[acb-diabetics] The blame game

[Patricia LaFrance-Wolf]

The Blood Sugar Blame Game 

Meagan Esler

Feb 14, 2012 

  <http://www.diabeteshealth.com/media/images/article_images/7448.jpeg> 

Meagan Esler 

Wiped out and dejected, that's my state of mind this morning. I had a really
low blood  <http://www.diabeteshealth.com/browse/monitoring/blood-sugar/>
sugar, and it's left me feeling like I've been in a fight. My arms and legs
feel heavy, and my "low" headache lingers, but I remind myself that it could
be worse. I'm fine, I treated it, and my day will go on.

A Facebook friend posted a moment ago that she just had her third low
<http://www.diabeteshealth.com/browse/complications-and-care/low-blood-sugar
/> blood sugar of the morning. I sent her a cyber hug and am full of
sympathy. It's no wonder that low blood sugar is so frustrating to us: The
feelings associated with it go way beyond the physical. They also hit us
emotionally.

Here comes the blame game: I know that I should have eaten earlier. I know
that I shouldn't have tried to finish that paperwork before breakfast. I
even told myself that I was in for a low if I didn't grab something to eat
soon. And yet, even after seventeen years of life with type 1
<http://www.diabeteshealth.com/browse/community/type-1-issues/> diabetes
<http://www.diabeteshealth.com/> , I ignored my own warnings. Now here I am,
feeling exhausted and guilty for doing it to myself.

For me, the emotional toll of diabetes is far more difficult than the shots
and finger sticks. Guilt and diabetes go together like birthday cake and ice
cream. We blame ourselves if our blood sugars are too high or low. We beat
ourselves up if we don't get enough activity or if our doctor puts us on yet
another new medication.

I always feel like a failure if my stats are less than perfect, despite my
knowledge that with diabetes, perfection is out of reach. The reality is
that often our crazy blood sugars aren't our fault at all. It's impossible
to flawlessly mimic our own pancreas every day. On top of that, dealing with
a chronic illness twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, can break you
down and lead to mistakes. I know that this morning's low occurred because
of mistakes I made, but I force myself to remember that mistakes happen with
diabetes.

When I'm beating myself up and feeling bad, I think of what a type 1
<http://www.diabeteshealth.com/browse/community/type-1-issues/>  friend said
to me after a recent rough low blood sugar: "Keep your chin up. Just like
the last one, and the next one, it'll pass." He's right. We've got to dust
ourselves off, let go of the blame, and get back into the game of life.

  _____  

Categories:Chronic
<http://www.diabeteshealth.com/browse/complications-and-care/chronic-illness
/> Illness, Emotional
<http://www.diabeteshealth.com/browse/complications-and-care/emotional-toll-
of-diabetes/> Toll of Diabetes, Finger
<http://www.diabeteshealth.com/browse/monitoring/finger-sticks/> Sticks,
Guilt
<http://www.diabeteshealth.com/browse/complications-and-care/guilt-and-diabe
tes/> and Diabetes, Low
<http://www.diabeteshealth.com/browse/complications-and-care/low-blood-sugar
/> Blood Sugar, Mistakes
<http://www.diabeteshealth.com/browse/complications-and-care/mistakes/> ,
Type 1  <http://www.diabeteshealth.com/browse/research/type-1-diabetes/>
Diabetes

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