I Can...(Say Yes)

In the UK, there was a diabetes blog theme of "I can...” that participants found wonderfully empowering. So lets kick things off this year by looking at the positive side of our lives with diabetes. What have you or your loved one accomplished, despite having diabetes, that you weren't sure you could? Or what have you done that you've been particularly proud of? Or what good thing has diabetes brought into your life? (Thank you to the anonymous person who submitted this topic suggestion.)




(I save things.This is no secret,but if you're looking for obscure insulin pump promo posters from the turn of the century, odds are I have them.)

December, 1998.

"You can't be in the military."

"You can't fly a plane."

"You can't be in the FBI or police or anything along those lines."

"You can have a child, and odds are that child won't have diabetes!!"
(quite frankly,it wasn't really on the radar at the time and the added bit about passing it on
made me that much more annoyed/freaked about it.)

"You can't eat what you want, when you want...you must eat three meals and two snacks every day."

"You can't go barefoot on the beach."

"You can't drink anything with sugar in it unless you're low, and you must follow your meal plan."

"You can't go without your medical alert."



Back in the day, and even still, the switch to an insulin pump was a very big, big thing. Because suddenly all those things that they said you "had" to do, gained a small amount of wiggle room. Suddenly, some people could do those things..and then most people could do those things, and it was a brave new world of pump wearing, barefoot baring,eat whatever you want daredevil PWD who were doing all this and rocking their respective sub 6 a1cs. (even some T1's in the military) And you wanted to be a part of that.

So you said yes.

You said yes to that switch from Regular and Lente to Humalog and Lente.

You said yes to that switch from H&L to the pump.

You said yes to switching to a new meter.

You said yes to starting to read diabetes blogs and websites and getting to know others with the disease.

You said yes to getting a CGM.

You said yes to being an active participant in your care-not just letting your doctor telling you what to do.

You said yes to plunging ahead toward your dream job, whether or not it worked out.

You said yes to having a baby, & letting your heart walk around on the outside forever and ever.

You said yes to the prospect of a brighter, diabetes-less, tomorrow.


Because I see others doing those things, and diabetes never stole that from me.(even if their path isn't my path, its not a diabetes thing)