20 things I hate about Diabetes - in no particular order!!!
1. Blood stains on clothes after an injection - especially on a day when you're wearing a white top or you're in a rush to go out and have to quickly find something else to wear!!! Nothing major but its still an inconvenience!!! Finding blood smears on things when you think the finger you’ve just tested has stopped bleeding but its still going!!!!! Or when it's a hot day, you prick your finger and without even squeezing it the blood shoots out/up and sprays everywhere!!!
2. Nervousness before a HbA1c result - even when you know you've done your very best and have been 'good' there's still always that sense of nervousness before you get your HbA1c result!!!! (Then again I suppose that makes the sense of achievement even greater if the result is good or better than you were expecting!!!)
3. Affect it has on family members and loved ones – I hate that Diabetes causes stress to my loved ones and that they have to worry about me!!!
5. Hypos and highs - Keeping your blood sugars on an even keel is so challenging and sometimes you get the extremes of a hypo (low blood suagr) or a hyper (high blood sugar). These extremes can be very scary for both the person with Diabetes and their loved ones.
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| The bruise and the cause of it (infusion set)!!!!!! |
6. Bruising from an infusion set - Not much I can say about this one apart from "OUCH"
7. Being constantly attached to a “machine” - I had my pump last August and I will admit that even though I love it and appreciate that I'm lucky to have it, I do still have big issues from time to with feeling like a 'bionic woman' / robot with my pump attached to me!!! It's really not the most attractive look and not the greatest fashion statement I've ever made. I do sometimes look at it with a sense of hatred when it's on the side in the bathroom and I really feel like not re-connecting it after a shower etc. I guess that hatred is more about hating Diabetes as that is the reason I have to re-connect it, rather than hating the pump itself.....if thqt makes sense. I dont know if other people feel like that...I'd be interested to know how other pump users think.
8. Carrying supplies everywhere - sometimes I'd just like to be able to carry a small bag around with me instead of what seems on occasions like a small suitcase!!!! He he :o)
9. Endless appointments at hospitals, physio, dieticians, GP etc.
10. The devastating long term complications and the threat of what might happen in the future
11. Not being able to eat a single thing without thinking about it first
12. The 24 / 7 / 365 of it all - It's a constant numbers game and you are always in pursuit of perfection. There's no break from it.....ever!!!
13. Wondering what life would have been like without my constant companion
14. Depression.....that's a whole other blog post
15. Lack of awareness / incorrect reporting in the media / discrimination
16. Pregnancy fears - I'm at the time in my life now where I want a family and I have been looking into Diabetes and pregnancy a lot....all I can say is its very scary!!!!
17. Unpredictability – even when you do everything right
18. Seeing the blue candles light up as the Diabetic Online Community's (DOC) profile pictures on Facebook – This is an indication that there has been another tragic fatality caused by Type 1 Diabetes. We light the candles in memory of those who have died and their families.
19. Sore fingers / the “pepperpot” look that develops on your fingertips after years of testing / being a human pin cushion….. forever!!
20. Constantly trying to get the balance right for different situations - having to think before you do anything whereas other people just go ahead and do it!!! - how will the exercise I'm about to do affect me?, I'm feeling ill - will that affect my sugars?, I'm going for a 3 course meal - hows that going to affect my sugars? etc. etc. etc.
This is obviously a pretty negative post - I actually think my list could be a hell of lot longer - but unfortunately that’s the way it is with Diabetes - there’s not really that much to love about it!!!
