Humans Are So Contradicting...or is it only ME?

Eversince I am dignosed with Diabetes, I withdraw myself from my friends for 1-2 years. I felt that they will look at me at a different way. I even felt that the whole world will look at me at a different way. I was very demoralised.....
Slowly, I began to realize that Diabetes is going to be part of me for the rest of my life. From denial and withdrawal, I moved on to acceptance. Accepting that diabetes will be with me for the rest of my life. I start to let some of my closer friends and colleagues know that I have a condition. Not because I wanted to announce to the world but I need their understanding and also to look out for me when I have hypos.....They will know what to do and not let me pass out.
Somehow, more people know that I am diabetic. Some of my friends told me that its common now and they do not feel I am any different from other people. Nothing to be shy away just because I am diabetic. At the back of my mind, I still have this impression that people will look at me at a different way because I am different from them. I am type 1 and I need to live with needles.
Though I will appear in a diabetes related magazine soon but I still feel I will be ostracized by "normal" people. [Devil is working now to tell me that i will be ostracized, even when Angel is trying to tell me that I am normal]

Completed by Certificate in Basic Diabetes Education Course

It's been a long time since I update my blog. Sorry to my readers....

Recently, I attended a short course organized by Touch Diabetes Support. The course is called: Certificate in Basic Diabetes Education.

Spent 4 Saturdays at the Center learning more about diabetes and how to better to manage it by food and diet and also exercise. Frankly speaking, I had this condition for 12 years and should know all the basics about Diabetes Management. Eversince I had this condition, I would say I "alienated" myself from people. I do not want to join support groups because I think I can manage it myself on my own. As long as I stay away from sweet stuffs like ice cream, deserts, cakes, etc, I should be fine. If I monitor it and inject the right amount of insulin and visit doctor every 3 months, I should be ok.

Joining this course has helped me "open" myself up a little and also learn more about diabetes management. What I have gained from this course:

1) Make new friends with has the same condition as me. Somehow their acceptance level of this condition is higher and faster than me. It took me a few years before I can accept this condition is already part of me.

2) I used to shun away from muffins, cakes or biscuits with sweet fillings because they are sweet and will raise my blood glucose to a uncontrollable level. But I learnt that I can still enjoy these food as long as I test myself before consuming. Of course I still need to watch what I eat. Good thing is that I am not a person who loves to eat. I just eat to fill my stomach only. Once in a while I will still have cravings but if my blood glucose level is normal, cravings for these food will not cause me much harm.

3) Food labels reading. I used to wonder how to read these when I am in the supermarket. What they means to me and how I can apply them and eat healthily.

4) Carobohydrate counting. This is the most challenging topic because it can be very confusing for me. Maybe I am too hard up on the carbo exchange and food and try meeting it... I think I need lots of practise and guidance on this. I might get lost with the exchanges...

5) Glycemic Index. Some food has high GI and some has low GI. All along I thought ice cream able to help me get my glucose back when I am having hypos. Even doctors told me ice cream might not help me in my hypos but I do not know why. From this course, I know it has low GI, that's why it does not raise my glucose level fast enough.

6) Fruit juice will raise my glucose level. I have no idea before this. I all along thought that doctors and dietitans encouraged us to eat fruits so fruit juice will bring no harm. I am wrong. Fruit juice go into our blood stream faster and hence will raise our glucose level high faster than eating the real fruit.

7) Better off to be FAT and FIT than SKINNY and SEDENTARY. All along, I thought fat people are not healthy. But I am wrong again. FAT and FIT people in fact are healthier than THIN people. Next time when I talk to a FAT person, I will need to check if he/she does exercise. haha

8) Knowing new friends from the course also helped me to know there are many interesting things and food outside that is beneficial to us, diabetic.

On the last day, we had a short test. Phew....I passed the test. Before we leave for the day, we were sharing of our action plans. One of the course mates shared something very interesting:

He learnt to love his pancreas!

Well, my pancreas gave up on me. :( But I will need to love other organs like kidney, heart and my limbs.

Will try to join more activities and get support from friends who care about diabetes.