October 4, 2009

Hmmm.  Does your diabetes light shine like a camera flash?  In other words, does your “light” (desire to take control of your diabetes) come on for a few brief moments, then disappear as quickly as it came on.  If you think this might be you, answer the following questions:  When you look at your blood sugar log or your meter memory, can you see a day here and there with a lot of blood sugar checks, indicating that your “camera flash” was on.  Do you find yourself saying, “I’m going to do better with my diabetes tomorrow” a few times every week.   Do you have exercise clothing/equipment that hasn’t been used since the day you had the epiphany that exercising would help you control your blood sugar?

Maybe your diabetes light shines like a flashlight.  You go for months at time with good control, then something causes you to turn your diabetes light off and turn on another light—maybe it is your duties as a mother or your job duties or your wife duties.  With so many competing priorities in our busy lives, this is the category that most people with diabetes probably fall in.  You like to think that diabetes is a priority for you most of the time, at least when it’s convenient and doesn’t take up too much time, right?  If this is you, your diabetes light only shines bright enough for you and its only on when you decide to turn it on.      

You might be one of the remarkable few whose diabetes light shines like a flood light.  In other words, your diabetes light shines very bright.  It provides enough light for you and those around you.  In fact, no one could look at you without seeing your diabetes light shining brightly.  If this is you, you are not perfect, but you work hard at keeping your diabetes a priority in your life.  You talk about your diabetes openly and with pride (rather than embarrassment).  You have mastered the art of fitting diabetes into your life rather than letting it take over your life.  You control your diabetes, you don’t let it control you.   You serve as a good role model for others with diabetes.  Your friends and family even admire how you manage your diabetes.  Having diabetes isn't a deficit for you, instead it brings your best qualities for everyone to see. 

I’m pretty sure that we all aspire to have our diabetes light shine like a flood light.  But, it takes a lot of work.  Most likely, if you have been diagnosed in the last year or two, you are not in the “flood light” category.  It’s just not possible to learn everything you need to know and put it to use in your life that soon after diagnosis. 

Give it some thought this week.  If your diabetes light isn’t shining as brightly as you’d like for it to be, what are you going to do about it?  Do you need to schedule a visit with your CDE or Endocrinologist?  Do you need to take 30 minutes to download your blood sugars and look for trends, so you can adjust your insulin dose?  Do you need to test your blood sugar more often?  Most likely, you know what you need to do, you just have to take time to get your plan in place.