I agree. I have a tendency to hide too. When I speak up, especially in a group of people who are battling the same thing, I feel connected and I get encouragement.
Don't Hide When You're Struggling
Yes, we have discussed this before. Yes, we will likely continue to discuss this until we all (myself included) figure out how important it is that we don't hide from others when we are struggling.
We've all been there. Heck, I am there right now, today. When we are struggling with our diabetes, physically or emotionally, our instinct is to hide. It's hard to ask for help or even just some personal support when it seems like everyone else is reporting how amazing their results are.
We simply can't be afraid to reach out. :vs_love:
1 - 20 of 20 Posts
So true! I left the forum at one point and didn't keep regular appointments with my doctor. After more than a year of hiding I had to go in to renew my prescriptions (not sure why they kept refilling them so long). The doctor asked me who I was seeing for my diabetes. The look on his face when I said "you" can't be duplicated.
I don't think I've ever hidden from anyone but having said that my wife and I are recluses that live in rural maritime area far from any major metropolitan center so in a way we have been hiding from main-stream civilization for the past 28 years - no complaints.
The other thing which I've been trying to come to terms with - I don't see the challenges of diabetes as a struggle - why? My experience is much different than many here. I can't remember a time I wasn't diabetic. This is normal for me - I have have no memories or anything to draw upon as to what it's like to live without diabetes.
Even though I've basically had it for a lifetime - I think on a psychological level it makes it easier for me. I've had no shock experience when you suddenly realize you have diabetes and have to live your life differently - fortunately I never had to face that as a Teen or Adult.
As crazy as it sounds I'm lucky ...
The other thing which I've been trying to come to terms with - I don't see the challenges of diabetes as a struggle - why? My experience is much different than many here. I can't remember a time I wasn't diabetic. This is normal for me - I have have no memories or anything to draw upon as to what it's like to live without diabetes.
Even though I've basically had it for a lifetime - I think on a psychological level it makes it easier for me. I've had no shock experience when you suddenly realize you have diabetes and have to live your life differently - fortunately I never had to face that as a Teen or Adult.
As crazy as it sounds I'm lucky ...
I'm a fairly new diabetic, so I'm not there yet. But I have you guys to vent or share good news or ask questions.
I didn't wear eyeglasses until I was 8. I didn't know anything was wrong. Despite being almost legally blind, I had no yardstick; no idea that the letters on the chalkboard at school were supposed to be distinct. I got by. That was normal for me. You make a great point that our "normal" is not defined by a universal standard.I can't remember a time I wasn't diabetic. This is normal for me - I have have no memories or anything to draw upon as to what it's like to live without diabetes.
Ahh...memories.I didn't wear eyeglasses until I was 8. I didn't know anything was wrong. Despite being almost legally blind, I had no yardstick; no idea that the letters on the chalkboard at school were supposed to be distinct. I got by. That was normal for me. You make a great point that our "normal" is not defined by a universal standard.
I didn't wear glasses until I was 9....also extremely nearsighted. My mom didn't want to think of any of her kids as less than "perfect," so she didn't take me to an eye doctor even after the school principal suggested it. I'll never forget the look on the eye doctor's face when she finally did take me for an eye exam & the doctor told her, "How could you wait this long to give him an eye exam; he's practically blind?" My mom answered, "OK....maybe you're right.....maybe he needs glasses.....but for how long?" LOL!!
My idiotic elementary school teachers accused me of "being lazy & not wanting to do my schoolwork & making up stories about not being able to read the blackboard," even after they moved me to the front row.
I don't know how my nearsightedness went undetected for as long as it did. I mean, I was only in third grade, but there apparently were no obvious signs that I couldn't see anything clearly at a distance (not even printed material, which, to this day, must be just a few inches from my eyes to be in focus).I'll never forget the look on the eye doctor's face when she finally did take me for an eye exam & the doctor told her, "How could you wait this long to give him an eye exam; he's practically blind?"
I guess I saw well enough. And I guess I memorized the eye chart enough times to pass that test every year. :glasses:
No Question I hid when struggling but with the complications I had was not easy to share .. While still struggling to a degree, nothing like it was .. When was first fighting Pancreatitus, it seemed nothing could keep my Sugar level Down except for a while when in the Hospital on Insulin .. Since Gall Bladder Removed and Jardiance once a day in addition to Metformin, have it much better in control ..
It's so easy to hide when you're struggling. I feel like this is an important message! Don't hide!
