Voice of the Diabetic

Voice of the Diabetic

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THE REST OF THE STORY: DIABETIC MANAGEMENT

AND PAIN CONTROL

by David Michael Wright

Photo: Portrait

From the Editor: Neuropathy, nerve disease, is an often-serious complication

of long-term diabetes. It can be excruciating, and there is no sure-fire treatment.

Folks have evolved a lot of ways to cope. Here, David Wright, who is blind from

diabetes, and has also experienced a lot of neuropathy, shares his strategy,

and his positive outlook:

I would like to say a few things about my life, diabetes, and

pain, as they were tough getting through, until I found the way to deal with

them. This comes in three challenging steps.

The first can be tough for some, but I found it quite simple.

I put my faith in God, and in Jesus. The second step, to some, is really tough.

This step is EXERCISE. Exercise is the key to better health and better diabetes

control. It can also ease neuropathy pain. I have found that no matter how tough

times are, one can have a daily or bi-daily exercise plan. We need to be sure

to stick to our exercise plan, to keep our bodies strong and functioning properly.

The third and final step coincides with step two: Watch your diet. We need to

watch what we eat, the right types of meals and amounts. Making sure to eat

a snack between meals and especially before exercise is really important. God

gave us our bodies as our temple to live in, so it is up to us to take care

of our temple.

I began using an insulin pen at the beginning of 2000. It allowed

me to control my own insulin independently, without any assistance. Even though

my diabetic neuropathy is at a point that I do not have much “sense of

touch,” I can adjust insulin with my insulin pen. I even use my Regular

insulin, in a separate insulin pen, for my sliding scale, if my blood sugar

reading is 250 or more.

I still need some help in checking my blood sugar reading. Even

though my LifeScan glucose monitor talks, it is difficult to get my blood sample

onto the test strip. I find this meter very difficult for a blind person to

use without sighted aid. I've just been told of a much easier talking meter

for blind diabetics, the AccuChek Voicemate.

I carry an emergency pack with diabetic necessities at all times,

including glucose tablets or tube for hypoglycemic emergency times. Be prepared!

I'm glad I've learned what I know. I only wish I would have

known these things years sooner. What a great help it would have been. I hope

that you, the reader, can be better prepared than I was, by reading my story.

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