[Diabetes-talk] Emotions
dmgina
dmgina at qwest.net
Thu Nov 6 16:00:36 UTC 2008
You have come to the rite list.
Talking about your concerns helps you get into perspective what you are
learning to do.
Hope this helps.
Dar
----- Original Message -----
From: "K C" <kcc86 at hotmail.com>
To: "Diabetes Talk for the Blind" <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2008 8:28 PM
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Emotions
> I'm writing this strictly off the cuff, so please forgive me if I'm just
> complaining here.
>
> This week, my first, I just don't want to stick myself. I don't know
> anything, beyond the huge amount of support I've gotten from this list,
> about controlling anything. I don't have any symptoms, nothing to base
> being in, or out of control on. This week, I don't want to hear how
> because my number is a mere 135, how it isn't any big deal. Then in the
> next breath, how I have to learn to consciously cause myself pain, put my
> blood into a meter, and interpret numbers I don't even understand.
>
> I was talking with a dear friend earlier this evening, and I tried to
> explain to him that in most cases you get time to deny, cry, scream, and
> then accept the situation if you choose to. After all, not choosing to
> use a Cane because you don't want to admit going blind may cause you
> personal pain, but you're not likely to get hit by the proverbial car.
> But in this case, someone says you have Diabetes, so you've then been hit
> by the car, and you have to get up, and do something about it, manage your
> injuries right now! This week I'm mixed between wanting to learn how to
> use the meter, start my medication, and to just cancel the order all
> together. This disease is an unknown quantity, and this week I want to
> keep it that way. But I can't.
> I hope it is all right for me to vent this way. You all can let me know
> if it isn't..
> K
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ed Bryant" <ebryant at socket.net>
> To: "Diabetes Talk for the Blind" <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2008 11:31 AM
> Subject: [Diabetes-talk] Emotions
>
>
>> Hi Kijuana,
>> As I promised, the following is some information about emotions. In
>> fact, this info is part of a story called "Emotions", which appeared in
>> Voice of the Diabetic sometime back.
>> If you have questions, please feel free to ask.
>>
>> Regards,
>> Ed Bryant
>> Understandably, most diabetes education materials focus on the physical
>> aspects of the disease. This is appropriate. But the common emotional
>> ramifications of diabetes need to be taken into account. An individual's
>> emotional state may determine whether he/she prevails, or is felled by
>> circumstances.
>>
>>
>>
>> Anger
>>
>> "Why ME?" We don't know what causes diabetes. Although we can manipulate
>> statistics and use them to make predictions, we can't tell why a given
>> individual gets diabetes, or any of its ramifications. And tight control
>> helps, but it is no panacea.
>>
>> Folks used to believe that disability was the result of defective
>> character. If you developed a disease, you had brought it on yourself;
>> you were a "failure." We know better, but too many of us still judge
>> ourselves harshly, blaming ourselves for "being weak." Diabetes is not a
>> sign of weakness.
>>
>> "What did I do to deserve this?" Nobody gets diabetes, or ramifications,
>> because they "deserve them." We don't know why one person gets it, and
>> another does not. We have to do the best we can. Diabetes can be nasty
>> and unpleasant, but it is not "diabolical." It is not a punishment.
>>
>>
>>
>> Denial
>>
>> "It will never happen to ME!" Social workers and psychologists are very
>> familiar with the problem of denial, the conviction that in spite of the
>> facts, the rules do not apply in this particular case. The ramifications
>> of diabetes do not manifest immediately, but the more time spent with
>> high blood sugars, the greater the likelihood of future eye, kidney, and
>> nervous system complications. The diabetic who seeks to prove that he or
>> she is "exempt," and "gets away with it," short term, is only increasing
>> the likelihood of down-the-line problems. The literature is full of
>> stories by folks who were "non-compliant" in their youth, but saw the
>> error of their ways about the time their vision began to fail. Denial is
>> a common problem, and one that should be addressed right along with the
>> need for conscientious self-management.
>>
>> "NO! I'm not BLIND!" Sight loss brings its own denial. There are people
>> who won't use their canes, or learn Braille, or even stop driving,
>> because they cannot admit they are going blind. Some delay learning
>> adaptive skills with, "It's only temporary; I'm sure my sight will come
>> back!"
>>
>>
>>
>> Fear
>>
>> "What am I going to do? I won't be able to..." While some folks deny
>> they'll ever be affected, others swing to the opposite extreme. These
>> diabetics pay close attention, read the reports, and work diligently, but
>> for them, there are demons under the bed, and every bullet has their name
>> on it. Too many folks are convinced that a diagnosis of diabetes, or the
>> need to start injecting insulin, or blindness, or kidney failure, or any
>> of the other possible complications, means the cessation of life as they
>> know it.
