"Ignorance is bliss," or so I have heard many times. But ignorance about one's own health is a curse. Like building blocks are arranged to build a structure, with ignorance about health we could build an entire country of destruction. It starts with a finger cut or a chipped nail. We look at it and we say, "It is just a cut, it will go away". But, we ignore the fact that it already had made a scar on our body. Then, it moves on to something bigger and worse.
By the time we are full grown adults many different illnesses manifest themselves in our bodies, building colonies of micro-organisms that can eat us alive. Unless we take charge and let them know who is in control, they can take over and rule us until we are done and move on to our next generations, whom we didn't teach how to care for themselves. Our ignorance leads to not only our health destruction but to negligence towards our responsibilities towards our loved ones.
Being a diabetic for life kind of makes me feel helpless but it also makes me feel alert and aware of different consequences I could face with high blood sugar. The awareness keeps me on check to care for my health. In a way I see my body with diabetes as my baby. I care for it, I nurture it, I pay attention to it, I cradle it, I am aware of its mischief, and I discipline it. This childcare does wear me out sometimes. But it also gives me a certain hold to my own life. Like any child, diabetes needs to be taken care of. It is our responsibility. We owe it to ourselves. We are our own children. The domino effects of diabetes on us and our future generations are intense to a point of no return.
Eyes give light to our lives. They are the most important part of our very existence. We need our eyes to care for ourselves, see the faces of our loved ones, carry out daily chores, enjoy what Mother Nature has to offer, and guide ourselves through education and work. Unfortunate people who are born with blindness, or who became blind for other reasons like accidents or different diseases cannot do anything but to make up for it in different ways. But when we are perfectly capable of doing something about not losing our eyes through our own irresponsibility than there is no excuse.
Of all the eye diseases, cataracts is the only form that does not hurt us and can be taken care of. But conditions like glaucoma, retinopathy, optic nerve damage, and others are preventable. My father used to say about his body "This vehicle came for repairs" after he had a stroke and paralysis. He took care of himself, and towards the end of his life, like a miracle, he walked, talked and worked on his health with strength, endurance and determination to get better.
Diabetes is one such disease which can be kept under our control. It can not be cured completely but can be managed. We have five fingers that are different in shape, size and do different functions. We treat them accordingly even when we have hurt one of them. That's the same way we have to treat different conditions of diabetes whether it is retinopathy, cataracts, kidney problems, or a heart condition. Every part of our body needs different kinds of attention like our children or our fingers let us give it to them, because OUR LIFE MATTERS.