Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jennifer on April 5, 2009 at 3:54pm

I seriously cannot tell you how many times I've wanted to do this. Great tip about letting people know it's okay to react to the diagnosis, or to the daily struggles of it. I've had so many people tell me that I'll live with this ugly disease. I know I'll be okay, it's just a matter of needing to get all my worries and angst about it at once.

Permalink Reply by BadShoe on April 5, 2009 at 3:58pm

This was made on Joe Solowiejczyk's advice, well more like an adlib in one of his presentations. A brilliant adlib. Joe is a diabetes psychology rocket scientist.

Making it did Delaney wonders.

http://www.ydmv.net/2008/08/smash-your-meter-on-youtube.html

Permalink Reply by lev on April 5, 2009 at 4:24pm

i am going to have to disagree. you have to live with this thing for the rest of your (or their) life. it will be ultimatly frustraing hating this enemy and the enemy always wins. i think that reality is living with this thing. it is a limitation, but it is not a hinderance. i have three diabetic children (as am i) and this sort of approch is not helpful. anger may be healthy in an acute setting, but you are talking about long term anger. that is not healthy

Permalink Reply by BadShoe on April 5, 2009 at 4:55pm

For us this was a short term release not anything long term. For her it was an unexpected way of very concretely saying I would rather her not have this thing too.

I don't view diabetes as an enemy, particularly one that that is winning, let alone always winning. I think we are winning by laughing at it and using that laughter to motivate doing what needs to be done to get good A1Cs.

Our view is we don't have to like diabetes to do diabetes care well. If we are gonna live with it, we are gonna laugh at it.

Your Diabetes May Vary

Permalink Reply by lev on April 6, 2009 at 5:59am

what i mean by always winning. is it does not let up. i do not know how to instill hatred for a long term thing, just for the short term

Permalink Reply by Judith on April 5, 2009 at 6:00pm

I call my meter The Leech because it represents all that diabetes has sucked out of my life as an artist. I am outraged by this assault on my life and feel betrayed by my body. I once threw The Leech against the wall and then into the garbage. It survived. I continue to do my duty and keep my #s in line, but I dislike everything to do with it. Sustained rage is slightly different from sustained outrage. Outrage can be righteous and demands action. Rage just eats you up. Channeling these powerful emotions appropriately is the key, I suppose......Be well all.....Judith in Portland

Permalink Reply by gw on April 5, 2009 at 11:28pm

i hate my diabetes, always have, always will, it took me a while to figure out that i would never be able to "love my diabetes" as some nurse somewhere long ago suggested would be the best way to cope with it. she wasnt diabetic...

(talk about denial; manufacturing phony emotions to deal with a chronic disease? ridiculous!)

it wasnt until i came to terms with my hatred of my disease, and also feeling betrayed by my body, that i took real steps towards better control. its a cathartic response perhaps, but it may steer you in the right direction...

i think i have a few old meters lying around from way back...hmmm ;)

Permalink Reply by Judith on April 6, 2009 at 11:44am

Oh Carol, What a drag. I am so sorry. I was struggling with firomyalgia for a decade before adding diabetes into the mix. Sometimes it is just all too too much, isn't it?!!.....

Permalink Reply by Rob Chambers on April 6, 2009 at 6:07pm

I'll never forget the day I scared my college housemates when I threw my meter against the wall and broke it after my third straight 'bad day'. So much negative emotion quickly became a laughing moment. :)

I hate feeling like I have to sometimes have to 'hide' emotion toward it only because there's a good chance others won't understand. It's so refreshing to just vent and let it out.

Permalink Reply by Rob Chambers on April 7, 2009 at 8:40am

Yeah, thankfully the guys I live with, I've known since I was three, and they understand the condition as best they can without having it. I wouldn't want to think about living with a stranger just for that reason. It's bad enough when professors, co-workers, etc. make incorrect assumptions and judgments. There's no way I could live with that at home. Even though my housemates aren't diabetic, they are an unbelievable support for me, and make it so much easier managing and living with it.

Permalink Reply by BadShoe on April 7, 2009 at 3:19pm

This is one of by biggest concerns at my son grows, will he be around people who get it? So far his peers are outstanding. He was at a friends and went (big time) low playing a video game. The kids he was with instantly divided themselves in to three groups, one went for a soda, one called us on the phone and the third found the parents in the house. (one happens to be a doctor....)

Anyway that was very cool and made me feel great about his friends.