On Diabetes, Elite: Dangerous, and Getting Good

[The Lawful]

I've read up a bit on the blood sugar monitors and insulin pumps. Interesting stuff. Right now I'm just satisfied learning how to dock my insulin manually.

Thankfully I haven't crashed as much as Wargfoot.

Oh, my brother, just take your time and follow your own path. Keep the image of a pump on your horizon. It's costly, and they will fight for not giving one to you, but don't give up. It will change your life again. In the meantime, simply enjoy life as best as you can. Hypoglycemia is now your enemy, and Ketoacidosis too, Skylla and Charybdis, all enemies unknown before. But you can keep them all at bay. And don't concentrate too much on that disease. There's a life to live and it won't wait! Stay safe,

O7,

 

[KellyR]

That's more or less what I said and believed until I got 33. Then, I stared | was forced to stare into the Abyss. That changed a lot of things.

Philosophically, the three basic questions are: 1. Why am I here 2. Where did I come from 3. Where do I go?

There are many answers, most of them abstract. But at certain points of your life, you ask for truth. Or simply break down and ask for mercy.

O7,

1. To love and be loved. That is the sole reason for our existence.
2. That is unknowable until we finish the journey.
3. I have no idea. Although we do have to go somewhere. Energy can't be destroyed, only changed and/or relocated. The energy that animates our neurons has to go somewhere when the thing it animates is no longer viable.

As for staring into the abyss, I'm 59 and I am still staring into it. And am undismayed due to reason 3 above. I live my life trying to be the best person I can be. I live by the simple Latin phrase "Fiat Justitia Ruat Caelum". Let justice be done though the heavens fall. When it is finally over with, I'll have very few, if any regrets. Certainly no recent regrets although there are a few things I'm not proud of in my youth. But I learned from my mistakes and there is no shame in that.

 

[jasonbarron]

That's more or less what I said and believed until I got 33. Then, I stared | was forced to stare into the Abyss. That changed a lot of things.

Philosophically, the three basic questions are: 1. Why am I here 2. Where did I come from 3. Where do I go?

There are many answers, most of them abstract. But at certain points of your life, you ask for truth. Or simply break down and ask for mercy.

O7,

All anyone can do is stand up against all the forces greater than themselves, try to do good by their loved one's and communities and let the cards fall where they may.

 

[Slange Lands]

Phisto,
If insurance is being difficult about paying for a pump or if your finances are taking a beating, I will be extremely angry and vexed with you if you do not ask us for financial help. You have helped us in so many ways that it would be a privilege to help you out.

Besides, I am counting on being able to repeatedly obliterate you in my FDL ....indefinitely.

xoxo

sl

 

[Phisto Sobanii]

Hey Phisto. Just read the thread starter. Now I'll never be able to un-see you as Brie Larson. Well done, my friend. Well done.

You can be my Goose anytime.

 

[jasonbarron]

You can be my Goose anytime.

PM me your mailing address, brother. I wrote a book years ago all about self reliance, self motivation and generally getting by in a harsh, uncaring world that many people have read and found motivational and inspirational. I'll send it to you so you can read it while you convalesce.

 

[Lightspeed]

Hi there!

Your friendly neighborhood Phisto here with another collection of words. This is gonna be the most personal post I’ve ever made anywhere, so before I dive in I’d like to make a couple points.

1. However you play Elite is fine. Like I said, personal post is personal.
2. I really love this community, especially this ridiculously glorious forum, and my brain just won’t let me not write this. I hope it helps someone who perhaps needed edification, whether they knew it or not.

Alright, here we go!

Very recently I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. If you’re not down with the lingo it’s a medical condition where my body doesn’t deal with carbohydrates very well. Runs in my family. I was in danger, there was a hospital stay, and my life has been totally turned upside down. Being relatively young, in supposedly good health, and my spouse having a chronic illness too you can bet there’s been a lot of uncomfortable feelings these past few weeks. This is a raw deal I didn’t ask for and that no one deserves, no bones about it.

Now I’m not looking for any sympathy. If there was a time to get Type 1 Diabetes this is it. I'm in the prime of my life. Modern medicine is ridiculously awesome. Beyond that, my family and friends are an incredible source of support and I’m going to be just fine in every way that matters. However, I’d like to share the following with all of you.

As I lay there the first night in the hospital, going through all kinds of tests and getting poked with more needles than I’d ever had in my life, I knew instinctively what lay ahead. Diabetes didn’t care about my feelings, my life, or who I thought I was. Everything was going to be different now and I had one choice:

Get good at living with my condition or die.

Is this dramatic? Yeah. Is it true? Goddamn right it is. What the heck does this have to do with Elite?

