Temporary Derailments

Picture that we are all on a train trip together & there are some unexpected delays, detainments, and derailments.  If we have either CAA or AAA for our personal vehicles, what do we have as “insurance” for life’s derailments?

Although, I find that my natural state of being is to be somewhat disorganized in many ways, it is something that in specific areas of life, I have had to make a choice to find the resources & points of action that help me to overcome this.  Life is all about choices.  There are times when we choose to do nothing about certain things in our lives.  We cannot do everything in a day that we want to so the things that matter most to us are the activities that we try our best to focus on during the majority of the time.  The choice comes in when & whether I de-clutter (for the zillioneth time) the rooms in our home or other household tasks on the weekends or if the choice is to get outside with our sons.  Well, from the state of our home, it is evident which choice is most often made.  Frankly, I can afford to be less organized with “stuff” around the house however in other areas of life, the cost of not having some order is a price too high to pay.

The area of life that is provided with attention & course correction in my life is health.  Whether you have diabetes or another “365” health struggle, you may find that you too are finding your way  when it comes to your health.  It would be amazing to give the health challenge a “time out” but alas, there is a natural consequence that stems from that choice.  The “I don’t feel like it” thinking becomes a thing of the past once you have a “365 challenge.”  If we have type 1 diabetes & we tell ourselves that we either don’t feel like checking our blood sugars or carb counting or changing our infusion sites, exercising, or any of the other aspects of 24/7 care, what is the natural outcome of that choice?  Is the price too high we each ask ourselves?  That is a question & choice that we make day in & day out.

On those inevitable days when we feel physically & in other ways tired from & of looking after this thing called diabetes, what can we choose to do to stay on that “train ride” & not derail?  Maybe, we need in advance, a “D-Emergency” kit.  I have found that the first thing that I choose to keep continuously in my “D-Emergency” kit is “a bigger yes” so that I then say no automatically to that voice that sometimes screams out, “don’t worry about diabetes today because I don’t feel like looking after that just for today.”  My belief is that if each one of us spends at least a wee bit of time in silence & reflection, that we will know exactly what our personal “bigger yes” is.  Have you found that your “bigger yes” is a person or group of loved ones?  Me too, big time!  We look & think about our loved ones & the future that we want with them & we are way beyond, “motivated.”  Okay, diabetes, what do we have to do to make sure that we each get to be in those future memories with our Dear Hearts we may find ourselves asking from time to time.  Do we want to be bothered with the time, energy & effort it takes to day in & day out look after diabetes?  What is the price of not looking after this though?  How big is our “yes?”    My heart’s hope is that your “bigger yes” is so huge that on those days where you find yourself tired out from the challenges, that you find the exact strength you need for the day to care for you. 

In my “D-Emergency” kit, it contains the reminders of what it feels like to not feel well.  That reminder serves as a guidepost I find to propel me into caring for doing the pancreas’ job because I want to feel as well as possible.  Let’s face it, high blood sugar is not only exhausting, but it also carries with it nothing but negatives.  On the other side of things, being “shakey Mommy” is also another part of life that is best minimized.  Sometimes, knowing what we don’t want is another way of getting us to do what it takes to put in the activities needed to care for ourselves.

If we know ourselves, then we sure know that what works for me will not necessarily be the answer for you & vice versa.  I admire folks who have a commitment to the gym or a running regime.  The reality is though  that it is not a lifestyle choice that long-term I am realistically going to stick with.  I found that I do however love walking & the best part is that my “personal trainer” is always all in for a walk.  Structure is something that I don’t fancy much & I love to change things up daily yet discipline & accountability are personally important.  You may be able to say that you too are accountable to your dog to take the furry friend for a daily walk.  Well, that’s a win-win!  I love being outdoors so a walk outside is medicinal & as I like to say, “the more trees, the more medicinal!”  There is the next thing in the “D-Emergency” kit & that is discipline.  That is my antidote as well to the “I don’t feel like it today” type of thinking.

What else can we add to our “D-Emergency” kits?  As Dr. Seuss says, maybe it is “a who,not a what” a lot of the times.  Do we have friends, family, other community members that have diabetes too, or mentors that we can call upon for encouragement, informed advice, care & support?  I find that I cannot have too many “whos” in my emergency kit.  Each “who” gives a unique & beautiful gift.

How about music & humour?  Is there music that lifts your spirit?  There are many songs that I will blast if I need a lift.  Here are a number of songs that “get me back on track”:  “Tubthumping” by Chumbawumba, “Who Let the Dogs Out”, “Atomic Dog”, “Mambo Number 5”, “Meant to Fly”, “Shine”, “Welcome to Wherever You Are”& “A Song for Mama” & "Pocketful of Sunshine."  As a little aside, one of our sons last week added a new song to my iPod music & mentioned that the song would remind me “to do what is needed each day” & then he laughed & winked.  I checked to see what the song was & what title did I see?  It was “Stayin Alive!”  Great sense of humour with love & care, right?  Music & humour definitely are in abundance in my “D-Emergency” kit!

What can we “wrap”  our “D-Emergency” kit in to make it worth keeping on hand?  The answer may be different for each one of us.  I have found that the “wrapping” of knowing with every fibre of our being that we belong & are loved & cared about makes me want to go to the emergency kit when needed. 

My heart’s hope for you is that you have all the loved ones, resources & needs unique to you within your “D-Emergency” kit.  Best of all, may your kit be wrapped with the absolute knowledge that you belong to a community that cares & loves you.

Smiles, Saundie :)