I have a lot of thoughts swirling around in my brain today. I can't seem to make sense of them all.
For one thing, I am TIRED. Riley started running high at bedtime last night. After a few corrections and still having a sugar of 363, I changed his set at around 1:30 this morning. Then, because he tends to run low after site changes, we were up several more times just to check. He never went low. He woke with a sugar of 159 this morning. He must have been OK since then. His teacher has orders to call if his sugar is less than 70 or more than 225. She hasn't called today.
I want to DO something about this disease. I want to scream from the rooftops that my son has this disease and how often he must stick himself with needles and how I had to wake him at 1:30 this morning to jab a long needle into his delicate flesh. I want to scream that I'm terrified of complications and low blood sugars.
But, mostly, I want to scream that my son did not get this disease because he ate too much sugar. He does not have "bad" diabetes (as opposed to the good kind other people have?). Neither he nor I did anything to cause this disease and it is not your grandparents kind of diabetes.
I want to change the name of the disease that my son has. Let Type 2 keep the diabetes term. Someone at this discussion over at tudiabetes recommended that we rename it Catastrophic Ruthless Attack on the Pancreas or CRAP for short. I like it. Or maybe we could call it beta cellosis. Or pancreaspoopedoutitis. I don't know. I want people to know that the disease my son has is not the disease that their grandmother has.
I want to make people aware. How do I do this? I blog, but my readers are already painfully aware of this disease.
I wasn't going to share this for fear that people would think it was a little off the wall, but at this point in my sleep deprivation I really don't care.
I emailed The Ellen Degeneres Show yesterday with statistics about diabetes. I made them aware of the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. I told them that November is National Diabetes Month. I also made them aware that November 14 is World Diabetes Day and provided them with a few links. I asked that they consider mentioning diabetes on the show to create awareness.
I didn't get back a reply so I'm sure my email was promptly deleted. But, hey, I tried.
I've thought about emailing other major shows also. I figure even if it doesn't help it won't hurt either. I'm only one little mom with a blog. But, if we all flooded them with email about November being National Diabetes Month and our own personal stories, maybe they would pay attention. Maybe they would at least mention it on their show. Anyone with me on this?
My dream is to have gray ribbons everywhere in the month of November much like the sea of pink we see in October.
Is that so much to ask?
11 comments:
"I want to make people aware. How do I do this?"
Penny, this is something I wonder very often as well. I'm thinking of putting together a guide to find out more about diabetes for those who aren't personally really affected by it, but dare to open their eyes to diabetes.
It's truly surprising how my perspective has changed since I've become aware of diabetes, and that is something that drives me to share the same knowledge with others.
Glad you contacted the show. I think even if they weren't interested in an altruistic pursuit of diabetes awareness, it would be in their best interest to do a special on something that personally affects SO many people. Either way, I hope it gets through!
Penny, first off, I totally understand how you feel and I know how frustrating it can be to feel like you're talking to the same seven people over and over again...
I haven't blogged about this, but I was recently brought on as a permanent freelance writer for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and my goal is to bring some new articles about advocacy and outreach to their website. I will be working on articles to answer this question and others like it in the coming weeks. I will post on my blog when a new article is posted on their website. Until then, please email me whenever you wish you knew how to do X, Y or Z. Even if I don't know the answer, chances are I know someone who does.
Hi Penny,
I want to say something encouraging, I want to say this will all get better soon. What I can say is that I'll keep you, Riley and your family in my prayers. Just wanted you to know that you are being heard.
Just yesterday a student asked me if he could get diabetes by eating too many candy bars. Luckily the biology teacher was able to articulate the difference between the two types of diabetes.
I do think that newspapers should have a section called health - and it shouldn't be namby pamby stuff like exercise and stuff. It should have the latest science articles on medicine. Then people wouldn't be shocked when the hear a headline about antibiotic resistant staph or tuberculosis or diabetes, because they could read it in the papers. Do people read the papers?
Hi Penny,
I agree, with nearly every word. I hate that people don't know the difference between the two types of diabetes; it's a disservice to BOTH types. I hate that there isn't more emphasis on finding a cure. I hate that millions of americans believe there is already a cure for type 1 diabetes.
I'm sending you and your son good thoughts. Hope you're both having an easier day.
One new way that I'm hoping to raise a little awareness is through Diabetes 365. Maybe, at least for a few people, and at least in a small way, all those pictures will drive home what terms and words can't.
I agree withi this post thanks.
I would love for T1 to be called CRAP !
Penny
Great post. Thank you for taking the time to contact the show. Maybe we should all do that and remind them that November 14th is World Diabetes Day.
Also, I wonder how hard it would be to Google bomb, so the word CRAP would point to, say the ADA Type 1 diabetes page.
All it would take is about 20-30 bloggers to make CRAP point to the same page that I've just made it do.
Let's try it out and see what happens. I'll blog about CRAP later tonight. Oh, and I'll contact the same show.
Penny
I posted a blog about CRAP. If you'd do the same, or change your existing post, so CRAP points to the same ADA page we might get it moved higher up in the Google results for CRAP.
Worth a try.
I agree that there is no cures for type 1 diabetes. but for type 2 a am not sure.....
http://www.all-about-beating-diabetes.com/natural-cures-for-diabetes.html
Of a truth there is no known pharmaceutical cure for Diabetes, but the good news is 'Diabetes is cured naturally by herbal medicine and with the right herbal proportion.
Doctors told my husband no cure, and still advised him not to research that he won't succeed and never offer him a solution. Thanks to the media and internet where I found Dr Utu @ drutuherbalcure@gmail.com who is an African Roots and Herbal practitioner. I saw testimonials and we decided to give it a trial and thank God today my husband is Diabetes-free and he had said bye to pharmaceutical drugs for good.
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