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Do You Know How Lucky You Are?!?

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Tonight, I was checking in on Facebook when I noticed something familiar!  This post was making the rounds!  

I was surprised!  I originally wrote this post back in December 2010.  More than two years ago.  But as I reread it, I have to say that it's as true today as it was back then.

As bloggers, we are honored and humbled that people not only READ our words but SHARE them!  We LOVE it when you are touched enough by something that we have written to share it with your friends and family.  We ask just one little thing... 

Please, PLEASE give credit to the original author and please, PLEASE do not "edit" our words.  Most blogs you read are copyrighted.  But more than that...  My words are like little pieces of my heart.  My blogs are like children (in a way...).  When someone takes those words and shares them without giving credit and edits them... it hurts.  It's like someone posting a picture of your child but claiming that the child is theirs and not yours. 

That is what happened to this post.  

Then others started posting it, too... never knowing it had been taken without permission.  Of course, they felt terrible when they realized what happened.  But it wasn't their fault!  It reminds me of this...


Wise man....!  

Anyway, I'm flattered that my words strike enough of a chord with anyone that he or she would have the desire to share them!  And I love for you to share them!  Just please "Give Credit.. Don't Edit!"  Ha!

And without further ado... here is the original post - circa 2010!


Do you know how lucky you are?


If you've never had to pierce your child's flesh.


If you've never entered your child's bedroom with baited breath, waiting to know they are alive before you exhale.


If you have - but know that that possibility is remote and highly unlikely.


If you don't see your child's blood every single day.


If you can feed your child without thinking twice.  


If you don't have to count every morsel that goes into their mouths.


If you can send your child to school without any extra care, notification, preparation.


If you can let your child go off to play at a friends house with any added stress or explanation or directions.



If you can sleep for more than 3 hours at a time.



If the medicine cabinet on your bathroom is still functioning and has just about enough room.



If you don't have a sharps container in your house.



If your pharmacy does not know you well enough to call you by first name.



If you don't have to BEG your insurance company to give you 

enough supplies to keep your child healthy.



If you don't visit a hospital every 3 months.



If you don't worry when your child falls down when playing or falls asleep in the car that he or she is actually passed out from a hypoglycemic episode.



If you don't carry around an enormous amount of medical supplies every where you go.



If you don't know what normal blood sugar is.



If your life has never been divided into before and after.



If you never spent a week in the hospital learning to keep your child alive.



If you don't fear a simple cold or a 24 hour stomach bug.  If you'd never even imagine that it could land you in the ER.



If you don't have to FIGHT so that your child can be like everyone else.



If you don't know what insulin smells like.



If you don't know how to fill a syringe. 


If you don't juggle carb counts, carb rations, ISF's, and IOB information at the same time.



If you have no idea what any of that means.


If you've never had to hold your child down to give her a shot.  Multiple times a day.  Every day.  


If you've never listened to your child cry and scream, "NO!  Mommy, Don't hurt me."



If you've never had to answer your child when she asked, "Why me?  Why am I different?  Will it ever go away?"



If you don't stare death in the face every day.



If you don't really know anything about Type 1 diabetes.



Do you know how lucky you are?  Do you know how much you take for granted every day?  Do you know how much easier life is without diabetes?



Do you?



Before April 27, 2009 - I didn't.  I had no idea.  I had no idea how lucky I was.  



I had no idea how easy meal times were.  I had no idea how simple it was to get my child a glass of juice or milk.  I had no idea what a "bad cold" or "illness" was REALLY like.  I didn't know anything about carbs.  Or insurance.  Or needles.  Playing, dancing, going to school... it was all so easy.  



I had no idea.  I took so much for granted.



But now....



Now I'm on the other side.  







And do you know how lucky I am?


I know how to fill a syringe.



I know how to give a shot and insert a cannula.



I know how to count carbs and calculate insulin doses.  



I have insulin to give my child.



I have a pharmacy staff that is caring and kind.



