Divabetic

On last night’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast I discussed the topic of ‘anger and diabetes’ with our panel of experts.

If you have or are feeling angry about your diabetes – you’re not alone. It’s more common than you think. Diabetes is the perfect breeding ground for anger. Anger can start at diagnosis with the question, “Why me?” You may dwell on how unfair diabetes is: “I’m so angry at this disease! I don’t want to treat it. I don’t want to control it. I hate it!”

Poet Lorraine Brooks shares her perspective on what makes people with diabetes feel angry in her new poem, ‘Bittersweetness’ written specifically for August’s Diabetes Late Nite.

‘Bittersweetness’ by Lorraine Brooks

I have diabetes, that’s generally known,

And sometimes there’s cause for concern.

When others assume, that what I have shown

Is reason for them to be stern.

So what makes me angry, occasionally,

Is questioning my food decisions.

It’s when people judge, even well-meaningly,

And then look at me with derision.

It’s when doctors give me a guilt-making talk,

As if I have failed in my dealing.

It’s when people think that they’re walking the walk,

But they don’t understand how I’m feeling.

I often get angry when numbers don’t jive

In spite of the effort I’m making.

When blood sugars rise to two,hundred and five,

And my carb-counting may be mistaken.

Or how about not being able to lose

Any weight, even though I am trying.

I try all the diets, end up confused,

And sometimes I just feel like crying.

I never would choose this, the way that I live,

Because of the changes required.

And I can get angry and cannot forgive,

And I can get real sick and tired.

Counting, and checking, and eating, or not,

Cooking and shopping, and staying aware…

Trying to balance the changes I’ve got,

And making the most of my need for healthcare.

I know that some people will not understand,

That sometimes I’m hurt and I’m scarred.

But all I can say is, respect who I am,

And know that some days, it’s just HARD.

So walk in your beauty, and walk in your pride,

And use all your anger as fuel.

It’s not always easy to be on this ride,

And people,can often be cruel.

But also don’t let people,stand in your way

And don’t let yourself get unwound.

Even if you’re not feeling completely OK,

Get off of the merry-go-round!

Focus, be thoughtful,,and give it your best,

Because that’s really all you can do.

Let go,of the anger and feeling depressed…

Stand up, and enjoy being YOU!

LISTEN NOW: Diabetes Late Nite ‘ The Angry Show’ podcast hosted by Mr. Divabetic. Podcast guests include Author of “Overcoming Destructive Anger” Dr. Bernard Golden PhD, Dr. Lori Shemek PhD, Susan Weiner MS, RD, CDE, CDN, Laura Laria MA, CASAC-T, Jill Knapp- Woolsey, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Mama Rose Marie, and the Charlie’s Angels Outreach.

Our good friend, Judith Jones-Ambrosini would like to invite you the Wise Women of Diabetes Retreat on Friday, September 16, 2016 in Pumpkin Hollow Retreat Center near Hudson NY.

This retreat was designed for women with diabetes by women with diabetes, to integrate extraordinary self-care techniques in their day to day lives.

We are mothers, sisters, daughters, and grandmothers who have honed the skill of caring for others. Be it in the workplace or at home, we cook nutritious meals, care physically, emotionally and financially for our loved ones and yet, often, find little time to care deeply for ourselves.

If you are a woman with diabetes who has struggled to remember to test/monitor your blood sugar, gain adequate rest or exercise, feel overwhelmed or misunderstood, this Self-Care Retreat was designed specifically for you.

Research shows that stress elevates blood sugar and makes it harder to manage. This retreat focuses on useful ways to manage stress and manage your blood sugar as well as the other myriad elements of the challenge of diabetes.

This retreat program was designed by two Registered Nurses (type 1), a chef/author (type 1) and a psychotherapist (type 2).

REGISTER NOW: Wise Women Of Diabetes Retreat

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Is your relationship with diabetes like ‘Beauty & The Beast’? Do you feel like a beauty who is dealing with beastly blood sugars?

In the popular Disney movie, Beauty and the Beast a young woman named Belle lives in the captivity of a hideous monster, the Beast. For many people living with diabetes, it’s not hard to re-imagine the story line with diabetes in the role of the ‘beast’.

I reached out to Poet Lorraine Brooks to get her take on this diabetes twist to the popular fairy tale. Enjoy!

‘Beauty & The Beast’ by Lorraine Brooks

A beauty named Belle, says the story,

Was a lovely and humble young lass,

She was regal in all of her glory,

But she had diabetes, alas.

She thought diabetes was just a big beast,

And that it was going to get her.

But with education her courage increased,

And she knew she was going to get better.

One day she was high, And the next day too low,

She tested and looked at her meter.

She took her supplies with her, where’er she’d go,

Diabetes wasn’t going to defeat her.

She looked at that beast right straight in the face

And said, “I am not scared of you!”

Diabetes was something she couldn’t erase,

So she had to do all she could do!

Take care of it, own it, and make it your friend,

And don’t be afraid to embrace it.

There is no beast on earth that you cannot defend

If you only have courage to face it!

For eight years I presented diabetes education and empowerment at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) Expo in Pittsburgh, PA. Every year I would come up with a different theme to our outreach presentation to make learning about diabetes more fun and enjoyable. Our themes ranged from the ‘Golden Girls’ and ‘Gillian’s Island’ to Diabetes Time Machine.

One year I came up with the idea to present diabetes education using fairy tales. Its quite possible that I stumbled upon this idea after watching too many episodes of ABC’s ‘Once Upon A Time’ television series. I believe fairy tales can teach us about the higher qualities of ourselves and others and make us feel like we can conquer our fears about living with diabetes.

Thankfully Lorraine agreed to write nine wonderful Diabetes Fairy Tales featuring popular fairy tale characters and diabetes self-care advice for our Expo show. (Beauty & the Beast happens to be one mod my favorites.)

Before anyone accuses me of making ‘light’ of a diabetes diagnosis or diabetes self-management by using costumes, props and games in my ongoing diabetes outreach efforts, I’d like to add that every Divabetic program features qualified healthcare professionals. Although today it’s much more trendy to use ‘peers’ to educate about diabetes, I still prefer to working with healthcare professionals. Call me ‘crazy’ but I like the fact that certified diabetes educators spend over 3,000 hours learning about diabetes from a diverse patient base before they are certified. For our Diabetes Fairytales program, our Pittsburgh team featured an outstanding group of local educators, CDE’s, RN’s and MD’s who provided expert advice on different topics such as food, fitness and managing medications.

LISTEN NOW: Diabetes Fairytales podcast featuring Connie Frazier RD, CDE, Lori Bednarz RN, CDE, Makeup Artist and Esthetician Sue Perez, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Lorraine Starsky RN and Neva White CRNP, CD.

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