We are almost done with my reviews of the Roche Social Media Summit. If anything at all, these have been some of the longest posts that I have ever written. I hope you have all enjoyed the posts about Jeffrey Brewer, IDF, and Dan Kane. Let’s get into the next.
I had never heard Dr. Polonsky speak before so I was very interested in this session because I have heard amazing things and I sensed how excited everybody was when they were told that he would be speaking the last session of the summit. Let me give a little bit of a background of myself and psychological side when it comes to diabetes. I have diabetes. I was diagnosed at 19, so I knew a whole other life before this and it totally changed. So I had two options, bitch and complain about it and let it get me upset or accept it and move forward and continue to live life to the fullest and not let it get in my way. I chose option two. I know most of us have chosen option two, but still get down from time to time, and that is fine. And for those situations, Dr. Polonsky would be an amazing help to me if I was in that situation. Fortunately, I have never let diabetes get me down, or make me upset, or not do something because I had diabetes.
One of the subjects that Dr. Polonsky was talking about was the idea of a glucose getaway. Getting away from your diabetes. I have diabetes, so how could I get away from it? Why do I need to get away from it? It’s a disease I have, it’s going to be with me, so why try and fool myself? I think this is the biggest thing to learn in order to not get so upset about diabetes. Don’t look at it as needing a getaway from it. It’s your life, live it to your fullest.
Before I continue, I want to stress that I am not trying to sound harsh here or downplay depression that comes from diabetes and think negatively of those that are affected by it, by no means do I mean any of those things. I am actually trying to help. Help you see another side of it, and how I am able to handle situations and what helps me not get affected by this. I get more upset when Michael Vick throws an interception or the Eagles fumble, than I do when I have a blood sugar of 450 during the middle of the game.
I was impressed with Dr. Polonsky’s method of speaking and is humor. He really knew how to work a crowd and even inserted a few funny pictures and a great viral video from YouTube. The best part of the Dr. Polonsky sessions was how it turned into a support group. Other attendee’s were opening up about their issues and how they get down at times, and everybody was there to lift them back up, and also were given hugs from Cherise, what an amazing human being. At times it was making me think, maybe I’m an outcast because I don’t let these things affect me. I don’t care if I have a high blood sugar, I just hit a few buttons on my pump and fix it. I don’t care that if I go to the beach, I’ll disconnect my pump or even take out my infusion set and just go pumpless for a while without even thinking about it. When I’m done, I’ll re-connect bolus and I’m right back to normal. 60*24*365 = 525,600. That is how many minutes are in a year. So, when my blood sugar is high and it comes down within an hour and let’s say that happens for one hour everyday of the year, that is only 4%….4 freaking percent! With diabetes, it is very important to see the larger picture, and not criticize yourself for something. Even if it was your fault, who the f*ck cares! Get over it and move on to the next one.
Like I said, this is just how I handle things. Everybody is different and everybody handles things differently, and I don’t think that there is just one right way to do something. Whatever way works for you is the best way in my eyes. So, I hope that I didn’t upset too many people, and if I did, please let me know, because I truly didn’t mean to.
Live on and don’t let so many things upset you. Be happy!
Isn’t it interesting how diverse opinions can be? Before Dr. Polonsky got up there to speak, I hadn’t ever heard him before. Saw him briefly in the past but hadn’t been exposed to anything he’d said and was generally aware of the type of behavioral health aspects he focuses on. So, I wasn’t thrilled like many seemed to be but was eager to hear. His discussion, and everyone’s words there, hit me right in the heart. It was so incredibly personal to me. Most of the time, I’m totally on the same page and just suck it up and do what’s needed. That’s how I’ve tried to be most of my life. But I have struggled with the depression, and am actually experiencing some of that lately (probably also fueled by my thyroid being out of whack) and I really am struggling these days. Just can’t seem to just suck it up, even though I know I need to, and that just makes me feel more guilty and withdrawn from everything and everyone. Maybe it’s because I was diagnosed at five, had my mom’s lifelong Type 1 to look on, and just lost hope when going through those “rebellion” years. Or maybe it’s just my personality and the differences in people. I really wish I didn’t get depressed and struggle sometimes, but sometimes for me it’s just seemed unavoidable. It’s not necessarily the numbers or regular routine stuff that gets to me – it’s more that general attitude of “hopelessness” of nothing I really do makes a difference in the end. But people like the Joslin 50 Year Medalists give me hope, and help me conquer that sense. I like the idea of a healthy “break” or “getaway” in the sense that it just allows me to not make D-Management such a focus. But you’re right: just doing what’s needed is the way to go.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on this, Chris. Like our friend Bennet always says: YDMV. And so it is. Now, on to baseball watching in hopes that we won’t find something to TRULY get upset about… :))