Written by Steve Zabel
LA, California
This coming September 12th I will have reached the
23,000 foot plateau of Mt Everest. Each 1000 feet of
climbing this mountain creates an aura of
accomplishment and discipline, transcending into one
more year living with diabetes. In my case, it will be
23 years, September 12th 1977, that I found out I had
type 1 IDDM Juvenile diabetes.
If I can share with you an analogy that illustrates the
nature of coexisting with diabetes, it may provide a
better understanding.
"Dancing with Wolves"
I wanted to give Juvenile diabetes an identity so I can
see, listen, and touch this disease I was going to be
living with for a long time. What came to mind was
the Alaskan masked Gray wolf. When this wolf first
entered my life, he was only a pup, curious, hyper with
small teeth, and not yet developed into a strong willed
animal. As time forged ahead, the wolf began to flex his
muscles, snarl, unwilling to cooperate, and randomly
leaving his teeth marks wherever he chose.
Why would this playful and innocent wolf grow into
this menacing and harmful animal? Maybe it was
because I did not provide the wolf with all the care and
respect he came to crave for on a daily basis. Instead, I
provided the wolf with just a stable to explore his
rightful wilderness by, thus limiting his athletic instincts
and exercise.
Or could it be I did not provide him with a selection of
only the most healthy food. The wolf feels at his best
when he can eat a balanced combination of fruit,
vegetables, fish, turkey, and complex carbohydrates.
Could it have been I was less then diligent in not
providing the wolf with a regulated climate control
surrounding? This can happen if the timing and dosage
of insulin varies day to day too much. He does not
function with the same abundance of energy in
downtown Los Angeles as he does in Lake Tahoe.
After years of not securing the trust, compassion, and
loyalty of the wolf, life became even more of an
escalating climb. A line in the woods was drawn against
a relentless antagonist. The wolf seemed like he was just
a growl away, spreading frustration from year to year.
How could I become life long friends with this stubborn
wolf? I knew that the answer involved more than exercise,
a healthy diet, and consistent daily insulin doses. What
had been missing was the intense desire to make the
necessary but rewarding sacrifices each and everyday in
exchange for a more satisfying and kinder life.
That desire is now a lasting part of my heart, forever
beating. As a result, my body and mind are feeling their
best since I acquired this condition 20 years ago.
The movie 'Dances with Wolves' with Kevin Costner will
always have special meaning to me. I believe that by
sharing this meaning to other diabetics, their quality of
life will be forever changed for the better. As for sharing
this meaning to those of us that have not been touched by
diabetes, a better understanding might contribute to a
cure sooner.
Steve Zabel