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COVID -19 Control vs management (a thread) #Covid19MB
It’s been almost 18 years since our son was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. He was just 3 years old. There was a lot to learn and each lesson was tied to keeping our son alive—and healthy. Pretty stressful conditions. 1/11
It’s been almost 18 years since our son was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. He was just 3 years old. There was a lot to learn and each lesson was tied to keeping our son alive—and healthy. Pretty stressful conditions. 1/11
We did many things right in the first few days & each success built confidence that we could control his blood sugar numbers and therefore, the diabetes.
In the midst of all this learning & adapting we dealt with questions from acquaintances about what caused the disease; 2/11
In the midst of all this learning & adapting we dealt with questions from acquaintances about what caused the disease; 2/11
Was it my bad genes or my husband’s? Did he eat too much sugar? Is it contagious? Should we really be giving him needles in public where other children might get scared?
Life was tough. For our son & for us. We had no choice but to keep learning & controlling the disease.
3/11
Life was tough. For our son & for us. We had no choice but to keep learning & controlling the disease.
3/11
Then we crashed. Emotionally, physically, mentally. In a span of three weeks, the enormity and heaviness of a lifetime of counting carbs, measuring medications and dealing with society’s ignorance and opinions seemed too much.
4/11
4/11
It was in our brokenness that the words from our amazing team of healthcare supports at DERCA Winnipeg (diabetes education resource for children and adolescents) gave us understanding and a path forward.
5/11
5/11
“You will never control this disease. When the blood sugar numbers don’t turn out, it was not because you did something wrong, it is the disease changing the game. When you learn the difference between control and management, your lives will change...
6/11
6/11
...Management allows you to respond effectively to unexpected results, whereas control causes you to be reactive and waste energy on the ‘how’.”
7/11
7/11
We are at the same place with COVID-19 right now. We did so many things right in the first few weeks that everyone convinced themselves we had control over the virus.
8/11
8/11
It has been an exhausting few months of trying to control an unpredictable and invisible illness, and when the numbers go up, we react with blame.
9/11
9/11
It is important that we learn to manage. A big part of managing the virus is being kind to those who are fighting through the illness (and their families/communities). It is not their fault for getting sick. It is the fault of COVID-19. It has changed the game.
10/11
10/11
Keep working hard at managing your risks, but also stand up to protect the mental health of the communities trying to support their loved ones who are ill. When we come out the other side of this pandemic, the kindness will be remembered beyond any policy or directive. 
11/11
11/11
