A conversation that I recently had:
Pharmacist: You are on only two medications! That’s amazing!!
Me: Actually, it’s three.
Pharmacist: ???? Two.
Me: Don’t forget the Insulin.
Pharmacist: Oh, right!!! But you are like a rock star diabetic! Nobody is on just two meds!
Now, it did feel good to be called a rock star diabetic. Because nobody has ever EVER called me that.
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| Credit: Valerei |
This conversation came 26 years - almost 10,000 days - after my diagnosis, and it did make me feel kind of warm and fuzzy inside. But I would bet there are lots of PWD - People With Diabetes - who are not on other meds, like children for example. But I’m not going to argue that point.
Because what strikes me is this:
Has insulin become so ubiquitous in our culture, that it is no longer seen as a medication with its own challenges?
Is this why people shrug diabetes off? Is it why people tend to think that all you need to do is eat well, take your insulin, take your meds, and all will be well?
Does it take a diagnosis of diabetes, and living with diabetes for a while to understand that insulin is not a cure? That even with the modern advances of better insulins and technology, that there are still many challenges for those who inject or pump it everyday?
Insulin is not a cure, and it is not easy to manage. But I do my best to manage it. Every day.
And that makes me a Rock Star. And if you are a Person With Diabetes, that makes you a Rock Star too.
So when you're not feeling much like a Rock Star, and it will happen from time to time, remember that it's a matter of perspective.
When it rains, look for rainbows
When it's dark, look for stars
Esther Comau