>>
>> It doesn't. With proper adaptive equipment and training, blind diabetics,
>> those losing vision, even those coping with multiple ramifications, such
>> as blindness, amputation, and kidney failure, can maintain or recover
>> independence, and remain (or become!) fully productive participants in
>> mainstream society. Fear, or the use of fear to encourage diligent
>> compliance, is counter-productive, as we shall see below.
>>
>>
>>
>> Burnout
>>
>> "I'm tired of it!" Diabetes self-management is a discipline, seven days a
>> week, from now until doomsday. There are no reprieves, no opportunity to
>> take breaks, and short of a pancreas transplant, there is yet no cure.
>> There is only the routine, day after day after day.
>>
>> Some folks thrive. Presented with the facts, the need for multiple
>> monitoring and insulin injections, one young man said, "Of course I will!
>> I want to stay healthy as long as possible!" He was, and is, ready.
>> Others find the prospects daunting.
>>
>> A lifetime of dietary restrictions, regular exercise, blood glucose
>> testing, and multiple injections or oral medications can become wearing,
>> especially after a number of years with the condition. Some folks get
>> tired of it; others come to hate "doing it because they must." Still
>> others stop believing their own welfare is "worth the fuss." This is
>> "burnout," psychological rebellion against one's duties.
>>
>> When burnout leads to non-compliance, it is a recipe for trouble. Why do
>> some folks "burnout" and not others?
>>
>> The answer is attitude. The folks who thrive, who make the best of a less
>> than perfect situation, are like savvy poker players who, dealt a
>> doubtful hand, play it for all it's worth. Often these folks outperform
>> the ones holding the aces! It's not the cards you're dealt; it's how you
>> play the game.
>>
>> "Positive attitude" can mean so many different things, but here it means
>> a wholehearted belief in one's own capacities, and determination to
>> overcome all obstacles, regardless of how long it takes. If you don't
>> believe in yourself, even the small hills can look impassable.
>>
>>
>>
>> Loss of independence
>>
>> "How can I face my friends? How can I get anything done? I can't DO
>> anything!" Too many folks respond to disability, or other trauma, with
>> the "wounded animal response"-flight to solitude, to "lick one's wounds."
>> Up to a point, this is part of the grieving process, the mourning for
>> what must be let go. When it passes, rehabilitation can begin.
>>
>> But some folks "get stuck" there. Some independent, self-reliant people,
>> high achievers, can be more traumatized by their own "incapacity" than by
>> their actual physical loss. The belief: "I have lost something, and am
>> now less than I was," discourages action. This can occur with most any
>> incapacity, but is not uncommon in cases of sight loss.
>>
>> An adult type 1 diabetic, for example, may have been self-managing for 15
>> years or more, before retinopathy put an end to a sight-based lifestyle.
>> Some folks, with positive attitude, good instruction and proper adaptive
>> equipment, make a smooth transition. Others wilt.
>>
>> It's a question of attitude again, so many times. An individual is
>> accustomed to being in charge, to caring for self and others, and to
>> being "a productive member of society." In his or her mind, loss of sight
>> means the end of their capacity to continue doing so. Feeling diminished,
>> feeling ashamed, the individual withdraws from society, and stays "out of
>> circulation." Belief in his/her incapacity has become a self-fulfilling
>> prophecy.
>>
>> These people are not lazy. They are not "slackers," taking a long
>> vacation from responsibility. They are in emotional agony, grieving for
>> losses they don't know how to replace. These people need to be shown
>> their options. They need to hear of (or from!) others like themselves,
>> who have looked the demon of self-doubt in the eye and moved forward
>> anyhow. They need support groups and rehabilitation professionals who
>> will respect their self-doubts-and then show them how to overcome them.
>> Some might declare, "You can't teach attitude!" but what you can do is
>> show such a person their options, show them others who have "done it
>> themselves," and then get out of the way.
>>
>>
>>
>> The Cure
>>
>> Nothing about diabetes, or blindness, or any other disability, diminishes
>> a person's human-ness. Loss of sight, or of a limb, or of mobility and
>> independence, does not make one "incomplete." There are no "part-people"
>> out there-we're ALL fully complete, real people.
>>
>> But it hurts to have to give something up. We are not oxen, facing our
>> traumas with placid equanimity. Fear and pain are perfectly logical
>> responses. Some folks will pass smoothly through the stages of grief, and
>> be ready to learn the necessary adaptive skills. Most will need the
>> support of their fellows and the positive examples of their predecessors,
>> and will need to have their feelings validated. Passing this hurdle, they
>> are ready for, and fully capable of, independent self-management and full
>> participation in the mainstream.
>>
>> The presence of emotional issues is not a sign of weakness, but of
>> humanity. Any holistic approach to health takes a person's
>> mental/emotional state into account, right along with their specific
>> physical ramifications. We are individuals, and we heal in our own way.
