Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Good to know

Please don't feel all alone.. because you're not. Maybe in the past you didn't know anybody else with diabetes, but times have changed. People have become more open about their condition and it no longer has to be a secret. There are so many ways to encounter other diabetics. There's our diabetesforum and there's the Conversation Maps at our hospital. We have meetings in our special diabetespubs (there are 3 now!) and we meet up for lunch whenever we feel like it. Please feel free to join us.

You said you really enjoyed our conversation. For the first time in 28 diabetes years, you had the feeling someone felt what you felt. You could share your story without getting that "you bore me" look. I could sense your pain, your tristesse, your memories of your diagnosis as a young teen. Those memories still haunt you. Hospitals scare you, because of those bad memories. Nobody took the time to explain things to you and you were told never ever to have sugar again. You were told you could never have children because of your condition. In fact, you were told you were not going to have much of a life.. And that's what you believed, because that was the only voice you heard..

I really feel for you. Diabetes treatment has changed over the years. You have changed hospitals and we now share the same diabetes nurse. Step by step, you are working on coming to terms with D. It will take some time for you to let go of the "you can't have that"thoughts.. Life hasn't been easy on you, but you have a very supportive husband. You're a clever and beautiful lady. You'll get there, don't worry. Don't feel guilty for getting diabetes and don't let diabetes take over your life. You're in control, you really are..

2 comments:

Upje said...

Brrrrr. Hier word ik toch even stil van. 28 jaar diabetes, dat is niet eens zó veel langer dan ikzelf. In den beginne kreeg ik ook hetzelfde te horen (geen suiker en consoorten, over kinderen werd toen - thank God - nog niet gerept), maar gelukkig ben ik nadien in andere ziekenhuizen beland en kreeg ik daar langzaamaan meer en meer 'vrijheden'. Ik kan me niet voorstellen hoe moeilijk het geweest zou zijn als dat niét het geval was geweest. Wat erg!

Ze is bij deze nieuwe dvk zeker aan het goede adres ... en bij jou als nieuwe vriendin ;).

www.kokenenhogehakken.blogspot.be said...

Het was alleszins een boeiende ontmoeting. Ik kan me niet eens voorstellen hoe het is als alles je ontzegd wordt.. Als je als onschuldig kind de boodschap krijgt dat je nooit meer suiker mag eten. Je leven valt in duigen... Gelukkig is er over de jaren al veel veranderd en kan er al zoveel meer.
Wordt vervolgd.