Diabetes Resolutions for 2018

Posted on by Emma

diabetes dietHave you made yourself big promises this year? It’s tempting to say, “Well, 2018 is THE year I eat low-carb ALL THE TIME and achieve near-normal HbA1c results every time I get my levels checked…”

I decided on some small goals this year. And when I’m finished, it’s your job to add your own super small goal to the comments – the more modest and dafter the better! As any goal-setter knows, wee ones are achievable and sustainable.

  1. Change the needle on my blood lancer more frequently. There is a video on YouTube where a young type 1 confesses to changing hers infrequently. I’m the same. (Blushes deep red – like, weeks can go by…)
  2. Inject mindfully. When you’ve had diabetes for 35 years, you do injections automatically to some extent. I won’t be the only person who sits down to a meal and can’t remember if the medication has been taken or not. Pump users don’t get this, as their device will tell them. You can also get pens that tell you too. In the meantime, FULL ATTENTION INJECTIONS only*.
  3. Stop going on about my steps. See my earlier post on this. Is there anything duller than the step bore?
  4. Tell people in the gym I have diabetes. Ahem, I don’t bother ‘fessing up when the instructors ask if anyone has anything wrong with them as I hate drawing attention to myself. But it’s irresponsible of me.
  5. Stop reading articles about the ‘potential’ cure for diabetes. Whatever stage this is at, it’s a long way off. I’ll pay attention when it’s the headline article on BBC News at Ten.
  6. Book in for a pedicure. Tenuous, I know, but we diabetics are supposed to take extra care of our feet so an hour of having them rubbed, descaled and anointed with unctuous cream counts, right?
  7. Stop thinking having diabetes makes people fabulous. My example here is James Norton. Before November 2017 I was already in love with James. Then, I found out he’s a type 1 diabetic and my heart imploded. Oh sod it, that’s not a resolution. Clearly, diabetes makes you AMAZING.
  8. Turn down s**t I don’t want to do and use the diabetic excuse. I’ve had 35 years of not using it, so it’s about time I took advantage.

 

*I joke about this, but there’s a serious side of course. Inject yourself twice accidentally, and you’re at serious risk of hypoglycaemia.

Published by Emma

Emma Baird is a type 1 diabetic and a writer, specialising in romcoms and fiction that focuses on relationships. She is also the co-author of The Diabetes Diet and she runs her own blogging/PR business. Most importantly, she is the guardian of two very spoiled cats…

17 thoughts on “Diabetes Resolutions for 2018”

  1. I look forward to articles on your pedicure experiences. I don’t have diabetes yet but I have a strong family history of insulin-dependant disease that occurs later in life. I have terrible feet and toe nails. I’m too embarrassed to have someone else touch them.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I hope you manage to avoid diabetes, Gary. I might investigate that fish nibbling treatment this year. The fish won’t mind your feet and nails, though it might be tickly.

      Liked by 1 person

  2. Emma, what a fun post. Here is my resolution.

    I resolve to jump out of an airplane and ride 25 laps around the 4.02336 kilometer Indianapolis Motor Speedway on my bicycle during Tour De Cure. Just two simple things this year.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. It’s good to set the bar low, Rick… Of course, I expect you to break the land speed record at the same time. Twenty-five laps at very fast speed might well provide the cure for diabetes.

      Like

  3. The Novo Nordisk Echo pen tells you how many units you have injected at the last shot. A good way to sort out resolutions is to tag them onto something else you already do so that it gets incorporated into your routine. I give myself a manicure and pedicure every Saturday morning. This doesn’t take long because I don’t use nail polish. I have a recurring athletes foot issue but can keep it at bay by putting tea tree oil between the relevant toe webs. The routine is cut, file, buff, ped-egg, tree tree oil to web spaces and argan oil to the rest of the feet.

    Liked by 1 person

  6. Am so happy there is someone else admitting to imperfection in their diabetes control. I can relate to every one of your points. Especially about people with Type 1 Diabetes being awesome!

    Like

      1. On the newsgroup alt.support,diabetes (which used to be a great resource containing many well controlled diabetics before it was overrun by trolls) St Swithin’s Day was adopted as the day to change your lancet. OK a bit of a joke but no-one ever came to harm leaving them until they got blunt or painful

        Liked by 1 person

  9. That made me laugh, Chris! I’m so glad that not changing your lancet very often has struck a chord with so many of my fellow and female diabetics.

    Like

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.