I have a top rate children's hospital to treat my child.



I have a closer family.


I have deeper relationships.



I have enough supplies to keep my child alive and healthy.



I have been humbled by something bigger than me.



I have a school and teachers who love my child and care for her like she's their own.



I have learned to ask for help.



I have learned that I can't do it all.



I have learned to cherish the good days.



I have learned to enjoy the moment.


I have learned how fragile life is.


I have learned how strong I really am.


There are days that I hate diabetes.  I hate what it does to my child and me and my family.  I hate what it means.  I hate all that we have to do to just to appear normal and live a normal life.  I hate all that it takes away.  I hate all that it demands of us.



There are days.... days when I wish it had never entered our lives.  Days when I am so incredibly jealous of those whose lives are so much easier.  Of those who don't deal with diabetes.  Of those who don't worry daily about their child's mortality.



And when I have one of those days.....  I try to think of lucky I am.  Of all the good D has brought into our lives.  



Because I can't make it go away.  



All I can do is look for the blessings.  And feel lucky.



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8 comments:

  1. I am the mother of a 6 year little boy who has just been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. All I want to say to you is THANKYOU, for you blog today, it has given me the strength in dealing with diabetes and what it has done to my son and family...

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  2. I am sorry that was happening. It happens a lot (to me and others) with pictures as well. I love taking pictures and I hate to have to watermark them, but it also feels like people take a piece of ME when they steal them.

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  3. I did borrow this and post it to my facebook page but I made sure to link back to this page. Because I am thankful that I have the ability to help my child every day. But there are days...that this disease sucks..and it's not fair that I have to give my daughter shots every day. But I am lucky that I have a daughter to give Shots to every day. Because I could be like many parents years ago that do not get to help their children as much as I do every day.

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  4. Thanks for stating my feelings so eloquently ~ I identified with almost every line. D has brought so many incredilble people & experiences into my & my family's lives that some days I feel so blessed. Other days, I want to curl up & hide under the covers until it all goes away, but it never will... My daughter remembers some 'before' (dx 1-17-2005 @ 8 1/2 y/o) and my son remembers much more of 'before' (dx 8-29-2010 @ 11 y/o)... and I remember all of it, before & after and wish I didn't some days. Life doesn't stop for anyone, and all we can do is keep putting one foot in front of the other & pray that the next day is better than the one before.
    Thanks again & I hope today is a good one for you.

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  5. I was a teen when I was diagnosed, 40 years ago, with what was then called "Juvenile Diabetes." Fortunately for me, a few weeks before my diagnosis I knew something wasn't right with my body, but I was clueless as to what was wrong, and our family was vacationing far from home. As the symptoms became more pronounced, I thought, deep down, that whatever I had might be fatal (though I never shared this thought with my parents.) When I was placed in the hospital after my return home, and learned from the attending endocrinologist that I had diabetes, he expressed his sadness at my diagnosis. I was ecstatic, because I learned that diabetes was not fatal! I soon learned that it USED to be fatal, and that made me feel even luckier. Attitude may not be EVERYTHING, but it can help a lot!

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  6. Oooh girl I know how that goes. Yes please link and give credit but most important don't edit our words!!

    I love this post today a much as the day you posted it.

    Love you too:)

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  7. I'm late reading this and I'm so sorry your words were edited. But I'm grateful that you had a reason to repost this. I'm totally crying right now and I'm not even a parent, but an adult with type 1 diabetes, and you're right, all we can control is our attitude. I try (as hard as it is some days) to remember the blessings. That some people don't have access to insulin... I have health insurance. I have insulin. I am alive and in control (most days!) and I have a greater appreciation for life because of diabetes. Not a lot of people can say that. This is a great post! Thanks so much!

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  8. I'm glad I was diagnosed as an adult so my mommy never had to deal with any of this. I know she still worries about me, but she's never had to give me a shot or count carbs for me or check my sugar at 3 am.

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