Day 29 - How Diabetes has Changed Me

Phew, I am almost done with National Health Blog Post Month.  I am glad that I've made it this far and also glad that it is almost  over!

Today's prompt is... How has being a caregiver changed you?

Well, lets see how has being a caregiver changed me?  First of all, I've always been a caregiver to all of my children, but caring for a child with a chronic illness is a different ball game I guess.

#1 I ended up leaving my job, so now I am a stay at home mom instead of a working mom.  It has been a good change, it was hard at first, but I've learned I am learning on how to make our family work on one budget.  I've recently also started doing daycare in my home to help out with a little spending money.  Being a stay at home mom gives me the opportunity to be able to help out more in my community as well.

#2 Being a caregiver has made me more paranoid when it comes to my kids being sick.  I used to just be the "kids get sick, its normal, its okay, no need to freak out" mom, but not now.  If Kortnie gets sick I am constantly watching her to make sure she doesn't end up in bad shape.  If the other kids get sick I am worrying that they are developing T1D or some other auto-immune disease, I am googling (which can be BAD), and I am sneaking into their rooms while they are sleeping and poking their fingers to test their blood sugar too.  My husband is always telling me, "Stop Googling!" and my kids are always saying "I don't have Diabetes!"

#3 I think I have become a little more patient, well maybe not, LOL, with my kids I am more patient, with the insurance company, not so much!

#4 I have become a lot more scatterbrained, thinking about carbs, exercise, weather, hormones, growth spurts, illness, blah, blah, blah, all of the time, makes my brain a bit fuzzy

#5 I am so tired all of the time, tired equals unsexy...you know where I'm going with this?

That's what I can think of now, and specifically I don't know if it's all Type 1 Diabetes fault that I have changed.  People change over time, sometimes change is good, sometimes it isn't.  It was always my goal to be a stay at home mom, so that change is good.  I am happier being home with my kids, but I miss going to a job sometimes too.  I tired of being tired, I am tired of feeling like I miss my husband, I am tired of life that seems to just be plugging along.  I think I need a new change now, I'm just not sure where to find it.

Today's prompt is a loaded one and I'm just not ready to really think about it and delve into it right now. 

Overall, life is good, we have many things to be thankful for.  We have a home, a job, great kids, the medicine we need, insurance, a wonderful family, great friends and community.  There are things that we want of course, there are changes that we could make to be happier of course, we're always working on those, isn't everyone?