This is the day I wish I had every day, I put a lot of brain power into this day!
I’ve had good and bad weeks throughout my journey living with Diabetes. I told myself at the very beginning that if nothing else, I would be mindful of my self-care because ignoring it is what got me here in the very first place. Even if I had a few bad days, I would be honest, affirm what I did, and work to turn it around.
This May will be a year since my diagnosis, and I can’t believe how much I’ve learned about my body and how quickly the time has flown by, but I also can’t believe I’m having weeks like I just had.
These past weeks have been odd for me. I’ve had bouts dizziness, headaches, feeling faint, not being able to sleep. I pinched a nerve in my shoulder a few weeks ago, so I’ve been very limited on exercise until it feels 100% better. My numbers have been up and down in the past week mostly because I haven’t taken full care to do things like track my water intake, get some movement and sleep enough.
I’ve come to realize that living with this illness is about the holistic approach. There are several hundred things I feel like I have to check off of my list every day between how I eat, how I move, my symptoms for the day, glucose tests, insulin math, medications, good timing, and more. But it’s okay, because it makes my focus on myself much stronger than it has ever been, and although I don’t want to live this way, it’s actually kind of good for me.
I’ve been putting it behind me for a couple of weeks, and thinking that everything else is much more important than how healthy I am every day. I’m writing this as a reminder to myself, and to you, that you should be important enough to yourself to make your health a priority – always.
So, do it, damn it.
One Response
Thank you for your honesty. If I had started in my late 20’s taking care of myself, I would be better today. I will be 70 in June and spent most of my life in denial about my type two diabetes. I was gestational with both children but did not fully understand what that meant. Of course, this was long before the internet was around. It is never too late to change, grow and live. I am trying to live my best life now. I am following a low-carb regiment + metformin, and for the first time in years, my BS readings are improving. I don’t know you, but I am so proud of you and the work that you are doing. I see very few women of color who have created a platform for a disease that impacts our community.