Sunday, May 16, 2010

Dream a little dream - life after a cure. Diabetes Blog Week Day 7

Day 7 - Dream a little dream - life after a cure. To wrap up Diabetes Blog Week, let’s pretend a cure has been found. We are all given a tiny little pill to swallow and *poof* our pancreases are back in working order. No side effects. No more insulin resistance. No more diabetes. Tell us what your life is now like. Or take us through your first day celebrating life without the Big D. Blog about how you imagine you would feel if you no longer were a Person With Diabetes.

(|Source=[http://www.flickr.com/photos/50237000@N00/981742090/ The Cure Live in Singapore - 1st August 2007] |Date=August 01, 2007 at 22:13 |Author=[http://www.flickr.com/people/50237000@N00 momento mori] from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |Permission= |other_ver)
As an '80s girl, I find life after The Cure a bit tough.  The big hair, the make-up . . . you just don't see lead singers like that anymore. I used to play them all the time when I deejayed in college.  I wouldn't exactly say I had the Goth thing going on, but I do remember wearing black nail polish and black lipstick on occasion.

What???  Not The Cure?  But A cure . . .  for diabetes?  Yeah, well, when I was coming up with post topics this seemed like a fun way to end Diabetes Blog Week on a high note.  But as I sit down to write this post, it's tough - so I resort to smart-ass humor.  Because, to be honest, I don't believe I'll see a cure.

Don't get me wrong - I do believe in a cure.  I believe the children with diabetes now will see a cure - it's the reason I still do diabetes walk-a-thons.  I just stopped believing in a cure before my time runs out.

Let's say I'm wrong.  Let's say one day, I'm cured.  What would I do?  I think I'd automatically calculate the carbs in my meal before realizing I didn't need to.  I think I'd panic when my pump wasn't hanging from my hip before realizing I don't wear a pump anymore.  I think I'd reach for my meter for my pre-dinner blood sugar check before realizing my fingers are now a lancet-free zone.  I think I'd wake up thirsty in the middle of the night and worry I am high before realizing my blood sugar is always normal now and my house is just dry.  All of the things I do to manage diabetes have worked their way seamlessly into my life and doing them has become second nature.  I would be overjoyed not to have to do them anymore.  But I'm pretty sure I'll always have to and most of the time I am okay with that.


So yes, a cure would be awesome.  But I know I'll be fine without one.  And at least I'll always be lucky enough to have the D-OC!

17 comments:

  1. Great attitude karen! I hope you do see a cure in your lifetime. If not a cure at least some awesome technology that would give you relief from the constant management that you face everyday.
    Yvette

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  2. Excellent post. I agree with you. I don't think I'll see a cure either but hopefully the little ones will see one. LOL, could you imagine no pump, finger pricks or A1C testing? wouldn't it be amazing?

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  3. :) Well said my friend.
    And I am with you in questioning whether or not their will be a cure in our lifetime. But on those days when I an feeling most hopeful, I will hope enough for both of us :)

    Great job organizing all this. Take care.

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  4. I had an islet cell transplant and am currently experiencing the cure, although it may not be forever. I still do most of those things that you mentioned in your post even though its been 18 months since I've used insulin. I still test my glucose levels about 6 times a day for the study and eat and exercise the same as before. The biggest difference is no more lows. I never thought I would ever be brave enough to leave the house without carrying food, but now I do so consciously. I know this isn't considered the cure, but it is so, so close. I have no doubt that the diabetic kids of today will be cured. And I believe there is hope for my generation too. What I have now is good enough!

    And thanks for organizing all of this. Its been great. I'm looking forward to sitting down and reading many more posts. I never knew there were so many of us.

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  5. I agree that there would definitely be a feeling of missing something or forgetting something if I was suddenly without the need for a pump, meter, tests or mathematical gymnastics before eating.

    niko

    www.thediabeticman.blogspot.com

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  6. Today's post was really hard for me. I ended up with a lot of salty tears covering my face. It was very powerful in making me see where I have some emotions about the disease I haven't spent a lot of time thinking about. Like the whole week, I appreciate that you did this. :)

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  7. Great post - and thank you for such a great week of topics as well as the awesome idea to have a DBW!! It's been all kinds of fun to read other people's perspectives, and to get so many points of view from those with type 1, as well as some POV's from other Mom's (and Dad's too) who have children with type 1.

    You're the best!

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  8. I just wanted to say thanks Karen, for coming up with some great topics to post about all week. It was so much fun to read all the different perspectives, and "meet" some new people!

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  9. Karen, as simple as your words were, they are so profound. They rang more true for me than any other post I've read today (including my own!)

    I remember when I was diagnosed (1991) they told me there would be a cure by 2000. I'm not sure I even believed them then. As much as I'd love a cure, it's hard to envision. Until then, we just keep on keepin' on.

    Thanks again for this week. You're awesome girly!

    ~Layne

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  10. Thank you for the pun! It was perfect (I too went through a black nail polish phase).
    And thank you for letting me know today's theme was hard for you, too. I was shocked how hard it hit me writing that one last night. Good to know I'm not alone.

    Thanks for a great week. You really helped me knock down a few walls and I think that was good.

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  11. As awesome as it would be to Not have to think twice....I bet I would do the same thing.

    For the kids, yes, a cure I can see. For me? Probably not. I accepted that a long time ago though, so I am ok with it.

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  12. I find it assuring the acceptance that you and others have of living with diabetes. Even so, I hope you will see a cure.
    Thank you for a great week, Karen. Congratulations on a fantastic job of further uniting an already strongly connected community. I am glad to have "met" so many that I might otherwise not have without your creative initiative.

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  13. What an incredible week.

    Seriously, Karen...I can't even put it into words. I've felt cosmically connected to so many people I've never met. It's been amazing to see how alike we are -- yet different at the same time.

    I feel normal....like I'm not crazy for the things I get anxious about.

    Thank you for the amazing idea.

    Today's post was particularly difficult for me. I almost played the wild card.

    I haven't been able to read all the posts, but I've spent a good part of my day trying to catch as many from today as possible.

    It's been such a ride! I've cried tears that I thought I put away long ago. I've laughed belly laughs and daydreamed about parties and tossed test strips into the air like confetti.

    And I'm realizing that I'm almost done with them. The week is almost over.

    Tomorrow is looming and Cinderella can't stay at the ball...and I'm kind of sad about it.

    Back to the grind in the morning. Party's over.

    See ya 'round Blogland.

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  14. i believe in a Cure... i have to. i'm not sure i could function everyday if i didn't hold onto that hope. yes, my son is young, but i have friends who have had diabetes much longer than him, and they need a Cure as badly as he does.

    www.semiorganizedchaos.wordpress.com

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  15. A day late - but here's my entry for the last blog topic of the week - http://www.diabetes1.org/blogs/Annas_Blog/Day_7_Diabetes_Blog_Week_To_Find_a_Cure

    It's been a fun project - and I still have lots of reading/learning to do from all the PWD's that participated in this. We rock!!! Oh and so do you Karen .. in The Cure :)

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  16. It was hard to write about, wasn't it?

    It was a great week, and I am going to enjoy the month or so of blog reading that it will take me to read most of the stuff. :-)

    Thanks Karen, for coming up with this great idea, and thank you Pete, for encouraging Karen to do it!

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