Poetry Tuesday

A high blood sugar haiku by Judie Harer

High, my cotton mouth

Best friend, it is the toilet

Ketones in my blood

Pocket of insulin

Struggle to reduce

I Will Not Lurk in the Shadows

Kicking off D-Blog Week 2014!!!

"Let’s kick off Diabetes Blog Week by talking about the diabetes causes and issues that really get us fired up. (Thanks go out to Kim of Texting my Pancreas for inspiring this topic.)" 

For the most part diabetes is an invisible disease, but the management of this disease is anything but invisible. Whether you manage your diabetes with diet, pills, insulin injections or an insulin pump, it is nearly impossible to make the treatment invisible. 

Recently I began using Symlin (yes, I love it and have noticed an improvement in my blood sugars and a few pounds of weight loss). Suddenly my diabetes management isn't as simple as testing my blood sugar and pressing a few buttons on my pump. In order for the Symlin to work, it must be given before each meal, that means an injection before each meal! I've found that I am not shy about injecting in public, at the table, in the classroom, or wherever necessary. 

A friend has asked that I not inject at the table, it bothers them. This is someone I frequently eat with, and at first I didn't mind honoring their request, but I've noticed that going to the restroom to give my injection makes me feel uncomfortable. Like, taking care of myself is something "dirty" that needs to be hidden away behind a closed door or in a stall. I feel like it takes so much longer for me to gather my supplies, go to the restroom, and give my injection than it would if I just remained at the table and discretely gave my Symlin. It's not like I am using a syringe and vial, this is a pen!

This is a topic that is frequently mulled over in the DOC and even Miss Manners has discussed it. There is a broad variety of opinions, but for me, taking care of myself is not something that needs to be done in shadows. I apologize if it makes my friend uncomfortable, but I will not hide away my diabetes management. Now, I am not saying that this is the way everyone should manage their diabetes, this is my decision and YDMV.