In all the TV shows I've watched, I don't remember seeing being a character diagnosed with diabetes be a story line. Until Claudia Joy on "Army Wives." I'm in season 3, thanks to Netflix. {So no spoilers of upcoming seasons.}
As a diabetic, I was glad to see this plot, the emotions attached to it and the education sprinkled in the entertaining drama. Claudia Joy, a perfectionist control freak like me, didn't want her friends to know about her diagnosis. Her nurse friend discovered her news when Claudia Joy collapsed from having too much insulin in her body.
When I was diagnosed more than seven years ago, I clung to my community. I wanted people to know because I was scared. When texting my dear friend Jaclyn, who recently watched "Army Wives" about the diabetes plot, she text back, "Glad you didn't handle it like she does." And I'm glad I didn't have to handle it alone.
While watching fictional Claudia Joy struggle with accepting her new reality, I was taken back to those initial feelings. Then I thought about my current struggles. It's been a rocky few weeks with up and down blood sugar levels, meaning ups and downs with how I feel too. Perhaps I've grown to comfortable with managing this chronic condition that is certainly part of who I am. There's always room for improvement.
I hope Claudia Joy realizes how helpful her community can be. I don't know how I would have dealt with my diagnosis without my friends and family. And, really, I'm not sure where I'd be today without them. Speaking of today, I ate some chocolate cake, and it was delicious. But I know desserts are one thing I need less of, no matter how much insulin I inject to cover the sugar. Because ultimately the less insulin I take, the better.
So while I work on that, I'll stay tuned to see how Claudia Joy handles her story.
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