This game is special to me because it’s taught me some very valuable lessons on failure, struggle, and accomplishing your goals despite overwhelming opposition. Whether that’s been PvP, BGS wars, or what have you the imaginary universe we all romp around in doesn’t care about you or your feelings. For me, the lessons have been eerily similar to what I thought in that hospital bed. The stakes aren't the same, obviously, but it's really the same kind of thing.

Get good at playing the game or lose. Get good at living with my condition or die.

And you know what? I’m thankful for that. Maybe it’s not the coolest or most mature way to learn these lessons, but I don’t care. I’ve learned them and will leverage them as hard as I can for what lies ahead. And you know what?

So can you.

The film Captain Marvel has been an enormous amount of comfort and strength to me. As the title character struggles she realizes one very important thing: we’re only human. That ability to get up over and over and over again no matter how many times we get knocked down may be the greatest damn virtue we have as a species.

Spoiler: Relevant GIF

Time to wrap this up. Fact of the matter is I’ve been living my life with one hand tied behind my back. If I thought I was blazing my own trail before?

Heh. See you out there!

That's one powerful motivational message ! o7 and shields up !

 

[Agony_Aunt]

Kind of tangential here, but its worth keeping in mind that sickness and disabilities can get any of us and there are many people with disabilities who play computer games. FD actually supporting Special Effects to help children with disabilities play games.

Then there is age, which gets us all in the end, slowing down reactions, bringing illness, affecting sight and coordination.

Maybe this thread is a sobering though for members of the git gud demographic and those who campaign for things like open only parts of the game. Keep in mind, one day you might find yourself unable to compete in PvP in ED and that its simply no longer possible for you to be gud. And that day might unexpectedly come sooner than you think.

 

[Phisto Sobanii]

Then there is age, which gets us all in the end, slowing down reactions, bringing illness, affecting sight and coordination.

Message remains the same, if you ask me. Get busy living or get busy dying.

I think this thread has run it’s course and so I’d like for the mods to close it.

Thanks again everyone for your warm words and kind support. Elite, and it’s community, are something special indeed.

See you out there!

 

[Marra Morgan]

Hi there!

Your friendly neighborhood Phisto here with another collection of words. This is gonna be the most personal post I’ve ever made anywhere, so before I dive in I’d like to make a couple points.

1. However you play Elite is fine. Like I said, personal post is personal.
2. I really love this community, especially this ridiculously glorious forum, and my brain just won’t let me not write this. I hope it helps someone who perhaps needed edification, whether they knew it or not.

Alright, here we go!

Very recently I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. If you’re not down with the lingo it’s a medical condition where my body doesn’t deal with carbohydrates very well. Runs in my family. I was in danger, there was a hospital stay, and my life has been totally turned upside down. Being relatively young, in supposedly good health, and my spouse having a chronic illness too you can bet there’s been a lot of uncomfortable feelings these past few weeks. This is a raw deal I didn’t ask for and that no one deserves, no bones about it.

Now I’m not looking for any sympathy. If there was a time to get Type 1 Diabetes this is it. I'm in the prime of my life. Modern medicine is ridiculously awesome. Beyond that, my family and friends are an incredible source of support and I’m going to be just fine in every way that matters. However, I’d like to share the following with all of you.

As I lay there the first night in the hospital, going through all kinds of tests and getting poked with more needles than I’d ever had in my life, I knew instinctively what lay ahead. Diabetes didn’t care about my feelings, my life, or who I thought I was. Everything was going to be different now and I had one choice:

Get good at living with my condition or die.

Is this dramatic? Yeah. Is it true? Goddamn right it is. What the heck does this have to do with Elite?

This game is special to me because it’s taught me some very valuable lessons on failure, struggle, and accomplishing your goals despite overwhelming opposition. Whether that’s been PvP, BGS wars, or what have you the imaginary universe we all romp around in doesn’t care about you or your feelings. For me, the lessons have been eerily similar to what I thought in that hospital bed. The stakes aren't the same, obviously, but it's really the same kind of thing.

Get good at playing the game or lose. Get good at living with my condition or die.

And you know what? I’m thankful for that. Maybe it’s not the coolest or most mature way to learn these lessons, but I don’t care. I’ve learned them and will leverage them as hard as I can for what lies ahead. And you know what?

So can you.

The film Captain Marvel has been an enormous amount of comfort and strength to me. As the title character struggles she realizes one very important thing: we’re only human. That ability to get up over and over and over again no matter how many times we get knocked down may be the greatest damn virtue we have as a species.

Spoiler: Relevant GIF

Time to wrap this up. Fact of the matter is I’ve been living my life with one hand tied behind my back. If I thought I was blazing my own trail before?

Heh. See you out there!

You are the best package of friend, wingmate, mentor, inspiration and shoe-throwing target I could ask for.

Keep being that, cariad ❤

 

[Jenner]

Closed at OP's request.

Best of luck, Phisto. See you out in the black....