National Diabetes Awarness Day

Diabetes, it has the sounding word, "DIE" in it . There are no real solutions or cures for Diabetes as of now. Sure there are surgeries that can slim you and make your Diabetes seem to disappear.

Doctors and scientists are looking into many options for a cure. There is talk of taking blood cells and changing their structure or abilities. On the other hand, they are looking into pancreas transplants.

I for one know what a toil, Diabetes can take on you. It can take from your life, take from your family and create in you a new way of thinking, a more revealing lack appeal (if you will) to your future. Sometimes you can get depressed, and sometimes you are relieved at your blood sugar control. Which is so hard to keep, by the way.

Controlling your blood sugars is for a Diabetic, like a drug is for a cancer patient. It is something you must have. Something that will either break your body down, or help to mantain a healthy body. I am struggling at times, but other times I am doing wonderful.

I guess you could say I am trying "To Hold Down The Fort", in a manner of speaking.

I try to make sure I do not spend a whole day, eating nothing but junk, or unhealthy foods. I also try and balance out my food intake. Fewer meals, but frequent meals. The reasoning behind my method is so that I will not bottom out or have low blood sugar. I am prone to that because I am on pills and Insulin.

I do not like the fact that no matter if I really want to eat or not, that I have to. I do not like that because I will probably not enjoy the food if I am forced to eat it.

Sometimes, though on rare occassion I will overeat. I sure do like to go out to Restaurants and eat a meal. It is nice to have my family or friends there all eating and enjoying each others company. Now don't get me wrong, I do not eat loads of sweets or carbs, when i go out, I just eat more food period.

Of course there are the good days, and the bad days. I prefer to have good days. Usually they are when I have enjoyed doing some activity , which usually involves outside working in my flowers or my garden. i try and take advantage of times like this because not only is it fun, and relaxing(which Diabetics need), but it is exercising , which helps to control my high blood sugars from happening. There is other activities I enjoy, and they benefit my disease and my mind.

One I am thinking of is, dancing. Yep, dancing. Dancing to music I am playing on the radio, or on a tv channel. I will sometimes find myself dancing to music while completing tasks like folding clothes, or vacuuming, or cleaning counter tops. Any moment you can, you should try and do something that will help your self. Especially if you are a Diabetic. Being active, truly can be a positive for you. It can make all the difference between a healthy and unhealthy body.

Now , if your blood sugar stays too high for too long, it can reap problems. I am talking about the problems with,

-blood pressure

-kidneys

-eyes

-circulation

-your mind

-your liver

All these things above can either be harmed or destroyed by having a constant high blood sugar. I do not know about you, but I want to see for the rest of my life, as well as have all my parts, in good working order. I am afraid of reprocusions. I am scared to die too soon. I am afraid of not getting to live life to the very fullest. Aren't you?

Diabetics all go through basically the same thoughts, either one way or another. They all face uncertainty, and disabilitating circumstances. I am one.

I write this as well as challenge you to go seek help, if,you have, or if you currently are experiencing any of these symptoms.

-thirsty all the time, or way too much

-blurred or impaired vision

-swelling in your extremeties

-chest pains

-arm pain, as well as any leg pain or tingling

-foot sore, or places that are painful to touch

-constant bladder issues

-constant yeast infections

These are some of the things you might experience if your blood sugars are too high, or too low, or just not right. I know I experienced almost all these symptoms. I have had to decide for myself, did I like feeling that way, or was I going to get up and out, to get myself help, before it was too late.

I remeber the first time I was told that I had Gestational Diabetes. Gestational Diabetes is when yur pancreas basically cannot tolerate your blood sugar control while being pregnant. I had just found out that I was having a little girl. now I faced two things. Being pregnant with my first baby girl, and being diagnosed with a potentially harmful disease while carrying my baby. I also knew it could pose harm to her as well.

Imagine, the wonderful news shadowed by the bad. How could this have happened? I had noone in my family that had Diabetes, or at least that I was aware of.

I was scared and sadened by all this news. I did not have the first clue on how to stop it, or prevent it in the first place. I never really even thought any more of Diabetes than I did of anything else. I now though had to face the fact that I was a candidate for developing Diabetes for the rest of my life. and not to mention, my children would have a greater risk at developing it as well. Boy! I was given a percentage of around 50% that my children would develop it.

This to me was not a good thing. I had to watch how I ate while carrying my baby girl, and I had to limit, all those nice excused foods , that most pregnant ladies get to have. I would not get to pig out on icecream, or chocolate. I could not eat till I was stuffed. My goal while pregnant was to maintain a safe weight. Not see how much I could gain. Where in others case they can eat lots, I was to eat less.

I felt cheated. I felt alone. I felt scared. What had I passed on to my baby, all my other babies? I would be one of the main reasons why my children that I would someday have , maybe become a Diabetic. It was unimaginable for me to even think on.

I just wanted to hae children to nourture, not destroy.

Well, I went on to have two more children, and with each, I had Gestational Diabetes. This would go on two years apart. My children were born two years apart.

I maintained the stance that I did not have Diabetes when un pregnant. I was trying to convince myself that I was Diabetic because I was pregnant only. This might have been the reason for my first pregnancy but not the others.

See, I had clues, I had signs and I did not listen to what my mind and body was trying to tell me. I wasted years in denial saying that I was not Diabetic.

This is why you must seek professional advice or help. Do not put it off, your life is too important.

Now I have had Diabetes, counting being pregnant, 13 years. Wow! It is hard to say that. I do not try and dwell on the years, just the fact I have a disease that cannot, as of yet, be cured. I cannot ever give my pancreas to another soul. I am damaged on the inside. I am a DIABETIC.

I have lost some weight, exercised a little more than before. I am constantly working at this disease. It is a disease that can attack every organ. It can strike silently, or like a "raging bull." I do not like the disease, or tolerste it well ,at times. I am a survivor, because I am living everyday. I am hoping in my lifetime to see a cure for Diabetes. I hope that our children's children, and so on, have a brighter defense against this painful and all consuming disease.

I will continue to fight, and tell others about my experiences, for I wish them all well. I am by no means an expert, but I am a carrier for this disease, an unwilling participant in its game.

Please reach out to help. I cannot stress the urgency. More and more people are finding out they are DIABETIC. It is becoming all too common.

Don't let it sneak up and grab your life.