extroverted)
I was a night owl ( actually I still am a bit but I am more discipline about getting up at a certain time - well have to eat and take my meds you know)

I have always been punctual (I don't think that has changed but I worry less about being places on time)
I have always been organized (I still am very organized so the D schedule thing is easy for me but I tend to not stress as much about being organized)

I am on the neat side and always have been (since I try not to sweat the little stuff anymore I try not to freak out when I don't make my bed or something)

Oh, I was very shy and always have been. This has always been a crutch in my life. I am always afraid people won't like me if I try to talk to them, or they will feel like I am bothering them etc. So I stayed away. Now, I am more friendly (or try to be - I still get shy every now and than and hesitate). Now, I figure what the hell who cares if someone doesn't like me. I am more likely to walk up and introduce myself to someone because it doesn't seem like as big of a deal anymore than it did prior because how could that stuff be difficult compared to D?

Opinionated?
Well, this one I have always done - probably even much to much so. I am pretty opinionated. I have always been a good listener. I am definately more compassion when listening to others problems - although I seem to attract "wounded bird" types - funny how though, except on here, no one else in the real world is as compassionate unless they are going through something similar. People often want to have others listen to their problems but not vise versa. That is why TuD is so great.

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Permalink Reply by clarence haynes on October 4, 2010 at 12:54pm

hELLO from a 93 cliniczally dead diabetic with a BG of 880, a computer rookie, a senior partner in a new website, www.brdfoundation. con called BLUE ROSE DIABETES FOUNDATION, non-profit organization geared to help diabetics and disabled that fall through the crackc. We are located in MISSISSAUGA, part of GTA where INSULIN was discovered JULY 30 1921 by BANTING . I got involved with the BANTING FAMILY, in 1978. With my second chance have vowed to use my people skills (learned from my 25 years as a porter on CNR 15 YEARS ON THE toronto-vancouver run) Have been a ROLE MODEL THAT WALKS THE WALK and TALK THE TALK, involved in 150 health fairs from OSHAWA to BRACEBRIDGE to STONEY CREEK and malls in between, 10 years in a row at CNE, participated in 200 weekly shows on NEWTON CABLE called HEALTH, HERE AND NOW,,as a LION CLUB MEMBER SINCE 1972 has been mentoring to webmembers in areas low in diabetes info but is part of LIONS 45.000 CLUBS jn 205 countries.My life has changed dramatically because I see the importance of being a ROLE MODEL is positive proop in letting people DIABETES is the BEGINNING not a DEATH SENTENCE. My saying to anyoneI meet, "'IF YOU SEE SOMEONE WITHOUT A SMILE, PERFORM A '"MIRACLE'', GIVE THEM ONE OF YOURS'" AMIGO clarence.haynes@sympatico.ca If I ,at 93 can still do my job of talking to ANYONE. ANYWHERE THE OPPORTUNILY ARISES, THOSE, YOUNGER THAN ME, CAN DO A BETTER JOB. I WOULD RATHER BE A YOUNG 93 THAN AN OLD 40 YEAR OLD.









BANTING & BEST

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Permalink Reply by Pastelpainter on October 4, 2010 at 1:22pm

I have always been somewhat introverted and that hasn't changed. I do feel even more on the outside since going out for meals with friends is so difficult. I have been profoundly deaf since I had measles at age 4 and now I am 70 I have my first hearing aids that work for me - a new invention. This is something that puts you on the outside, diabetes just increases this feeling. I am punctual, not a night owl, fairly organised and definitely messy. Too many hobbies. And constantly keeping track of my blood sugars has me more anxious than ever. I love cooking and eating good food, I feel this has been taken away from me. I guess I am newly diagnosed so these feelings of alienation and deprivation will lessen with time.

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Permalink Reply by KimKat on October 4, 2010 at 2:52pm

Pastelpainter,

I also have hearing aids. I have had them for 8 years. I have moderate hearing loss. It does make it hard. But when you can't hear people, it is normal to want to draw away. It gets so frustrating. I actually I feel more withdrawn about my hearing on most days than I do about my D. I was 32 when I my hearing started lessening. Kind of depressing for a younger single girl who never had a problem with her ears in her life until a few years prior I had some bad wax impaction that lead to some infections. Just came out of the blue. So, when I found I got D this year, I was very familiar with the feeling of loss in a way - although it was much harder this time around.

Which hearing aids do you have? I have the CIC ones. I figured the smaller the better - I didn't want people to see them - It took me years before I would wear my long hair back - I always wanted to cover them up. I need new ones now as these are 8 years old though really but I can't afford them so I will have to make due. I know they have some ones out now that are a lot better. I would love to try those.

