Just keep trying . . .

Quotation Inspiration. Find a quote that inspires you (either positively or negatively) and free write about it for 15 minutes.

So I’m just back from the second Medtronic Diabetes Activist Forum.  They planned an incredible schedule of events which I’ll be sharing  my thoughts on bit by bit, and I’m going to start with the guest speaker who presented during the afternoon.

Leighann and I getting our books signed.  Photo "borrowed" from Cherise.  ;)

Chuck Eichten, PWD since 1977 and author of The Book Of Better, met with us to share some thoughts and insights on living with diabetes.  One of the quotes he mentioned really resonated with me, and I quickly noted it down for today’s post:

“I can accept failing.  I can’t accept not trying” - Michael Jordan

For me, this is really what life with diabetes is all about.  No matter how hard I try, no matter what I do, there will be times . . . many many times . . . . when I will “fail”.  Hard as I may try, I’m going to end up too low sometimes - like when we went to In-N-Out Burger on Saturday and I dosed for an accurate carb count and ate everything I bolused for . . . . and still ended up low most of the afternoon.  Or when I recognized that I always run high when I travel by air and started a 145% temp basal on the way to the airport yesterday morning, but still ended up with a CGM that looked like this as I boarded the plane . . .



It’s the times like these when I am the hardest on myself, blaming myself for these so-called failures and judging myself so harshly.  And it’s the times like these when I just want to throw in the towel, because if I can’t do anything right why even try.  From now on, I’m going to look back to Michael Jordan’s quote when I’m at my most frustrated and nearing my breaking point.  Because “failing” is just fine - in fact, when you are trying to be a human organ, failing is pretty inevitable. But not trying?  Nope. that is not an option.

** Medtronic invited me to the Diabetes Advocates Forum, and paid for my flights to and from L.A. and for my meals and lodging during the Forum.  They did not ask me to post about the Forum, and all observations and opinions are my own.