Highs, Lows and Plateaus

Ah, Psychology

21st January, 2009 - Posted by Mandy -

Just as the title of this blog suggest, living with Diabetes is an up-and-down endeavor. One of my most recent posts was about my recent frequency of lows. And then, a few nights ago, came the opposite. I woke up one morning to discover that my pump was disconnected. I must have forgotten to reconnect before going to bed (either that or had an involved dream and disconnected it in my sleep). I checked my blood and lo and behold, 400! Needless to say, I felt like crap. And I was scared.

So often, good management has led me to underestimate the seriousness of my “condition.” But all it takes is a few 30’s, or an occasional 400, to wake up and smell the reality. I think a healthy distance has allowed me and probably many others to cope on a daily basis with the challenges and dangers of Diabetes–but how healthy is that distance? I’m inclined to say it’s a necessity. The other side of the coin just might be self-pity, and while it’s sometimes unavoidable, it’s not productive or healthy, at least for me.

But then there’s my husband, and/or my mom, who hear the number 400 and their eyes bug out of their heads. I act casual, with a wave of the hand, because what good will it do me to be scared? And here’s the awkward segue to The Placebo Effect.

There’s a lot of evidence (which is growing every year) about the Placebo Effect. Dr. Foster has suggested on several occasions that once the cure becomes part of the mass consciousness, it will happen. So how can it hurt me to believe I am invincible despite my Diabetes? This doesn’t mean I don’t take good care of myself. I exercise, count carbs, and take herbal supplements, and even though this maintenance is time and mind consuming, the “seriousness of my condition” rarely sets in.

So what about you? If you have Diabetes, how often do you think or feel about your mortality or the dangers of complications, etc? I’d love to hear from any of you out there in cyberland reading this post. Thank you and best wishes!