Healthy Coping

MOBEC SCARED — Stephen Wallem: actor with type 2 diabetes “I was never strict with myself, and I regret it. But the truth is that maybe I could have avoided these adult complications if I had been more disciplined when I was younger, before all the severe stuff started coming down.

It started [at 29] when I suddenly began seeing those floaters in my eyes. My doctor said that sounds like the beginning stages of possible retinopathy. So she sent me to a retinologist, and that's exactly what was developing in both my eyes. That started a couple years of getting laser treatments, but it got to the point where I was actually onstage [performing in the play Forever Plaid] when in one of my eyes, many more blood vessels burst at once, and I was completely blind in one eye while I was performing. It was scary, of course, but I could see out of my other eye. When I got back home to , I [had] to go in for surgery, for two vitrectomies. [The one on the right eye healed perfectly, but the other had complications, and after another unsuccessful operation] I completely lost sight in my left eye.

I was still at a place of denial in a lot of ways. I'd heard you could have problems with blindness, but it still came as a shock, because I was young and immortal! And as an actor, of course, I was frightened, thinking about how it was going to affect my career in general, and also aesthetically—all of the surgeries caused a lot of shrinkage in my left eye, and it was clearly not going to look the same as it had.”

— Stephen Wallem: interview by Diabetes Forecast — Halle Berry: actress diagnosed with type 1 diabetes after a week long diabetic coma “Diabetes caught me completely off guard. None of my family had suffered from the illness and although I was slightly overweight in school, I thought I was pretty healthy. I fell ill - dramatically - when I was on the TV show, Living Dolls, in 1989. I felt I needed energy but I didn't even have a minute to pop out and get a chocolate bar. I didn't really know what was wrong. I thought I could tough it out, but I couldn't have been more wrong. One day, I simply passed out, and I didn't wake up for seven days, which is obviously very serious.

They told me I might lose my eyesight, or I could lose my legs. I was scared to death, I thought I was going to die. I went into hospital on my last breath, and came out feeling a hundred times better. I knew it was time to take better care of myself and I can honestly say that I am a healthier person than I was before I was taken ill.

I started to eat loads of wonderful fresh vegetables, chicken, fresh fish and pasta. I cut out red meat and cut back on fruit because it can contain quite a lot of sugar. I have to test my blood sugar levels at least a couple of times a day. Actually I feel very lucky that I can take insulin. It saves me from becoming ill. Diabetes turned out to be a gift. It gave me strength and toughness because I had to face reality, no matter how uncomfortable or painful it was.”

— Halle Berry: interview by the Daily Mail DEPRESSED — Patti LaBelle: singer, songwriter, actress, & entrepreneur diagnosed with type 2 diabetes LaBelle credits regular exercise with helping to keep her diabetes from getting worse – her mother suffered from the illness and, due to complications, had to have her legs amputated. "My uncle went blind because of it and he died. My aunt and my grandmother had it, so when the doctor told me I was a diabetic, I was like, 'No, no, no.' I cried.

"You can take hold of the situation. I feel great now. I live the right way. I wear fierce clothes. God has blessed me. Everything I do now, I do it proud. I am a divabetic!"

— Patti LaBelle: article by People — Bret Michaels: lead singer of Poison and a person with type 1 diabetes “If your A1Cs are a little out of whack, I tell people that part of the battle with diabetes, the people like myself who are in the trenches with it, is not stressing out over the bad blood sugar. You can go through the course of your day, and I’ll do everything great, and I’ll be running at one time an 80, then a 154, then a 124 and then suddenly out of nowhere I’ll have a 256. And I’m not even sure what spiked it. It could be a cup of coffee. You’re not sure what exactly spikes it in your body, but you can’t freak out. I just go mentally, “Pull it back down, get it back down to where I need to be.” Fortunately, I’m saying, so far by the grace of God and good medical attention, I am still here to talk about it.1

I loss use of my pancreas at 6 years old. And it is a every day, nonstop battle. From the cradle to the grave — and I mean this as sincere as I can say this — you either make a choice that you are living, or you’re dying. It’s all in the way you look at it. Some days will be awful, but what builds our character is what we do about those days.

