Wednesday, June 15, 2011

If I Can Do This, You Can Do This!


Today is the first official day of the You Can Do This Project.  I am so excited and grateful that Kim decided to launch this effort for the Diabetes Online Community.  We all get burned out at some point, or beat ourselves up, or make ourselves feel guilty about some factor of diabetes that we ultimately can’t control.  When I joined the DOC in 2006 by starting this blog, I felt so blessed to find like-minded people who didn’t have perfect HbA1Cs, perfect bodies, or storybook lives.  We’re often riding the glu-coaster together, day by day. 

The idea of You Can Do This is to share your story, your (no pun intended) highs and lows, to support each other, to show the people who are struggling that they can make it. 

And I am here to say…I’m a struggler.  Just because I blog about diabetes does not make me a model patient.  I cannot tell you the last time I had an A1C under 7.5, and my current A1C is over 9.  If you’re looking for perfection, you had best look someplace else.  Actually, if you’re looking for perfection in diabetes, I suggest you open a Word doc on your laptop and start writing a really tidy piece of fiction.  If you’d plug my meter into your computer, you’d see a few days of below-average testing (3x a day) flanked by a day or two of no testing whatsoever.  I have not been to an eye doctor in four years.  I should probably see a dermatologist, and I haven’t done that in a couple of years.  Heck, I’m lucky if I can remember to get to the dentist on time.

Every day, in some small way, I struggle with diabetes.  I can always see a brighter side, but this doesn’t mean I don’t stop at least once a month to curl up in a ball and cry. 

You’re not alone, my friends.  Not in the least.  That’s right, this sunny, sweet blogger lives with depression.  Just today I went to my psychiatrist’s office for a quick visit to assess how well my Wellbutrin is working.  I went back on it several months ago, and I feel more even-keeled.  I have fewer mood swings.  I definitely spend less time weeping and feeling helpless.    

You can do this.  I repeat the mantra because I’m really thinking, “I can do this.”  I’m so much better off now that I’ve been on medication.  Brain chemicals are coming back into balance.  Habits…well…they say habits take time to make and even more time to break.  I hope the rest of your awesome videos will push me in the right direction.  I plan on making one myself if I can just find a camera, but in the meantime, I couldn’t sit here silently while this effort gets off to a rolling start. 

Hi, my name is Hannah McD. I have type 1 diabetes and depression.  I am not perfect, but I smile every single day.  I hope that I can do this.  I know that something better is coming my way.

8 comments:

  1. You are awesome, and so is your You Can Do This post! It takes a certain amount of bravery to put yourself out there like this, and I'm so proud and appreciative that you did. I know it will help others to read your words, here.

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  2. Thank you for your honesty Hannah! Love ya! And tomorrow is a new day.

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  3. My Name is Kelly K, and I think your fantastical!
    And I love you, your smile, your writing, your laugh & your post!!
    ((((HUGS))))

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  4. You are a wonderful advocate, Hannah, and an equally-as-wonderful person. Great post!!

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  5. I'm sure glad I found your blog.

    It helps to be able to vent. Being a T2 Person with Diabetes I can relate.

    I enjoy reading your blogs and keep up the good work!!

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  6. Anonymous11:25 AM

    "I am not perfect, but I smile every single day." I like it!

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  7. Thank you for being so honest. I really think that getting all these different perspectives is helping me to become a better D-Mama.

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  8. Great job! Thanks for sharing!

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Remember to use your commenting powers for good, not evil. Excelsior!