When I think of etiquette, the dining room scenes from Downton Abbey and flashbacks of my cotillion days are what come to mind. I was taught to be polite for other people's’ sake. Making other people comfortable is what manners are all about. Humans like structure and rules because it’s comforting to know how those around us will act, which is a completely rational evolutionary trait.
National Diabetes Awareness Month!! Woo hoo!! This month has always been exciting for me. Validation is not something diabetics typically feel in our day-to-day lives. But November is a national month for acknowledging and talking about the struggles diabetics face on a daily basis. There is no way to ignore that part of yourself when those around you are talking about it, too.
Candy, candy, candy. Why does every holiday involve copious amounts of eating? You could put blinders on and it would still be impossible to avoid the isles upon isles of Halloween-themed candy at the grocery store.
Any diabetic will tell you that numbers are just the surface of diabetes. Blood sugar readings are what our doctors care about – but diabetes is not JUST biological. It’s psychological, too. And taking care of our emotional wellbeing is usually not given enough priority in the diabetic community.
One of the best lessons I’ve learned is this: doctors don’t know everything. They make mistakes. They miss certain signs and symptoms. An example of this is the number of misdiagnoses in the diabetes world. But as diabetics, particularly Type 1s, most of us were diagnosed at a young age, and were told to listen intently to every word our doctors said. We are taught from diagnosis to follow our doctors’ directions perfectly. But as every diabetic comes to know, over time, that becomes impossible. There comes a point when you have to learn how to be independent in managing your health.
Oh, independence – it’s a double edged-sword. I thought for a while that I wanted to do diabetes on my own. I quickly discovered that isolating yourself makes managing everything – diet, blood sugar, exercise, and every other detail – so much harder. Interdependence is the way to go.
You would think that hearing “Happy Holidays!” would bring nothing but joy and excitement around this time of year, but living with type 1 diabetes during the holidays also brings some feelings of anxiety for me. With the holiday season comes family gatherings, gift giving, decorating the house, fun traditions, and lots and lots of yummy food. Though these things bring lots of positivity, they can also be a bit stressful, and as mentioned in a prior blog, stress is not exactly diabetes’ best friend.
Five years ago, I didn't actually think I would be thriving with diabetes. Maybe right when I was diagnosed - but only because I saw people like Halle Berry and Nick Jonas and thought “if these celebrities can manage it, I can definitely do it”. But at that point I didn’t really know what "it" was. I didn’t know what type 1 diabetes really consisted of on a day-to-day basis. I didn’t know about everything that came with that tiny, yet loaded sentence: “You have diabetes."
Personally I feel that stress is one of the most important topics to touch on in regards to diabetes and good blood sugar control. Regardless of your major, minor, extracurriculars, or campus living situation, being a student is quite stressful.
Fall is almost here!!! As sad as it is to wave good-bye to summer, a new season is an opportunity for new goals, re-capping your summer, and refreshing yourself on how you can live your best life with diabetes.