Diabetes Blog – Happy-Medium.net

Welcome to Diabetes Blog Week 2017! Diabetes Blog Week is just like it sounds… diabetes bloggers all over the world, blogging on daily topics for an entire week. Or, in this year’s case, for five days. To find out all about Diabetes Blog Week and to sign up, CLICK HERE.

This is my 6th year participating in Diabetes Blog Week, and I’m probably the least prepared this year that I have ever been. Chalk it up to a crazy work schedule and even crazier things happening at home. But, hey, everyone deals with that kind of stuff. No excuses… I love Diabetes Blog Week! Let’s get this party started with our first topic:

Diabetes can sometimes seem to play by a rulebook that makes no sense, tossing out unexpected challenges at random.  What are your best tips for being prepared when the unexpected happens?  Or, take this topic another way and tell us about some good things diabetes has brought into your, or your loved one’s, life that you never could have expected? (Thank you, Heather, for inspiring this topic!)

I have to confess that I’m not really very good when it comes to the unexpected. Oh, I think I’m really good at handling diabetes curveballs (an American baseball reference) in the long run, but when those unexpected happenings happen? I freak out. I overreact.

I’ll just pause for a moment while you get over your shock…

I know, I don’t usually seem to be the kind of person who gets upset over something. And it’s true, I try to be Mr. Even Keel most of the time, and let’s face it, this blog is named Happy Medium for a reason. But when something unexpected happens diabetes-wise, I’ve been known to react in a less than rational manner.

I’m no psychologist, but I think that’s kind of a coping mechanism. Because once I get over the shock, and scream about it (and even pout a little), I get down to the business of solving my problem.

And how do I do that? I usually start by thinking about what is absolutely necessary. Do I have insulin? Do I have a way to get it into my body so I can survive? As long as the answer to those two questions is yes, I know I’ll be all right for a while.

Then I move on to the specific problem at hand. Dexcom receiver not working? A few months ago, I was perfectly okay with that. I am still here, and I’ll likely be here until a new one arrives. Let’s call the company and get the new receiver here as soon as possible.Side note: this actually happened a few weeks back.

Unexpected lows two nights in a row? Very frustrating, but guess what? I survived. Now I know to be careful before I go to bed, and make sure I set the Dexcom alerts to the loudest setting possible, just in case I need to be woken in the middle of a deep slumber. Side note: this happened a couple of times in the past year.

There’s also something else I do. The Great Spousal Unit has made a point of discussing these scenarios after they occur, and discussing either possible solutions or possible ways to handle them to make them less stressful. This helps keep these situations in perspective for me, and helps us both work through these situations so we both know what to expect, and we both know how to handle them the best way possible.

Let’s face it… if you live with diabetes, expect the unexpected. But just like living with diabetes, everyone has a different way to handle the unexpected. And that’s okay. Find what works best for you. Talk to others to find out if they have found successful ways to deal with the same scenarios. And most of all, don’t blame yourself. If you have trouble with that, it’s understandable. That’s the time when friends and family can help.

The unexpected will happen. You are not alone. Make sure the most critical things are accounted for. And you will figure out the rest.