New to Diabetes

Almost two weeks ago, I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. As you can imagine, it was quite a shock to myself and my family. As I rode to the hospital that day to begin my education on diabetes, I thought about all of the changes that would occur in my life. For starters, I am an avid chocoholic! Chocolate is my favorite food and I rarely go anywhere without some form of it on my person. However, diabetes would change all of that, I thought. I was pondering this when a horrible thought hit me: I can't do needles! How in the world was I going to manage giving myself insulin? But, as with many things in my life, I decided to leave it to God and He would handle it. After all, He has everything under control.

So overall, hospital time was...overwhelming! So much information in so little time! I now think I have a college degree in diabetes...well, maybe not quite yet, but I'm working on it. I found that learning about diabetes, and even just diabetes in general, can easily become frustrating to someone who has just discovered they have it. But fortunately, God is amazing, has so much compassion, and can work miracles...literally! By the second day I was in the hospital, I could somehow inject myself with insulin with out going pale and passing out! I can't explain it, except that God had given me the strength and the ability to handle whatever came my way with this new change.*

My advice: take it one step at a time. Doctors, nurses, family, and friends are there to help and support you-take advantage of that! If there is something that is not understood, keep asking questions until you get it. That will make this new life changing situation so much easier and it can be faced with confidence. Another suggestion if you are a new diabetic: find someone who also has diabetes and talk with them about it. I have a friend who was diagnosed with diabetes about three months before I was. She is about my age. Her advice, suggestions, and understanding made my adjustment SO much better! There are so many people out there with diabetes and they all "get" what you are feeling.

I'll sum up what I have learned in the past couple of weeks in these three points:

1.) Get a routine: You will notice that that is a word everyone uses when talking about diabetes. But it is so important. When you get home and start making meals on your own, write menu plans down on paper so you can always double check. It will feel so much better knowing that you are on track. Stick with times for meals, snacks, insulin, and so forth.

2.) Don't be afraid to ask: Usually after you get home from the hospital, the doctors will have you call in for the next few days to report your numbers. If there is anything unusual going on or you are unclear about something, simply ask! That's why they are there. Even if it is some small thing that you think you should know the answer to, don't let pride get in the way, double check. Also, your family is there to help you. Maybe they don't know quite as much about diabetes as you do, but they can help you check carb counts, insulin numbers, and other things.

3.) Your life is still your life: Even though this is a very big life change, you still have the same friends, same interests, same beliefs, and you are the same person. Obviously, this is a huge change in the levels of chocolate intake that I get, however, I am learning that it just makes me more excited when I do get that chocolatey treat. :) Diabetes shouldn't be your life...it's just one of those things that becomes part of your life.

I hope this helps those of you that may be new to diabetes. One of the first things I heard when I found out I had diabetes was from my diabetic friend. She said, "It's super hard now. But trust me; it gets better." That is so true. Even two weeks after getting the diagnosis, I am feeling better and have a routine. So that is my encouragement to you diabetic newbies: it gets better!

* "For we know that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose." ~Romans 8:28