Ramblings of a Diabetic

Yesterday I had an epiphany. Maybe it's silly that I didn't realize it sooner, but live and learn I suppose.

1. Not all diabetics think the way I do,

and

2. not all people involved in with diabetes know what they are talking about. 


1. I have always assumed that people with diabetes (type I and II) don't want to purposely give themselves glaucoma, kidney damage, nerve damage, heart and blood vessel disease, etc.  Maybe it's just me, but I happen to like my feet where they are.  The damage caused by uncontrolled diabetes doesn't manifest itself until MANY years after the individual has been diagnosed and usually does so over time.  The person may not even FEEL that they are getting sick, until it is too late.  I just assumed that it would be a no brainer to do your best at keeping sugars in control and if your best isn't good enough, to seek medical expertise until your best IS good enough.

Apparently this isn't the case.  Some diabetics just "don't get it." I once talked to a man who had a Hemoglobin A1C of 11. ELEVEN! (for minimal complications it needs to be UNDER SEVEN).  Then the other day a plumber came over to our house to fix the leaky fridge told me that he has a pump but that he doesn't like wearing it, so he doesn't wear it.  ?!?!!?!?!.  That means the $1,500+ machine that is supposed to be pumping his medication into him 24/7 isn't.  That is certainly something I don't get. 

Health vs. being annoyed by insulin distribution.  Yeah shots suck.  But in order to live suck it up and DO IT. 

2. I went in for an ultrasound yesterday and the doctor (an ULTRASOUND specialist) told me that he could take care of my diabetes for me. ... ??? What? He said "I know keeping track of everything can be really stressful, if you need us to, we can do it all for you." What is an ULTRASOUND specialist going to do? Come to my house and check my sugars every hour? Send me low carb/low sugar foods to eat and then tell me how much insulin I need to take (my pump already does that...)? Honestly.  Now that I am pregnant I check my blood sugars 15-20 times a day. I can't use two fingers on my left hand to check sugars because they have been poked so much the callouses are too thick to poke through.  I adjust my insulin according to those readings on an hourly basis... it is the ONE and only thing in my life that I COMPLETELY control (when I need help, I seek medical advice).  It really bugged me that he thought he could "take care of it".  


Anyway.. those are my ramblings. If you read it, awesome, if not, I don't blame you :)