Stumble It!
“I’m Fine, If You Don’t Want the Details”
I realized with a bit of shock that the anniversary of my diagnosis came and went this year without notice. Here it is July already, and it just dawned on me that on May 21, I hit six years with this exasperating illness. I suppose it’s a good thing that that day no longer knocks me for a loop.
Kind friends and relatives often ask me: “How are you doing — with your health (or with your 
diabetes)?” (They kind of whisper the last word.) I never know quite what to say. My mind races:
Well, this morning was crap. I was at 285 after breakfast. No idea what went wrong!
or…
I was low all last night: sweaty with nightmares. Grrr.
or…
My pod is loose today and I’m paranoid that it’s going to come unstuck any moment now.
But I don’t say those things, because who really wants to know, anyway?
And then another thing dawned on me: a quote from my wonderful, beautiful grandmother, who was graceful until the day she died. Lymphatic cancer had been eating away her insides for years, and she had a severe and incurable case of dry eye syndrome that could not be treated with any known drops, so she was in pain every time she blinked.
Still, she smiled a lot, taking pleasure in life where she could. And when kind friends and relatives asked, “How are you?” she invariably answered, with a little laugh:
“I’m fine, if you don’t want the details.”
Thank you, Grandma. I’m sticking with that line from here on in.
****
btw, I should mention that my Grandpa also had a great sense of humor until the very end. He lived to be 99. Somewhere around that time we called him on the phone to say, “We’ll be over in half an hour, Grandpa.”
“Half an hour?” he replied. “Well, don’t come too soon. Lately it takes me that long to get my pants on!”
Here’s to always keeping up your sense of humor, even when your health is on the line.
Explore posts in the same categories: Personal Stories, Self-Disclosure
I enjoyed your article. My mother was not diabetic but had other health issues which included great physical pain. She taught us that we could have a fruitful, productive and happy life in spite of pain and suffering. She was oh, so right on.
I am a type 2 diabetic, brain damaged, born with spina bifida, a rare thyroid gland, two steel knees and steel clips in my lower spine.
The great physical pain has never been my issue, even tho, it is frustrating. I find that the most frustrating part of being diabetic is the delicate balance that we diabetics must always strive for.
Your article brought a smile to my face. My father lost a leg in a farm accident. He taught us that we can achieve any goal we strive for with honor and integrity and without hurting anyone in the process. He was also severely dislexic.
Humor was also part of the formula. I have always lived by their great wisdom. I have challenges that most do not. It sometimes motivates me to work harder just to be equal to (not greater or lesser than anyone else).Sometimes I have to paddle like the dickens just to keep calm in a storm. Thankyou
Posted by: Jane Burton | July 10th, 2009 at 8:00 amOh how so very, very true.
Love LOVE your Grandma’s sentiment!
Been saying something to that affect for Years.
“You Really want to know?” :::raising eyebrows:::
“I didn’t think so. So, how are You?” :::smirking:::
or
“Well let me educate you.”
Go with the flow I say. Go. With. The. Flow.
wv: rebated Morris
Srsly. Not lying. Since when can we rebate a cat? Yes, please, thank you, I would like to send my cat back. Much appreciated.
Happy Friday!
Posted by: CALpumper | July 10th, 2009 at 8:06 amThis made me smile. Exactly how I felt today when I had my first day back at work after starting on a pump on Monday! I like your grandmother’s saying, I might use that one…
Posted by: Nicola Duffy | July 10th, 2009 at 1:33 pmLove this post, Amy. Thank you!
Posted by: Laura | July 10th, 2009 at 2:23 pmYou have the same anniversary as my 10 yr old daughter although since she was diagnosed in 2001 does that make her older than you?
Posted by: Kevin | July 10th, 2009 at 3:15 pmI just had my 28th anniversary this week on July 8th, so your post is timely, Amy! I don’t think I’ve ever turned the calendar to July and *not* noticed the anniversary date. Maybe b/c I was a teenager and remember the end of the school year, the annual physical after school got out, and, well, whamo.
Truth is, I’m doing pretty dang good, thanks! (yes, despite the crap numbers, daily struggles, etc. – actually, I don’t think I officially have any complications! – not that I don’t have a load of other “issues,” but hey – I’m doing pretty darn good!) And it’s finally sunny in Boston.
Posted by: T1 in Boston | July 10th, 2009 at 5:01 pmGreat post, Amy! Your grandparents had wonderful senses of humor.
Posted by: June S. | July 10th, 2009 at 8:46 pmMy 37th anniversary with Type I is coming up next week. I’ve now had Type I for so long that I can barely recall life BEFORE the Big D!
Oh, Amy, I will congratulate for your good information. Thanks for sharing it.
Posted by: Joann | July 11th, 2009 at 4:16 amGreat post Amy.
That last line from your grandpa made me chuckle out loud!
Posted by: Scott K. Johnson | July 11th, 2009 at 12:01 pmThanks for sharing these Amy. Really, humor is the best medicine.
Posted by: Funmi O | July 11th, 2009 at 12:58 pmYou’ve undoubtedly helped a lot of people with your efforts here, and I’m sure that in becoming such a valuable source of information you’ve learned much yourself. And grandparents, while you have them, can be the most wonderful sources of inspiration and love. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: drcharles | July 11th, 2009 at 11:04 pmcool – you still have my blog linked
mind changing the URL to:
Posted by: drcharles | July 11th, 2009 at 11:56 pmtheexaminingroom.com
Sorry, thanks!
Hi, thanks for sharing. You must be good in managing and controlling your diabetes. There are hundreds, if not thousands of others who do not know how to manage their own ailment.
The bad news is, there are millions of others who show symptoms of type 2 diabetes and yet their fasting blood sugar counts hover in the above normal but just below the range that classify them as diabetic.
Unfortunately, many of them do not know that what they have is a condition known as prediabetes.
Posted by: Edwin | July 12th, 2009 at 8:20 pmI really loved this post! It was very close to my heart.
Posted by: Elinor | July 14th, 2009 at 11:11 amLoved your article. And your Grandmother was absolutely correct…the other day I actually told someone how I really was when they asked and about shocked the pants off them. They did not want to hear that I had gained weight since going on insulin and even more since going on the pod, they did not want to hear that I had a super low after lunch the day before and I really worried if I could get myself out of it for the first time, they did not want to know that I cannot seem to find the right balance in my basal amounts and still go high and low, and low and high, at the least change in the day…. Since then when asked “how I am”, I simply say “I’m fine, unless you want to hear the gritty details”…and so far I have had no “takers”.
Posted by: Barb | July 17th, 2009 at 7:10 amLoved your article. And your Grandmother was absolutely correct…the other day I actually told someone how I really was when they asked and about shocked the pants off them. They did not want to hear that I had gained weight since going on insulin and even more since going on the pod, they did not want to hear that I had a super low after lunch the day before and I really worried if I could get myself out of it for the first time, they did not want to know that I cannot seem to find the right balance in my basal amounts and still go high and low, and low and high, at the least change in the day…. Since then when asked “how I am”, I simply say “I’m fine, unless you want to hear the gritty details”…and so far I have had no “takers”.
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