although diabetes is a really nasty thing to have and i often hate it with a passion there are times that I'm really thankful that i did get diagnosed with it. that might sound strange and you might think I'm weird but sometimes you have to look at the positives of what you've been given :)
firstly i think the biggest thing I'm thankful to diabetes for is all of the friends i have made. when your diagnosed diabetic its quite easy to think that you are the only one dealing with it but when you actually open your eyes and look you realise how many people out there are going through the same things as you..... i have come across at least 3 people at the same college, 3 members of my family and at least 2 other children who i have worked with who are all diabetic.... if that wasn't enough i have also managed to come across the DOC (diabetes online community) i have been part of that now for about 18months and they feel like family to me, they are always there if I'm having a tough day and need to get myself back on track, they are there in the middle of the night when I'm low and need someone to talk to, they are there every day and they understand what i am going through which is lovely to know.
next I'm grateful for diabetes making me more independent. before i was diagnosed i refused to ring people whether that be doctors, companies or even family..... however, seeing as i was 16 at diagnosis the doctors refused to give my mum my test results to confirm whether i was diabetic or not (patient confidentiality, over 16's are treated like adults), i had to do it and from there my journey to independence began.... i now sort all of my own doctors appointments, blood tests, consultant and eye appointments, sharps box collections and also ringing the companies who supply my meter if theres ever anything i need replaced..... it might not seem much but this has helped me a great deal with now having to sort out my university placements and accommodation :)
i am thankful for the organisation skills that diabetes has forced upon me. every day i need to remember my insulin, meter, hypo treatments, needles, test strips and pricker as well as any college books or items that i need to give to someone.... and although there are days that i do forget to bring something, i am now a lot more organised than i used to be. i now pack my bag the night before so that i know i have remembered everything and i also keep spare supplies at college..... also, i have to be organised with my prescription making sure i have enough supplies to see me through the weekend (especially the bank holiday ones)
i am now more aware of my health and listen to my body more..... i used to just ignore health problems until they were really serious and i didn't used to think about my diet because my own body dealt with what i ate so i didn't have to think about carb values. i also now have to think about how my body is feeling more..... am i feeling tired because my sugars are high or just because i didn't sleep enough? am i feeling shaky because I'm low or because I'm nervous? its simple things like that that make me think about how my body is feeling and the possible causes behind it.....
I'm thankful that i was diagnosed in the UK so that i can get free health care and prescriptions... if i was in another country i would have to pay for this and in some of the poorer places there isn't even the necessary treatment to stay alive....
finally I'm grateful that it was diabetes that i was diagnosed with..... yes diabetes is a nasty illness, but there are much worse things out there. i am soo thankful that this is a disease that can be treated successfully and fairly easily (compared to others).... i sit and watch programs about sick children and feel lucky that it was only diabetes.... i will live to a decent age, i will be able to stay at home to get treatment, i know that every day i don't look 'sick' and that i can lead a normal life
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