:bump:
:bump:
I had an eerily similar ordeal when I was 12, and my eyesight bombed out on me, over the summer break. When I returned to school, I could not read the blackboard; and the teacher gave me static and called me lazy or something.Ahh...memories.
I didn't wear glasses until I was 9....also extremely nearsighted. My mom didn't want to think of any of her kids as less than "perfect," so she didn't take me to an eye doctor even after the school principal suggested it. I'll never forget the look on the eye doctor's face when she finally did take me for an eye exam & the doctor told her, "How could you wait this long to give him an eye exam; he's practically blind?" My mom answered, "OK....maybe you're right.....maybe he needs glasses.....but for how long?" LOL!!
My idiotic elementary school teachers accused me of "being lazy & not wanting to do my schoolwork & making up stories about not being able to read the blackboard," even after they moved me to the front row.
My left eye went to 20/70 & my right eye went to 20/200. So I became legally blind in my right, and none to good in my left.
When I got glasses, they were so contrary in acuity, that I went cross eyed at time.
I finally asked the optometrist to lower my right side, to a 20/100 or 20/70, and I let the left eye take over. And that is how I have spent the last 50 years, a one-eyed kinda guy. I don't have depth perception worth 2 cents, so I had to fudge Airborne School.
And a lot of other things, like getting a drivers license were really hard to do. But, I am anything but lazy, or stupid, or slow on the uptake.
I can be very abstract when thinking, with my head in the clouds; but very concrete, when it is needed, which is most of the time. So, things worked out fairly well for me.
I'm so prone to this! I just wanted to remind myself and others on this forum that we're here to help when the struggle is real.
:bump:
:bump:
I reached out for help when I suffered an adverse reaction to immunotherapy. It was a great way to lose many friends. "Hey, guess what? I might have anaphylactic shock which could be lethal." I'd hate to get cancer.
Sorry, this happened to you! My mother's "friends" all quit coming around when she began to show early signs of dementia. I guess they thought it was contagious?I reached out for help when I suffered an adverse reaction to immunotherapy. It was a great way to lose many friends. "Hey, guess what? I might have anaphylactic shock which could be lethal." I'd hate to get cancer.
I'm a hider, too. I always have been. Mother was an isolative woman who wasn't very good at kids, and I learned well from her. I have few friends, and even fewer who understand the struggle for diabetics. When I am failing to stay on top of the dietary needs, I hide from everyone... and this forum too. Even though I know coming here and participating is one of the things that helps me stay on top of things. I really hate admitting I have failed to maintain.
To paraphrase comedian Drew Carey, “So you failed? There’s a club for that. It’s called EVERYBODY. And they met at the bar.”Even though I know coming here and participating is one of the things that helps me stay on top of things. I really hate admitting I have failed to maintain.
Whether or not they post about it here, I’m guessing every one of us has had a time (or more than one) when we were not the people we wanted to be. I know that applies to me.
I think we try hard on this forum, though, to maintain an environment in which we support each other in managing our diabetes as best we can, through the good discoveries and the not-so-good ones, and we try to excuse the human lapses made now and then and celebrate even the little victories. This site should always feel like a safe space.
Didn't do well with my fasting schedule since February, slowly getting back. I'm getting my A1C test tomorrow. No more hiding.
I've got to admit that I've been struggling! And not exactly hiding, but ignoring. Every once in a while I try to ignore my diabetes--it never turns out well.To paraphrase comedian Drew Carey, “So you failed? There’s a club for that. It’s called EVERYBODY. And they met at the bar.”
Whether or not they post about it here, I’m guessing every one of us has had a time (or more than one) when we were not the people we wanted to be. I know that applies to me.
I'm sorry you're struggling, etherea! Anything you want to talk about?
My husband and I have kind of given each other permission to eat. He isn't diabetic, but knows what I should eat. He has weight issues and thinks calorie counting will solve everything. He also never met a Chinese or Indian buffet that he didn't like!I'm sorry you're struggling, etherea! Anything you want to talk about?
I did great the first 4 months after I retired (end of December), but I decided I could ignore diabetes. It said "Take this". About 7 or 8 years ago I did the same--7 year itch? But diabetes is a progressive disease and It has progressed to the point I can't ignore it if I want to stay on just Metformin.
My doctor thinks I only need to test once a day, but I'm about to start at least twice a day.
My mother had so many complications and I don't want to go down that road!
1 - 20 of 20 Posts
- This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
The Diabetes Forum Support Community For Diabetics Online
A forum community dedicated to people living with Diabetes. Come join the discussion about treatment, nutrition, news, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more!
Full Forum Listing
