Going off stilledlife's post, "What makes us happy? -- I'm curious what makes us smile in spite of diabetes? How, with so many reasons to frown, everyone keeps on grinning?
Part of it for me, I think, is the possibility of a cure someday - it's like that feeling you get as a kid once you hear your first fairy tale. That maybe, one day something like that could happen?
But what makes everyone else smile in spite of diabetes?
Kerri Sparling wrote a terrific post about the diabetes things that make her smile: Like the certain boop
boop beep sound that her pump makes. Or the fact that she never has to
wear a wristwatch since her Medtronic 522 has one built in.
This was my fave: "I
like that the hope of the parents of kids with diabetes rubs off on me,
and makes me feel good for even just a few minutes."
There are times when I get extremely frustrated with diabetes, however I still smile because of three main things; 1. I am not a psychic and cannot see the future, so I often get giddy just thinking what is next to come. 2. I believe I always have a choice. I can choose to handle my diabetes, let it go, I can choose to be sad or I can choose to be happy. 3. I smile because I truly love my life.
I should tag this and then read it on a bad day! :)
What causes me to smile in spite of being a diabetic is that I am still alive and able to do what I want with my life. Nothing can truly hold us back. I mean I read a few months back about diabetic pilots out there as well. I mean truthfully we are able to handle and deal with everything if we try. Why stress, we can control most of the major issues that may affect us. That causes me to smile.
It is my 6 year old daughter that has type 1 diabetes and what makes me smile in spite of her diabetes is that beautiful innocent smile and contagious laugh that only a child can have. It is nice to know she has diabetes and not the other way around.
I smile because I have two amazing babies that I didn't think would be possible 5 years ago. I have a husband who has stood by my side before being dxed and after. I have an amazxing family and friends who support and love me no matter what...with all of that, I don't have time to frown. :-)
I smile about diabetes all of the time actually. Not so much for a cure because it is very much in the distant future. However, managing diabetes has never been easier! My Dexcom makes me smile. My pump makes me smile. Watching the effect that Symlin has on blunting the post-prandial glucose spike (on CGMS) makes me smile. The new JDRF announcement for the next step in the march toward the artificial pancreas made me REALLY smile. The decreasing rates of complications among us makes me smile. My A1C every few months makes me smile. And you know what - meeting other people with diabetes makes me smile very big. Its nice to meet other club members. There is a common bond.
My biggest smile? The absolutely gorgeous (albeit sometimes mischievous) smiles/grins/laughs of my two healthy boys and wonderment that is their life. I was diagnosed shortly before Steele Magnolias came out and lived with the belief that this would not be possible. I am euphoric at my life. Diabetes makes me smile because it gives me insight into disease. It gives me empathy for my patients. And it is something that connects me to so many other individuals. It has provided opportunities to help others like me, support others like me, educate others like me. Admittedly, I am very fortunate with the course of my disease. But I smile because I can help my brother navigate the bumpy road as well.
I dunno - yes its sometimes inconvenient and frustrating - but it is me. And I embrace it.
The thing that makes me smile, concerning having diabetes, is the sense of accomplishment. I was diagnosed a little over 3 years ago and after the initial depression and confusion, I took it as a challenge. I smile when I get good lab results, when I test in the morning and have good blood sugar, when I push myself extra hard during a workout, and when I get to educate someone about the disease.
I just can't do it, absolutely nothing to "smile" about
Carol11 wrote that there is absolutely nothing to "smile" about. Oh man, trust me I feel like that all the time it can really get me down. I have such a difficult time dealing with diabetes and taking care of my health. I can go for months without taking a single blood sugar, but recently I have really gotten my stuf together and having been trying so hard.
So, I think the thing that has been motivating me and makes me smile is that realizing being different from everyone else really isn't so bad. Knowing that my friends and family really care about me and worry about me makes me smile. Knowing that if I ever get to the point again where I can't handle diabetes and don't wanna do it anymore, I will have people there to keep me going and push me to stay healthy.
Also, this site really made me smile. I don't know anyone really that has this disease. I feel so connected already to all of you and it makes me very emotional reading what everyone has to say because I feel the same exact way and I never thought anyone would be able to truly understand me.