My work environment is pretty casual, and a lot of us get along very well, so it’s a friendly place. A couple of the people at work were privy to my medical aid freak-out, and most of them have listened to me go on about medical aids, and medication, and more recently, me wanting to get an insulin pump. So many of them have shared in my enthusiasm and excitement this week that I’m finally on a pump, and everyone has been really curious about it and wanted to see it, and see the pump site and asked lots of questions about how it works (I still have the enthusiasm of a new pumper to answer all these questions. No doubt in a week or two I’ll be over it a little). And they’ve been really supportive and understanding when I’ve been less than fully functional thanks to low blood sugars. At one stage I even had one of them running round finding me fruit juice while I sat feeling rather useless, struggling to get my blood sugar up. I’m normally stubborn and independent and refuse to be helped, but this week that stuff has really meant a lot to me.
I was invited to supper with two recently married friends on Thursday night- something which is always a treat! The wife, a doctor, is almost as excited about me having a pump as I am! Which makes me more excited, which makes her more excited, which makes me… ok, you get it. It was cool being able to chat about it, among other stuff, and thoroughly enjoyed their company over a good mealJ
I met up with a dear old friend after work on Friday- old as in we’ve known each other since we were 3 or 4 years old, not old as in aged and wrinkly. She’s known me longer than anyone else, bar family, and has seen me through the ups and downs of life so far- D and all. We’re pretty different, but so similar at the same time, and I love our friendship, because even though we don’t get to see each other nearly as often as I would like, whenever we meet up we can chat as if we saw each other yesterday. D has always been accepted as part of what makes me me, so, with a few curious questions, my new robotic pancreas was quickly accepted as part of me and adding to my quirkiness, and we quickly settled down into catching up. An evening of good company, good conversation, and loads of laughter, over some chocolate martini’s, was just what I needed after a slightly frantic, frustrating and draining week.
Not to mention the people who have shared in my excitement and enthusiasm for taking more control of my diabetes, and getting a pump, even if it has had to be from a distance (many phone calls and facebook comments)- every bit of support counts and I appreciate it so much.
Diabetes runs 24/7, and mostly it feels like I’m running the show on my own. I know most of these people don’t really “get” diabetes, and have no idea what it’s like to bear the load of the disease all the time, 24/7/365. Which is ok, I don’t expect them to. Besides, I don’t make that much of a thing about it for them to probably even realize that there’s that much that they’re not “getting”. But even despite all of that, they’re willing to share in my good times, and offer support and encouragement through the tumultuous times. And it helps me realize that I have some amazing friends, each of them a blessing for which I’m grateful.
My friends are awesome.
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