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This post is for Day 6 of Diabetes Blog Week.  The topic for the day was Diabetes Art, and the prompt read as follows:

This year Diabetes Art moves up from the Wildcard choices as we all channel our creativity with art in the broadest sense. Do some “traditional” art like drawing, painting, collage or any other craft you enjoy. Or look to the literary arts and perhaps write a d-poem or share and discuss a favorite quote. Groove to some musical arts by sharing a song that inspires you diabetes-wise, reworking some song lyrics with a d-twist, or even writing your own song. Don’t forget dramatic arts too, perhaps you can create a diabetes reality show or play. These are just a starting point today – there are no right or wrong ways to get creative!

Rather than creating a new piece for this post, I thought it would be nice to look back at the art work that I created for the very first Diabetes Art Day in 2010.

The work was titled Diabetes Family Tree and it was created as a tribute to the Diabetes Online Community, or as I’ve come to refer to it, my diabetes family.  Each branch of the tree is marked with the name of a member of the family.

Looking back at this now, three years later, the piece has stronger significance to me than when I first created it.  The reason being that I’ve been fortunate enough to have met many of these family members in person.  Here’s hoping that I’ll have a chance to meet more.  For now, I feel blessed to know them all.

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It’s the 5th day of Diabetes Blog Week and the topic today is:  Freaky Friday.  The prompt reads as follows:

Just like in the movie, today we’re doing a swap. If you could switch chronic diseases, which one would you choose to deal with instead of diabetes? And while we’re considering other chronic conditions, do you think your participation in the DOC has affected how you treat friends and acquaintances with other medical conditions?

I hate to rain on the parade here, but I’m not playing musical chronic diseases today.  I’m just not feeling up to it.

I can’t bring myself to choose a different chronic disease to live with because I have more than my fair share already.

The flaming sack of bovine fecal matter that was left on the doorstep of my life contains  Type 2 diabetes, Congestive Heart Failure, Ischaemic heart disease, Arthritis, Asthma, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).  I could list more, but you get the picture.

I didn’t go skipping through the Garden of F***ed Up Health and merrily choose chronic diseases to toss in the sack.   I couldn’t skip to save my life.  And I sure as hell wouldn’t choose the contents of that flaming sack.  No one would.

This is the way it is for me, and I’ve accepted that.

I can understand why some may see the grass as being greener in another chronic disease pasture.  I’ve had those thoughts.  We all have.   But I’ve also come to understand one very important fact.   Other pastures are fertilized with bovine fecal matter, too.

If only perfect health were a chronic disease.  I’d gladly switch to that one.  If only.

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It’s day 4 of Diabetes Blog Week and the prompt for today reads as follows:

We don’t always realize it, but each one of us had come a long way since diabetes first came into our life. It doesn’t matter if it’s been 5 weeks, 5 years or 50 years, you’ve done something outstanding diabetes-wise. So today let’s share the greatest accomplishment you’ve made in terms of dealing with your (or your loved one’s) diabetes. No accomplishment is too big or too small – think about self-acceptance, something you’ve mastered (pump / exercise / diet / etc.), making a tough care decision (finding a new endo or support group / choosing to use or not use a technology / etc.).

I’ve struggled with how to respond to this prompt today.  I’ve been through so much and accomplished quite a bit since I was diagnosed, so much so that it’s hard to pinpoint any one thing the write about.  Much less find the right words to express how I feel about it.  So, after much thought about how to approach this, I’ve decided to let a couple of images do most of the talking for me.

Where I was

This photo was taken on October 23, 2008, about two months before I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and congestive heart failure.  At the time I took this picture, I weighed about 340 pounds, felt awful most of the time, and was down right miserable.  More importantly, I was damn near dead and didn’t even know it.

October 23, 2008: Two months before diagnosis

Where I Am

This photo was taken on March 21, 2013, nearly three months after the fourth anniversary of my diagnosis.  Four years later, I’ve lost approximately 45 pounds and, weighing in at 295 pounds, have achieved a goal that I’ve been trying reach for a decade.  To weigh less than 300 pounds.  I’m not much under that mark, but I’m on the side that I need to be on.  It’s a big freaking deal for me.  I’m thankful to be able to say that I’m full of life and living that life to the fullest.

March 21, 2013: Four years, three months later

What a difference four years have made!  I’m blessed and quite thankful to have had them.  Here’s hoping for many more.