Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Finding Humour in Diabetes


Diabetes is very serious, did you know it is the leading cause in kidney failure and amputation? Also that over 300,000 Canadians live with type 1 diabetes?  COULD YOU IMAGINE if my blog bombarded you with this information daily? Giving you facts about diabetes and what the likelihood of my survival is. Not only would my readers be depressed, but I am pretty sure I would be drowning in tears.

I know the facts and I have seen the consequences of not controlling blood sugar; however, these things should stay on the papers of medical documents and don't belong on here.  No type 1 wants to hear about their possible chance for kidney failure or blindness or that they were the lucky ones that got picked out of 300,000 Canadians - why couldn't I be picked for the jackpot lottery instead - I am sure my chances were similar if not better.

Instead of rolling in money, buying Coach purses and fancy diamonds, I am rolling in OSAP's funds and buying test strips and vials of insulin.    Not exactly the lottery if you ask me.   However, I have accepted that I am not a millionaire, nor a billionaire; rather, I am a diabetic...

And even though I don't want to hear about how your cat got diabetes and now you have to put her down and that guy's great uncle Melvin can't see because of the complications of the Big D - I still hear it daily which I think adds to my humour about diabetes, because without humour I think I would be scared to leave my room and would be sipping on water and soda crackers for the rest of my life.

So,  how is diabetes humorous? If you've ever watched the evening cartoons like Family Guy maybe you could get a glimpse at diabetes humour. It truly is everywhere, but mainly about type 2 diabetes. But diabetics don't get mad at this, well at least I don't think so, we don't get mad at Family Guy for having Wilfred Brimley talk about his aggression while having a high blood sugar instead we get mad at when Dr.Oz doesn't justify what diabetes he is speaking about.

But, I don't get my diabetes humour from t.v sitcoms - I just get it from living with diabetes.  I know that diabetes can cause some damage, but I also know that living with diabetes can be a little funny.  Who else can eat like mad and no one will judge them? Do you know anyone that can lasso a door handle with 23 inch tubing?   These little life moments are hilarious.

I started thinking about this today when Michelle and I were interviewed by the Western Gazette about my blogs.  Michelle and I have been best friends for years now and she pretty much is the biggest diabetes groupie I have ever met.  As we were both being interviewed I began to realize how many inside jokes we had about diabetes or even just moments that involve diabetes that we laugh about.   Why is it funny that time I went low in Wal-Mart - well you had to be there to understand.

Michelle said after to me that she didn't realize how much she knew me. But, I think it is more so, we didn't realize how much we have shared since she knew me pre-diabetes and now with diabetes.  I think since she is probably the closest person to me, especially now being my roommate, she has a good idea about what diabetes is like and finds the humour in it - which a lot of people are scared to do.

Diabetes isn't a joke, but it doesn't have to be taboo. I'll gladly applaud you for making a diabetes joke because that is better than telling me that I might end up like your Great Uncle Melvin...no one wants to end up like that.

Kayla

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