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "K C" <kcc86 at hotmail.com>
>> To: "Diabetes Talk for the Blind" <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2008 4:23 AM
>> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] I'm a silent Diabetic
>>
>>
>>> Thank you for the welcome. Actually I have only just gotten information
>>> about even ordering a meter yesterday. My state rehab is recommending
>>> the Prodigy auto code meter? What is the difference between that one,
>>> and the voice? I receive Medicate, and Medicare, all parts. In
>>> general, can you get new testing strips for these special meters at your
>>> local pharmacy, or do you have to order them always from Prodigy. And
>>> lastly does your list offer emotional support? I'm still in shock, and
>>> am scared to death... Before last Thursday I didn't even know I had
>>> this. Thank you all.
>>> Kijuana
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Ed Bryant" <ebryant at socket.net>
>>> To: "Diabetes Talk for the Blind" <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Monday, November 03, 2008 3:42 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] I'm a silent Diabetic
>>>
>>>
>>>> Hi Kijuana,
>>>> I am glad you have joined our Diabetes talk list. There are
>>>> probably several ways we can assist you, but first it sounds like your
>>>> blood sugars are too high, so that should be an immediate goal to get
>>>> the sugars down.
>>>> Your doctor may have already had you do a lab called hemoglobin
>>>> A1C, which gives you your average blood sugar for a two or three month
>>>> period.
>>>> It sounds like you are testing your blood glucose levels, but there
>>>> is a fairly new blood glucose monitor out, which is pretty easy to use
>>>> for someone who is blind or has low vision. It is called the Prodigy
>>>> Voice and can be ordered from:
>>>> Homecare Supply of America
>>>>
>>>> Big Sandy, TX
>>>>
>>>> 800-333-1412
>>>>
>>>> Meter: $89.95
>>>>
>>>> Container of 50 strips: $21.95
>>>>
>>>> If you have Medicare they will pay for the meter and a few strips,
>>>> but they will only purchase you a new meter, I believe, every three
>>>> years.
>>>>
>>>> If you have Medicaid, they will help with a glucose meter, but they
>>>> can be difficult to work with. They are run state by state while
>>>> Medicare is nation wide.
>>>>
>>>> If you need to use Medicaid, please let us know, and I am sure you
>>>> will receive help from this list.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Regards,
>>>>
>>>> Ed Bryant
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: "K C" <kcc86 at hotmail.com>
>>>> To: <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Sent: Monday, November 03, 2008 9:12 AM
>>>> Subject: [Diabetes-talk] I'm a silent Diabetic
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Hello, everyone. My name is Kijuana.
>>>>> On Thursday the 30th of October I was diagnosed with Diabetes after
>>>>> Uterine surgery on the 23rd of October. I had no idea I had it.
>>>>>
>>>>> I'm so scared! I have never had to stick myself to test my blood
>>>>> sugar or
>>>>> anything else. I know a little about it because I have had personal
>>>>> friends
>>>>> who have
>>>>> suffered major complications from this disease, and some of them have
>>>>> died.
>>>>> Logically I know it is something people live with, and control
>>>>> everyday. I
>>>>> also understand that it is a very common illness. It's just that it
>>>>> has
>>>>> never been a part of my daily life.
>>>>>
>>>>> I don't know how to act, or react now. Because I have no symptoms I
>>>>> don't
>>>>> know how to eat differently or anything else. Over the past few days
>>>>> I have
>>>>> continued to do like I always have, but the numbers on the blood tests
>>>>> say
>>>>> different. Its silence scares me more than if I had some weird
>>>>> symptoms,
>>>>> went to my Doctor, and was diagnosed then.
>>>>>
>>>>> How do you deal
>>>>> with the days, weeks, and months after diagnoses emotionally? They'll
>>>>> be a
>>>>> lot of education I'll get in the coming weeks on diet, life style
>>>>> changes,
>>>>> etc. But what I really need right now is those who're living with
>>>>> this
>>>>> disease to share their experiences with me so I can put my feet on
>>>>> some kind
>>>>> of ground. Thank you for reading all this. I feel totally
>>>>> disoriented. My
>>>>> state services for the blind leave a lot to be desired, so my
>>>>> councilor
>>>>> doesn't even know where to begin as far as purchasing a meter, testing
>>>>> supplies, etc. Any help will really be appreciated.
>>>>> Kijuana
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> Diabetes-talk mailing list
>>>>> Diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
>>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org
>>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>>> Diabetes-talk:
>>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org/ebryant%40socket.net
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> Diabetes-talk mailing list
>>>> Diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org
>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>> Diabetes-talk:
>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org/kcc86%40hotmail.com
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Diabetes-talk mailing list
>>> Diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> Diabetes-talk:
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org/ebryant%40socket.net
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Diabetes-talk mailing list
>> Diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> Diabetes-talk:
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org/kcc86%40hotmail.com
>>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Diabetes-talk mailing list
> Diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> Diabetes-talk:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org/dmgina%40qwest.net
>
More information about the Diabetes-Talk
mailing list