I, too, am a foodie. I am also a vegan and I spent much time coming up with tasty recipes to expand my eating choices but unfortunatley alot of these are high carb food so now I can't eat any of those recipes anymore. Again I have to remodify or give them up. It is tough. I am good cook too.

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Permalink Reply by Pastelpainter on October 5, 2010 at 2:22pm

I have compression hearing aids, and they are big. I was horrified when I first saw them, but I hear so much better with them in that I am happier. It was beginning to be quite difficult just living, so much is done on the telephone these days, and I could not hear at all. I am still not very good on the phone especially with those automatic answering systems, but life otherwise is a lot better for me.

I never adapt recipes, I hate all the low fat substitutes so it is just not worth attempting. I love curry, but since rice is no longer in my diet I have to do without.

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Permalink Reply by Miss Miss on October 4, 2010 at 3:21pm

I can understand you on the being deaf thing. I have been deaf since birth. It does make it hard and it makes you want to be withdraw from people and having 'd' on top of it does not help any. But it does get better. Glad you have found hearing aids that work for you, this will also help you feel not so much on the outside. I think if I did not have mine I would probable feel the same as you do.

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Permalink Reply by KimKat on October 7, 2010 at 11:48am

Missy and Pastelpainter,

Do your hearing aids make it easier for you to hear in noisy public places? I can't afford new ones but any stretch right now but hopefully for the furture.....I wish that there was something that could be done for people who need them but can't afford them.

I never heard of compression hearing aids. Mine are digital. They have to adjust them by software and unfortunately the company got bought out (Sonic Innovations) so they don't have the software anymore to adjust mine. grrr. :(

What drives me nuts is how when I am in a noisy public place like a restaurant - They still amplfy EVERYTHING so I can't even hear what the person next to me is saying! I hope one day they invent hearing aids that can do this like normal natural hearing does. I will sometimes avoid noisy restaurants just because of this. Weird how people think that hearing aids are like glasses and they are not. They do not "correct" your hearing and are 10x's more expensive.

Funny how I used to have bad astigmatism and wore contacts and glasses and than I had my eyes lasered and I have great vision now. I was thinking "Ooo, I will save tons of money on contacts stuff etc..." and what happened? Ha, about a year after I needed hearing aids - I honestly don't know what is worse - but I think I would rather be deaf than blind but geez, hearing problems are hundred times more expensive than having vision problems - meaning glasses are so cheap and you can get them everywhere but hearing aids - never! ugh. I wish they would invent some sort of hearing drops than would fix your hearing like the laser surgery fixes your eyes.

PP, The phone can be hard too for me because I sometimes get feedback and why do people mumble on the phone on the other end? :)

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Permalink Reply by Pastelpainter on October 7, 2010 at 1:14pm

KimKat, ir is hard in a noisy environment. Try to turn your back to the source of noise, a band, a noisy crowd, etc. Concentrate and look at the person speaking to you, you probably still have to lip read. Just say to people on the phone that you are deaf and please to speak more clearly. That is a big hurdle to cross but it works. Don't let them shout at you. Telemarketers often give up at this point!!! I am profoundly deaf and digital hearing aids do not help me. The compression ones take all my little remaining hearing in the upper register and transpose it to the lower register where my hearing is better.
You can get telephones that type out the speech you are hearing on a screen, like instant messaging.

Oh, and you should move to Australia, hearing aids are free to seniors. I have paid heaps for hearing aids in the past and not been able to wear them.

Go to any hearing aid shop and see if they can adjust your hearing aids for you, you may be able to do it somewhere that used to stock your type of aids.

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Permalink Reply by SF Pete on October 4, 2010 at 1:54pm

I was diagnosed at 13. I have always been a bit of an extrovert, this did not change in the least. From then until now I did a lot of "living in the moment" and wasn't organized or that thoughtful about planning ahead. Since I've actually done the full embrace of the D, I'm a bit more organized, I carry supplies with me, and most importantly, I started to actually carry glucose on me for the lows. One of the greatest traits that I can attribute to the diabetes is responsibility and discipline. Also, I am now a little bit better at doing math in my head.

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Permalink Reply by Miss Miss on October 4, 2010 at 2:32pm

I was diagnosed at 19. I have always be an introvert but since being diagnosed I have become a bit of an extravert. I have always been a night owl and 'd' has not changed that but I am also an early riser 'd' has had a part in that. Since 'd' I get up earlier than I was before. Wonder how do I get any sleep, but I do.

As far as being punctual 'd' has had nothing to do with that. How I manage to be on time to place with sometimes only 4 hours of sleep is beyond me. Since being diagnosed I have become more organized and neat. There are time when I am shy and then others when I am out going but I don't know if 'd' had anything to do with this. I am one that will speek my mind depending on the situation I think 'd' and maturity. I am for sure friendly 'd' has had no effect on this.

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