"Rock the boat,  don’t rock the boat baby. Rock the boat, don’t tip the boat over."

Do you remember that song?  That’s a classic in a throwback from the 70s (check it out here for some platform-shoes, bell bottomed, disco fun!)  I am reminded of that song as I think about changing things in my diabetes plan. I’m pretty comfortable where I’m at right now.  My pump settings are keeping me in pretty well in range. I’m comfortable with my schedule of finger sticks and glucose checks.  I am pretty much on auto-pilot.  Life seems fine – right?  But recently I’ve met some people and seeing a lot of you online who are doing great things with new technology.  I find myself wondering if it’s time to shake it up and try something new?

Here Comes Fear

But one nanosecond after that thought, fear rears its head. Do I really want to shake things up? What if I screw everything up?  What if it’s worse?  Can I really manage another “thing” attached to me? Can I afford it?  Is this something I want to do? Or am I feeling pressure to follow the crowd?  My inner roommate/ego has plenty to say about changing things.  She is quick to make me second guess my ideas, doubt my choices and point out that that rocking the boat can be dangerous.  She reminds me that when I did CGM a few years ago it really “rocked my boat” (too many alarms, no sleep, never really calibrated correctly, no appreciable change in glucose levels and my belly looked like a Mrs. Potato Head.)  But I am still curious and wondering if I should try again.

On Vacation

My approach to dealing with my chatty mind lately has been this:  Pretend you are on vacation.  When I travel to a new place, I am an observer, unattached to the goings-on in the city.  I get to watch, notice, explore with a sense of wonder and excitement without feeling the need to stay there or make a commitment.   I have an anticipation of newness and a curiosity about what adventures and discoveries will unfold.  On vacation I don’t really have to answer any questions except where do I want to go next?  If I like a place I linger longer.  If the food tastes bad, I spit it out.  On vacation, it is fun to rock the boat!  We strive to rock the boat and experience anything but the mundane.  Boat rocking can be fun!

New Technology

As I am on vacation in Diabetes Technology land, I get to just watch, listen and learn before I decide if I want to put down roots in a new place.  The fascination of what is possible is fun and exciting!   My chatty roommate is distracted and drunk on view from the boat ride that she forgets to nag for a while.   That feels really good – really peaceful.  In this place of peace, I will decide when to glide silently on a sailboat, when to fly across the water with the wind in my face and when or if, I want to jump into the lake.

Peace,

Patricia %