Diabetes is a baby we can never put down -- with claws!
UPDATE: Here's what it looks like to have a baby otter on your chest -- cuteness on parade but a bit smothery:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/fieldnotes/2017383249_sea_ott...
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I was at the Seattle Aquarium the other day, watching something amazing. There is a new-born sea otter there. She's a chubby, fluffy two weeks old and so adorable that she just takes my breath away. Her very diligent, very responsible mama otter carries baby around on her tummy all day and night.
Otters, as you may well know, spend a lot of time paddling around on their backs. Their tummies are like little table tops where they set things like clams, fish, and other yummy things to eat. They also set their babies on their tummies as they paddle around. They nurse them, groom them, fuss over them, and in general are "on" as mothers 24/7. Mama might set baby on some rocks nearby for a quick feeding excursion, but she is right back to scoop up baby and start fussing over her again within minutes.
Watching this vigilance and responsibility, it occurred to me that the life of a mother otter is a lot like living with diabetes. You have this HUGE responsibility kind of clinging to you day and night, night and day. You have to fuss over it, tend it, think about it. You might be able to set it aside for a few minutes now and then, but then you have to scoop it back up or the anxiety will become too great. Of course, our "baby" has claws and will give us a good swipe if we forget it for too long! Is it a helpless baby? Or a snarky demon? Sometimes, it's a little of both.
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Comment by Ann on January 31, 2012 at 9:54pm -
It's a lovely analogy, Jean! I just wish diabetes would have some moments of being cute, adorable, playful and fun to be with! Maybe I need to figure out how to change my view of it so that I can notice such things, if they exist? I shall ponder this....
Thanks for posting!
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Comment by Gerri on January 31, 2012 at 11:05pm -
I vote more for snarky devil because whenever we think--hey, I've got this somewhat figured out, we get knocked down, have to pick ourselves up & start all over again. Diabetes is a trickster & not an innocent baby to me.
Ooo, I'd love to see that baby otter. How precious!
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Comment by BadMoonT2 on February 1, 2012 at 4:20am -
"Diabetes is a trickster" a very good way to think of our opponent.
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Comment by Jen on February 1, 2012 at 7:10pm
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Yeah, I wish my diabetes was fluffy and cute. Might make it a bit more bearable. Right now I'd just like to dump it and let it drown! (I've been high NON-STOP the past 24 hours so I'm in a bit of an I-hate-diabetes mood!)
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Comment by Gerri on February 1, 2012 at 9:56pm
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Glad you like that, BadMoon.
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Comment by LaGuitariste on February 16, 2012 at 8:50pm -
OK, the bigger she gets, the better my metaphor holds up! She's getting to be quite a belly-full for mama:
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