I read the comment from @pancreaswanted about looking around the gym and seeing how normal the other lives are. I’ve been thinking about this a good bit lately. I think because my first diagnosis anniversary is on the horizon, and since then nothing has felt easy or normal. (There have been other complications in the mix too).
But lately there have been a couple of times where I’ve allowed myself to come as close to forgetting as possible. I took our eldest daughter to see a movie recently in the theater. She has severe special needs, and I wasn’t sure she would be able to enjoy it. And like magic, she did. And she and I ate popcorn together and sipped a coke zero (something we never have) and I snuck one or two of her sour patch kids. Obviously I didn’t totally forget, because I needed a correction bolus (imagine that!) and was watching my cgm a good bit. Nevertheless, it felt like one time the veil had been lifted, and I could remember what it was once like. And enjoy the moments I was able to sit next to our ten year old in the middle of an afternoon to watch her enjoying a movie and reaching for more popcorn. Normal meeting extraordinary.
I’d love to cultivate more of these moments, and perhaps that comes with time. I don’t know. I don’t want to be escapist about the whole thing, (at least not entirely so). I think what I’m contemplating is some form of reprive.
Are there moments in your days and weeks…or maybe occasions that allow you to forget a little?
I wish I could give you a big hug after reading that. I’ve still been trying to work up the courage to take my son to a movie and just spend 2 hours together like a “normal” father and son out in public. Diabetes would be far from my first concern… I do hope this is a subject this group can relate to/ appeal to etc…
I was going to put an exclamation point at the end of this sentence but it seemed a bit too lighthearted somehow My wife and I try hard to instill normalcy in our life with our boy: eat a burger from time to time, go out for ice cream, buy a cookie. The insulin pen coming out is the normal now – best not look back. As @pancreaswanted wrote, it’s a bit like we are on the outside looking in.
Wonderful topic. I like pondering the “softer” issues after all the math I do in my head all day. Sometimes I think I really can control if I feel normal (I can be sure I have enough D supplies when we go out so I don’t spend the entire movie worrying about things). But then something inevitably happens to remind me how erratic this disease can be for some unknown reason.
For me, I don’t know if it’s my age or the unconditional support I’ve had from my family from the start but if I’m ok with my D in a given situation/moment, then others usually are too. That helps me feel pretty normal most of the time.
Getting to know people a little bit here has been eye-opening for me. There are so many different perspectives and we all come from a different introduction to the disease.
I was diagnosed when I was 5, so it’s all I’ve ever known. I guess that is an advantage in a lot of ways. I didn’t have to adjust much. From that perspective, every day for me feels normal. It seems more instinctive than anything else. It isn’t really something I need to think about too much.
For me, diabetes doesn’t cross my mind when I go to the movies or go to dinner or do anything. I just grab my stuff and go out, just as natural as it is to grab a wallet and car keys. But that’s only because I’ve been doing it forever!
I know it must be harder when you get diagnosed later in life. Hang in there. It really does become normal over time.
Don’t fear those little spikes! Take some insulin and eat some sour patch kids with your child! It is worth it, I promise. You will never regret that.
Keep having those special moments! That’s what life is all about.
Soon, diabetes will not be so far into the forefront of your existence. Not that you will not continuously monitor it and do what you need to do to control it, but it will become like breathing.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had birthday cake and ice cream with my kids. Even as they’ve become adults. My Bg has even gone over 300😱!
I’m 46 years into this disease, 65 years old, and healthy as a horse. Lucky to be sure, but I have put forth the effort.
Life is to live. Being a well controlled diabetic only allows you to live that life.
Thank you all so much for these replies! I have carried them with me all day and have taken your word to heart. It’s been a delicious vacation day, complete with some sweet potato fries and a burger. So far, I don’t regret it. BG is a little up tonight but at least I’ve worked it down to mid 120s with a quick jog.
I plan to read and reread each of your words. Thank you!!
FYI, I signed up a week ago after a post of @Chris’s to check it out, but I am ready to take it off my phone and cancel my membership. It is spamming me like you wouldn’t believe, and there is no community discussion worth its salt. Take that, Chris!
The only advantage - it has an app. But I think we can have an app too.
I just read that post and thanked God that I was spared until I was 19 years old. I pray daily that a cure will be found–not for me, I’m old and doing fine, but for the kids like Dana-Maxx who have to grow up with the added burden of this disease. It’s hard enough growing up without having diabetes to deal with.
To all the T1 parents out there you have my utmost admiration for helping your children deal with diabetes. At this stage of having no cure, you are the ones who can get them to adulthood without their feeling somehow cheated.
Re: Beyond Type 1: I took it off my phone as well, and turned off all notifications. It is not a great place to learn, but you have to admit it has a decent app, and the members provide support to each-other, just not much good advice. It also appears to skew pretty young in the user group. It has its place, and they financially support my sons diabetes camp, so I think it serves a puspose, but certainly isn’t as awesome as Diabetes Unlimited is and will continue to be.
Thanks for the topic, Irish. In my first couple years on insulin (my initial misdiagnosed months don’t count to me) I was so grateful that I am both retired (work part time) and single because this thing seems so 24/7. Now, nearly 10 years in, it is still a huge chunk of my life but I realized when I read this thread that it sort of hums along in the background now and mostly I do feel normal. Even highs don’t affect that much, I just correct and move on. (and check again of course!). Lows, the same, except for the more intense ones which definitely impact that “normal” thing. Since I got diagnosed I’ve traveled to Central America and Asia, taken a train across country and teach class where I tell my students I’m Type 1 but only a couple times have had to take glucose tablets and they get a five minute break!
but it seemed a bit too lighthearted somehow 
My wife and I try hard to instill normalcy in our life with our boy: eat a burger from time to time, go out for ice cream, buy a cookie. The insulin pen coming out is the normal now – best not look back. As 
