Happy Diabetes Day!

I'm pretty angry about diabetes right now.

This disease is awful. It is persistent, ever-present. I feel like it is consuming me, bite by bite.

I'm tired of dealing with it. I'm tired of having a chronic disease.

And I'm tired of the social and political leaders in North America not taking obesity and diabetes seriously. Come on!

Why will they (the infamous they) not pay for weight-loss programs? Why will they not pay for gym memberships and exercise classes? Why are they willing to pay for metformin, but not for New Balance shoes? Why do they quibble over which meter I use, only paying 50% of the test strip cost on this one, but 80 % of the test strips on that one?

Wouldn't an aggressive treatment early on in the disease help make sure that they don't have to pay for kidney dialysis? Would they prefer to pay for orientation and mobility training after another person with diabetes loses his sight to retinopathy? Why withhold mental health treatment for a person dealing with this day in and day out disease?

I feel like I need a coach, a friend, a Jiminy Cricket, to chat with me and encourage me through my day. I don't want to talk to another person about what she has lost to diabetes. I don't want to add to my own list.

Those of us with our diagnoses of diabetes must lead the way. We must be involved and committed to ensuring the health of those who receive their diagnoses five years later, ten and twenty years later, and yes, even one hundred years later.

Your first responsibility is to your own health. But you do have a responsibility to the rest of those around you who also have diabetes. We're counting on you.

And I'll do my part too.