When were you told a cure is coming?
I often hear people sharing that when they were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, their doctors sometimes (often) told them a rather specific time-frame for a cure - in the next 5 years, in the next 10 years....it surprises me, as I was never told anything of the sorts. "Diabetes is a life-long chronic disease, and that's that" was the message pretty much.
Maybe I did not have the most optimistic doctor...but I wonder what is worse - given hope for a cure that is not met, or not being told anything at all?
What did your doctor say when you were diagnosed?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Turtle Dove on -
I forgot what Diabetes is? No wait, don't tell me,
I got this, inside out... Remember.
Exogenous insulin and a battery operated pump.
Death called me out, and said lets play a yin/yang game,
If you Cure Diabetes, you shall have Life.
Death, as promised was a Cure that waited.
Waited around every corner, behind every door.
The knocks and opportunities came as Death laughed,
I answered with a question, “Who is it?” I swear, I heard an Owl.
It's the Cure for Diabetes, laughed Death, and a package from Medtronic, heeheehee
Come and get it, said Death, it is Free on Minnesota Medical Care,
Yet, you'll have to sacrifice, said Death.
You'll have to go into a coma to prove your eligibility and prove the diagnosis, and demonstrate that you are actually still a type 1 diabetic and need insulin,,, beep...beep...beep, No Delivery.
Oh, look at that said Death after Coma number 3, your getting closer to the Cure, closer than you have ever been before, it should only be 5-10 more years for you, hang in there, in other words, Don't let go of Diabetes,
Knock, Knock, Knock... came another opportunity, The Cure Here,
Are you of good heart I asked, before opening up the door?
No silly, laughed Death, I am false promise you believe in. But, if you hoop dance, I promise to lengthen your life, so open up the door.
Behind door Number 3, was Coma number 4.
I sat with Death, and said once more,,, I have the will to live!
I will Kill you diabetes!
Then Death said, how many fingers am I holding up?
One, I said. "Type 1 Diabetes".
Then I came back to life, washed my dishes, prepared a meal, reloaded my insulin cartridge, replaced my batteries, put in a new pump insertion, ate a meal, went for a walk, hugged my kids, checked my blood, and planted seeds.
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Permalink Reply by Teo on -
I have been told about existing cures many times. Mainly by people who believe in natural medicine and spirituality. I think people often confuse T1 with T2, where diet can improve the condition quite a lot in the beginning.
When I was diagnosed my my mum took me to a nutritionist who tried to heal my diabetes with quite a strict healthy diet, vitamins and vegetable juices. My insulin needs decreased for a while(which could have just been a remission), but I never stopped needing insulin.
I have even forgotten to hope for a cure, but you never know :)
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Permalink Reply by Turtle Dove on
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I was diagnosed almost 30 years ago, at age 8 with type 1, my Endo also had type 1, he often said the Cure was right around the corner, he retired from his medical practice about 15 years ago, maybe he is dead now. I have had four Endo's since, they have all said, the cure is coming, were closer than ever before, hang on, wait for it, surely you will see it in your life time... meanwhile, take insulin, count carbs, regulate diet, exercise, sleep, check your blood, check it often, use CGM, use insulin pump, record bg, keep a dietary log, and wait, wait, wait for it... the cure is coming in 5 to 10 years, it is just around the corner, closer, closer, closer than it has ever been before.
For me, The Cure means Death ... is just around the corner. Around every corner I simply let it die, the 'hope' or 'believe' in a Cure is false hope, and belief is a LIE. I have said everyday since age 8, I will find the cure, I will be the cure. But, mostly I sought childcare for my children, as a single mom with no family support, I sought medical assistance to afford insulin and pump supplies to stay out of comas, I sought food assistance so my children and I could have nutritious diet, housing assistance so we could have shelter, I sought employment, continued education, worked everyday in every way to maintain good health and balanced bg levels. To this day, I am an uncontrolled type 1, insulin dependent diabetic suffering post-traumatic Diabetes Diagnosis stress.
This Diagnosis gives me the medical assistance to afford pump supplies, insulin, and medical care. The system is not set up to allow a Cure, it is designed to keep us in the system and perpetuate it's continuity. I would LOVE to throw a monkey wrench in the system, and Cure Type 1 Diabetes! And I will in 5-10 years, or I have 5-10 years ago.
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Permalink Reply by Turtle Dove on
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No
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Permalink Reply by Sam Iam on -
If I had the means, I'd set up a foundation to offer diabetic kids scholarships for med school, provided become endocrinologists or researchers.