It’s just the card I was dealt. And instead of being mad and feeling self-pity and feeling like a victim, I was encouraged by my parents to work hard and move forward in my life and not be a victim. And it really helped.”2

— Bret Michaels: interviews by the Northern Michigan Diabetes Initiative and the Huffington Post WORRIED — Sherri Shepherd: actress with type 2 diabetes Shepherd says she was in denial after she was diagnosed with prediabetes. "That said to me I'm not diabetic so I can eat the way I want" including barbecue, mac and cheese, pasta, pancakes and waffles, she says.

But then in 2007, she was formally diagnosed. At the time, she says, she had no energy, had numbness in her feet, had blurred vision, was thirsty all the time and had to go to the bathroom frequently. Her blood sugar was way too high.

She says her doctor was blunt. "She said, 'Sherri, you love wearing those shoes, don't you?' I said, 'Yes, I do'. She said, 'You won't be wearing them with your foot cut off, because if you keep eating the way you are eating, that's where you're headed.' "

But even after she was diagnosed with what she calls "the big D," Shepherd went out and had a stack of pancakes and enough "pesto pasta to feed a family of four people. I can down some food. I love food. Girl, it was complete denial. I figured if I didn't talk about it, it was going to go away." The doctor put Shepherd on medication. "I was scared," she says.

Then she realized that she had to turn her life around or she might not live to raise her son. "I was going through a nasty divorce at the time, and I thought, I'll be damned if my husband's girlfriend is going to raise my son. "A friend, the Oscar-winning actress and comedian Mo'Nique, said to her, "We keep saying we would die for the people we love. Are you willing to live for the people you love?" — Sherri Shepherd, interview by USA Today — Jay Cutler: football quarterback for the Miami Dolphins and diagnosed with Type I Diabetes “I was sick the entire 2007 season, lost 35 pounds, felt fatigued—all the classic symptoms. I thought I was dying, but I wasn't diagnosed for six months.”

“The toughest part is that it's there every day, no matter where you go. You wake up with it, you go to sleep with it. First thing I had to learn was giving myself the shots with the needle. That's the biggest step. The finger prick, that's okay. But when you have to jab yourself with a needle, that's where it gets a little iffy.

What's easier? I don't think anything is easy about diabetes, ever. But it's probably easier for me as an adult than for the kids I've met who are trying to learn to manage it as they grow up.”

— Jay Cutler: article by EndocrineWeb OVERWHELMED — : actor, comedian, writer, & game show host diagnosed with type 2 diabetes

“About 10 years ago my dad passed away from type 2 diabetes complications. That was really tough, especially knowing that if my dad had taken better care of himself, he might still be here.My dad just didn’t know what happens when you don’t take control of your diabetes. That was a real wake-up call for me. I didn’t want to just be a memory for my family, I wanted to be there. So, I vowed right then and there that things would be different, that I would get serious about managing my diabetes.”

One thing I would say is to not to wait. Get real now. I’ve learned that you’re either managing your diabetes, or it’s hurting you. That’s just how diabetes works. Find your motivation and run with it. Whether it’s being there for your family, the things you still want to accomplish in life, the places you want to go—focus on all those things and let them drive you. Changing what food you eat, consistently being active, and taking an injectable medicine may seem a bit daunting at first, but just give it a shot, pun intended. It all it gets so much easier over time, as it all turns to habit. Believe me, if I can do it, you can, too.

— Anthony Anderson: interview by Get Real About Diabetes — Nick Jonas, musician with Type 1 Diabetes “Ten years ago when I was 13 and touring with my brothers, I noticed a dramatic change in my body and my mood. I’ve always been a very upbeat person, but suddenly, I was irritable all the time. I was constantly thirsty and always needing to use the bathroom. I also started losing weight rapidly—20 pounds in two weeks! Something was very wrong. I felt sluggish, drained, like a balloon losing air. I was struggling to get through my tour and finally decided to make an appointment to meet with my doctor. She ordered several tests, including my blood glucose. My level had spiraled out of control to over 800—I was immediately rushed to the hospital. It was absolutely terrifying. The doctors told me I had type 1 diabetes.

