A Diabetic Talks: What I can Control

November is finally here which means it is now Diabetes Awareness Month, a time to educate the world on what 1.9 million Americans adults face on a daily basis. The only problem is: I’ll bet you had no clue November was dedicated to T1D — and I’ll also bet you don’t care.

That’s OK if you don’t care. I don’t either, and I live with the disease. All these awareness months have become a sorry excuse to shed light on social issues and bypass them by awarding them a certain month. 

That may be a bold take but I’ll bet you also didn’t know that November is dedicated to Momvember, disability history, veterans and military, family caregivers, Alzheimers, hindu heritage and native americans. I think there are also plenty of other causes attributed to this month. 

My point is that diabetes is just a mere issue that has a name after it but doesn’t actually bring much to the disease. I am glad that all these things are getting recognition. I just wish that there was already recognition for these issues and not just a month to name after it. 

I could spend this column talking about the importance of diabetes and why people should care. I could tell you horror stories that come with the disease or all of the downsides of having it. I could spit fact after fact about the disease in hope that one person cares enough to donate or spread the word. 

Instead, I am going to tell you what my goals are for this month. I have one simple goal and that is to be the best version of myself that I can be with this disease. I want to dedicate this month to discipline. I want to exercise as much as possible, eat clean and further my learning with the disease to see what the best version of myself can be. 

Since I know that nothing will change with this small month of time that this disease gets, I want to create some change. This change will be in myself. Often I experience diabetic burnout or frustration with the disease. I complain that I have it or complain that my blood sugar is bad even though, deep down, I know there is something I could do to fix these issues that are occurring. I will spend the next month practicing good habits in order to hopefully have them instilled in me so I can grow as an individual. 

If change occurs and more awareness spreads because of Diabetes Awareness Month, that would be fantastic. But I know more than likely it will be forgotten after this month. That is why I want to bring change to myself because I know I won’t forget what I do. The only thing I can control in this world is myself and that is what I intend to do throughout this month.