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Permalink Reply by Turtle Dove on
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Yeah!!! :)))))
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Permalink Reply by Jen on
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When my daughter was dx in Nov '11 at the age of 3, no one ever mentioned the word "cure". I never asked, I didn't care. I do think there will one day be a "cure." Will it fix everyone's already broken pancreas? Who knows, but it very well may come in the form of a way to early ID and prevent T1, or preserve beta cell function long term. For me, thats good enough. I would love if my girl would never have to come in contact with numerous needles on a daily basis, but a more comfortable way to manage, for us, would be a releif. She has told me countless times in the past few months that she "wants diabetes out of her body". My answer to her is that once someone has diabetes it doesn't go away, but one day its going to be easier (not easy, mind you)to look after. Even at 3, this answer is acceptable to her.... I have heard her comfort her dolls with the same answer when they are sad to be T1 ;) I think its great to always have hope, but in the here and now, we all need to deal with the reality of daily life. I don't think I could ever put all my eggs in the 5-10yr basket over and over again, just to be dissapointed.
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Permalink Reply by Turtle Dove on
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Not supposed to say the word, "Cure". When someone says, your cells are broken and can't be fixed... I remember secretly telling my stuffed bear, Snuggles, don't listen, reprogram the message that has been given, over and over Snuggles took shots with me, suffered with me, and comforted me, he was the Bear of Compassion. Years later, I realised, with real eyes,,, just what I was looking at, the reality of daily life, it's full of fluff and stuff. It's not 'getting diabetes out the body' it is repairing a function, everything has a function, a mechanism, an identity and serves a purpose. Perhaps for me, Diabetes - has been all about the loss of identity, I could not see myself, so it's hard to say sometimes what is and is not 'self'. Snuggles the Bear, died of diabetes, hyperglycemia, he went into ketoacidosis. I buried him in the back yard, and mourned the loss of childhood, and grieve that day someone once upon-a-time said, that once someone has diabetes it doesn't go away. There is always another way, a thousand ways to look at things, really, that becomes reality. We believe a lot of lies as children, the heart of a child holds the truth, if your daughter 'wants diabetes out of her body' and she sees a way to let it go, maybe ask her what that is? No matter what her answer is, let it be hers, and acceptable to you. Of course, still have to take shots, or pump insulin, because nobody is really ready for a Cure,,, it is about as possible as regrowing an arm after it's been cut off, as possible as bringing a stuffed bear back to life, as possible as cellular memory, as possible as regenerating islet cells from undifferentiated stem cells. The cure is here, in many forms, and formless forms, and takes shape and becomes form as we Identify with it, accept it and become it, it continues to transform. Someday we are going to have cell phones, everyone will have a cell phone. What??? No way! That is imagination. Then someday, were all gonna have these chips inside our heads and communicate telepathically. What??? No way!!! Yeah, and there is these chips that go inside the pancreas and fix the islet cells, and remind them how to work, how to regenerate and function to produce insulin, What? No WAY! My deepest sadness, and heart felt compassion to your little girl. Your post makes me want to call my mom and thank her for raising me up diabetic, and doing the best she could for me. I want to tell my mom, really it hasn't got any easier, and now as an adult, I realise it must have been really hard for her. It's funny how reality and perspectives change over time. I also want a comfortable way to manage, yet the challenge to change has not been comfortable. When were you told a Cure is here? Yep, here it is NOW, no other way! Sorry, I might be nuts, but I would never put all my eggs in one basket. I am just dealing with reality, sometimes it is disappointing. Really, I don't care about a cure so much either,,, I am hoping and praying for a life time supply of insulin, and a way to pay for it that is comfortable and manageable, it takes Money, and the Cure takes Money. The disease doesn't care who it takes,,, it takes Money to fix everyone's already broken pancreas. But, I am talking to my cells, and calling everyone of my cells up on my cell phone, and I am saying, A Cure is Here. Really, just to hear what that sounds like to say it. But, like that game telephone, telephone,,, it comes back sounding like 'the cure is coming in 5 to 10 years'. I tell my cells over and over again, the cure is here. Maybe someday they will get it, listen, hear and understand it,,, maybe not, oh well, life goes on. I still ask. I still care. It might be a personality disorder, or some sort of altered genetic code,,, or I am just stubborn and live in an alternate reality. I think the cure was already here 5-10 years ago,,, so now they don't say it, or mention it, because there is way too much profit to be made on treatment and management. That is so disappointing. :(
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