I found the answer to a peaceful, stress-free life with type 1 diabetes. It’s easy, really.
Ignore it.
How do you ignore a disease that is 24/7 and requires constant attention? Easy, you don’t give it the time of day.
When I say ignore diabetes, my intention is not for you to pretend it’s not there. By all means, type 1 diabetes requires attention to things like carb counts, insulin dosing, exercise and low blood sugars. So while you shouldn’t ignore taking care of diabetes, you should simply ignore the burden of diabetes.
When I meet a person who isn’t familiar with diabetes I often hear, “How do you do it? How do you give yourself all those shots?” Well, I do it because I have to so I can stay alive. I don’t give it much thought or precedence: I just do it. If not for my insulin pump’s memory, sometimes I’d forget whether I gave insulin at a meal.
The thing is, diabetes is hard. It’s tough. It’s annoying. And it can easily overwhelm us. So I choose not to let it. Plain and simple. I think about diabetes when I work out only to make sure I have glucose tabs with me. I think about diabetes when I go to bed because my CGM beeps if I don’t. But in 18 years, I’ve learned diabetes has a mind of its own, so I’m going to do my best and not worry about the rest.
If I dwell on the tough parts, I forget the good. And I don’t want to be a person who forgets the good or fails to see the blessings. Diabetes sucks. But I live in a country where I can get a candy bar from a gas station on nearly every corner. A paramedic can reach me within 15 minutes in most places. I can buy a bottle of insulin at any Walgreen’s (and any CVS, which can usually be found across the street.) I’m not going to worry over things because I live in a glorious country where I have access to anything I need and people around me who will always look out for me. I’m blessed in that way because I know not everyone is.
But when I give in to the bad days, I become sullen and depressed. I fall into a pit of self-pity, and I refuse to live my life like that. I want to see the wonder and the glory in everything. I want to see God’s blessings in my life, not the bumps in the road. I want to live a life pleasing to Him, and that means ignoring diabetes. It’s such a small, small thing when I look at the overall scheme of life. It’s why I’m riding a century in October. Sure, it’s hard, and it’s tough. Sure, I’m tired and exhausted and diabetes doubles that. But I have two legs and a working body to help me ride that bike while so many don’t.
I choose to ignore diabetes, kind of like I ignore brushing my teeth, showering and doing the dishes. I hate brushing my teeth. I hate showers and getting ready in the morning. And I especially hate doing dishes. But every morning and night, I brush my teeth because I like my teeth and I’d like to keep them in my mouth even more. And every almost everyday, I shower and fix my hair and put on make-up because I want to be clean, I don’t want to smell and I want to look presentable. But I hate that routine, so I don’t think about it, I just roll out of bed and do it anyway. And because I’m not a fan of mold or cockroaches, I also wash my dishes instead of leaving them in the sink. (‘Cause I may have done that in college a time or two. Maybe.)
So maybe if we gave diabetes a little less attention, and we just went through the motions a little more, maybe diabetes wouldn’t be such a hardship. Maybe if we ignored it a little more and didn’t worry quite so much, we could enjoy the beauties of diabetes — like friendships and communities we wouldn’t have otherwise. Maybe, ignorance is bliss.