It was truly one of the most frightening moments of my life. I was shocked at first. And my family was just as panicked. But the real scare was I had to quickly learn so much. It was completely overwhelming. Looking back on it now, I guess in some ways it was better to be just thrown in and given everything at once. Knowing that everything was possible to live your life while you have this disease—it was a real shock and also a bit of a relief. I knew that something was wrong physically and it was a relief to be able to put our finger on what it was.

— Nick Jonas: interview by OnTrack Diabetes HEALTHY COPING RECOMMENDATIONS YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THIS ALONE

● Find a support group to turn to and express your feelings to them ○ Spouse ○ Family ○ Friends ○ Co-Workers ○ Diabetes educator ○ Diabetes support groups ○ Mental health professional ○ Health Care Team LET’S GET ACTIVE

● Being active helps the brain spread chemicals that help improve mood! ● Some Examples: ○ Exercise ○ Take a bike ride ○ Go for a walk ○ Yoga ○ Tai chi ○ Chi Gong ○ Dancing ○ Join a sport OTHER COPING METHODS

● Meditation ● Deep breathing ● Listen to music ● Find a new hobby ● Faith-based groups ● Join educational class to meet others in same situation ● The options are endless! THE POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING

● Do not strive for perfection because diabetes is unpredictable! ○ Some days will be better than others. ● Be proud of every single success and progress made. ○ even the small ones ● Small steps are something to celebrate too! Resources: Who can we turn to?

● If you’ve tried the coping strategies and you still don’t feel better: ○ First talk to your primary care physician. ○ Then you may be referred to the following: ■ Psychiatrist ■ Psychologist ■ Psychiatric nurse ■ Licensed clinical social worker ■ Professional counselor References ● Butler, C. (2011). Actor Stephen Wallem Puts Diabetes on TV. Retrieved from http://www.diabetesforecast.org/2011/dec/actor-stephen-wallem-puts-diabetes-on-tv.html. ● Siegler, B. (2005). Halle Berry: My Battle with Diabetes. Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-371528/Halle-Berry-My-battle-diabetes.html. ● Baker, K.C. (2008) Patti LaBelle: My Struggle with Diabetes. Retrieved from http://people.com/celebrity/patti-labelle-my-struggle-with-diabetes/ ● Interview with Bret Michaels. Retrieved from http://nmdi.org/?id=3804&sid=25. ● Okura, L. (2014). Bret Michaels Shares His Struggles as a Diabetic on ‘Oprah’s Lifeclass ‘ (Video). Retrieved from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/04/bret-michaels-lifeclass_n_5093563.html ● (2014). Taking on Type 1 How Cutler is Inspiring Kids to Tackle Type 1 Diabetes. Retrieved from https://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/diabetes/taking-type-1 ● Hellmich, N. (2013). Sherri Shepherd Says Diabetes May Have Saved Her Life. Retrieved from https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/04/29/sherri-shepherd-diabetes/2104109/ ● Nystrom, Q. (2017). Nick Jonas on Flying the Diabetes Flag High! Retrieved from https://www.ontrackdiabetes.com/live-well/celebrities-diabetes/nick-jonas-flying-diabetes-flag-high ● My Journey to Getting Real About Diabetes. Retrieved from https://www.getrealaboutdiabetes.com/anthony-andersons-diabetes-story.html ● Healthy Coping Retrieved from https://www.diabeteseducator.org/living-with-diabetes/aade7-self-care-behaviors/healthy-coping ● AADE7 Self-Care Behaviors Healthy Coping. Retrieved from https://www.diabeteseducator.org/docs/default-source/legacy-docs/_resources/pdf/general/AADE7_healthy_coping.pdf ● Depression. Retrieved from http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/complications/mental-health/depression.html