Thursday, September 22, 2011

30 Things: Invisible Illness Week 2011

Invisible Illness week was actually last week, but I've decided to come fashionably late to the party. Enjoy this meme that may help you understand me and my diabetes better. And, remember, if you have questions, please feel free to ask. I  love questions.


1. The illness I live with is: type 1 diabetes
2. I was diagnosed with it in the year:  1996
3. But I had symptoms since: 1995
4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: forcing myself to eat when I'm low, even when I desperately don't feel like it.
5. Most people assume: that I ate too many sweets as a child. That being type 1 is anything like being type two or gestational diabetic. That life with diabetes is as easy as I let you think.
6. The hardest part about mornings are: eating breakfast. I hate eating breakfast
7. My favorite medical TV show is: Well, it used to be Grey's Anatomy, but that show is starting to bore me.
8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: My insulin pump.
9. The hardest part about nights are: worrying if I'm going to drop too low during the night and not wake up.
10. Each day I take 0 pills & two vitamins.   2 Flintstones vitamins= my Prenatal vitamin. Plus insulin 24/7
11. Regarding alternative treatments I: believe, until there is an actual cure, insulin is my only choice. No water or juice or diet will keep me alive like good ol' insulin.
12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose:  invisible. I am more than my diabetes.
13. Regarding working and career:  Some bosses just don't quite understand the importance of certain things when it comes to diabetes.
14. People would be surprised to know: that I have been type 1 for almost 16 years, I am pregnant and my doctor approves and helped me plan it.
15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: This isn't a new reality, but it does worry me more than it should that stupid diabetes is going to hurt my unborn child.
16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: getting pregnant (and [crossing fingers] having a healthy child) without a doctor yelling at me because I did.
17. The commercials about my illness: are for the type two Wilford Brimleys and for the tiny cute child diabetics (who will grow up to be an adult like me. We need a cure.)
18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: Eating what I want, when I want, because I want, without guilt.
19. It was really hard to have to give up: my dream careers (because I needed something that would offer health insurance).
20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: a lot of things. I was only 11 when I was diagnosed.
21. If I could have one day of feeling/being normal again I would: eat a bunch candy and drink a bunch of fruity flavored drink (NON-diet)
22. My illness has taught me: empathy
23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: "my great-aunt's brother's daughter's hairdresser's sister's cousin is diabetic and lost a leg/is blind/has kidney problems" and "I'm diabetic too. Type 2. I'm going to go eat another doughnut and drink my regular soda. But, yeah. I know exactly how you feel because I'm diabetic too."
24. But I love it when people: know me, love me and help me when I need it without me having to ask.
25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: Psalm 139:13-14
26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: they aren't alone.
27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: that I shouldn't be ashamed of it.
28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: not automatically blame my diabetes or my diabetes's control.
29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: my illness IS invisible, but I'm not. And, for you to be able to help me, know me, you need to know my illness.
30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: like you like me. You really like me! And I love you. :)

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