We ran an article this morning on Diabetes News Hound on a very important topic. A lot of young people with diabetes transitioning to adulthood often feel they will not live a long life and therefore neglect to take proper care of themselves for a period of time. Check out the article and if this applies to you, share your number. Expert: Does It Take a Diabetic to Know A Diabetic?
Good article. I felt that way, especially in college. I guess I was more optimistic, though, and gave myself until 54. I think I'm going to live longer than that now, though, that I've gotten some better control. I try not to focus on those kind of numbers... I just do my best to take care of myself every day. That's really all I can control.
I def. know where the author is coming from! In high school, I thought I'd probably live to be in my 50's or maybe 60's. But, you have to keep in mind, tight control wasn't possible for years and the technology was just getting better then. Many books actually said T1 would take 15-20 years off your life! Obviously, my control and outlook has come a long way now.
But, I occasionally have irrational fears after putting a huge amount of money into my retirement acct. Like, I should have just spent it now. Does anyone else do that?
I've never given myself an specific age when I expect to die, but thinking about living to be 80 or 90 is a little strange. Even though I try to maintain tight control, living that long doesn't seem realistic to me. But I don't want to die when I'm in my 50s or 60s. If I get to 70, I'm hoping I'll be very happy with my life. Maybe living to be 80 feels weird because that's the age I associate people without chronic diseases living to and after hearing about how diabetes will take 15-20 years off your life that doesn't seem reasonable. Still, 60-65 is too young to die in my opinion. Until I start to lose my mind, I want to stick around.
I hate it, but I think realistically about 60, no matter how hard I work. Diabetes isn't something that can be 'solved', no matter how much effort is put in ;/
Heh... don't let Tom see you say that, Dylan. He's 77 and been T1 for all but 10 of those years, I think.
I never really thought about how long I would live, but more when would the complications start. I was diagnosed 30 years ago and never would have imagined that after 30 years I would have no signs of complications. My grandmother is 96 and has no major health problems so maybe I'll take after her and have a long healthy life - but I hope not to 96 maybe 80-85.
i'm immortal. i'll be around to torture you and all your children, grandchildren, greatgrandchildren.... diabetes won't stop me. HA HA HA!
It's all the healthy eating and fresh air in Iowa. We have too much smog in DC...
That is pretty funny to me. I remember thinking that when I was a teenager. I was certain 30 was my age. It didn't help that my docs told me then if I didn't start taking care of myself I would die by 30. And also i could not have kids. I guess he thought it was tough love, i took it as my fate and accepted it. Now, i see no end in the near future. I plan to be here for a while. :)
[quote user="Sarah"]
But, I occasionally have irrational fears after putting a huge amount of money into my retirement acct. Like, I should have just spent it now. Does anyone else do that?
[/quote]I do this... I don't have kids and figure I can't take it with me. Once I come back to reality I remind myself I am keeping strict control so that I die with my vision and my feet, so I should live a long and (fairly) healthy life. I also remind myself that if I die young, my retirement will help my DH to be secure. I hate when I focus on being diabetic 1st. I do it, but come back to the reality that I only have one life... LIVE IT! Diabetic is second to life... I just forget sometimes and wallow in self-pity. Fortunately hubby notices and reminds me to get out of my head and back in to life. :-)
I don't want to put a number on it...I think it could be a mental thing. If I said, and believed, that I'd only live til I'm 26, I'm sure my body would find a way to off itself at 26...that being said, I think I'll stick with the Morrie Schwartz thing and say that I will live until I can no longer 'wipe my own ass.' Then you can take me out back and turn me into glue or whatever they do with horses...
I never had a "D number"..I actually never thought about it. I thought about how much I hated diabetes and all that, but I never thought about the age I will/could die due to diabetes. My mom always got mad at me if I brought up that diabetics had shorter life spans, she always claimed that dates back to when it wasn't understood as well and we didn't have the technology we have today.
Personally..I want to die when I'm in my late 70's/early 80's..so I'm not useless, reliant on other people, weak, etc. As for if I will live that far due to my diabetes? Who knows, but I'm not worrying about that.
When I was younger I used to think I would only live to about 40, that actually seemed old enough to me. Now that I'm 28 I try not to think about it too much but just hope I can have a good, healthy life.
[quote user="C"]
i'm immortal. i'll be around to torture you and all your children, grandchildren, greatgrandchildren.... diabetes won't stop me. HA HA HA!
[/quote]
i like the way you think, but I'm not letting you near my kids...(when i have them...lol)