Good morning friends
As I was writing about persons with disabilities yesterday, I thought of another group with a disorder which affects all the modalities of their life. For the last 30 years, I have been working with JDF, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, a support group for JDs, as we call them, providing medical, psychological and social support to JDs and their families. The age group of our member JDs ranges from 10 months to 70 years. Let me first explain what it means to be a JD. A Juvenile or Type 1 diabetic, is one whose body cannot produce insulin. So a JD has to take 4-5 insulin injections every day ( or use an insulin pump). Oral tablets are of no use for this type of diabetes. In addition to the insulin injections, they have to check their blood sugar multiple times a day, do periodic tests, take care to eat nutritive, healthy meals and exercise regularly. Of course, the stresses of modern life get multiplied with all these factors. One would then expect them to be down in the dumps, but we see a totally different picture when we interact with them. Most of the JDs are very happy, focused in life and more mature than peers of their own age. In fact, in our 3-day residential camps every year, we doctors get energised by their company, when we spend time teaching them during the day and being entertained by them in the evening.
Just as I talked about people with disabilities, there’s a lot to learn from our family of JDs. I vividly remember the time more than 25 years ago when we had received Manoj’s RA test report and we were emotionally quite low with the confirmation of the diagnosis. Around the same time, we had a JDF get-together and our doctor colleagues insisted that we attend the program. And I am so glad that we listened to them and participated in the party. Just being around these JDs and their families was like a great boost for us emotionally. Their energy and enthusiasm was infectious and for a few hours, we forgot all our woes. Not only that, we carried this powerful positivity home and it helped us come to terms with the diagnosis of RA.
Sometimes I feel that those who face obstacles of different kinds in their life are more motivated to work hard than those who have everything handed over to them on a silver or golden plate. So, those who have physical problems of any kind, those with chronic health issues, those with financial hardship or those with emotional problems in the family tend to work very hard to overcome their problems. Those who have had an easy or smooth life are at times ( not always of course ) laid back and are not motivated to go beyond routine. Unless and until we face a difficulty or a setback, we don’t realise the extent of our coping capacity. All of us have a tremendous store of untapped potential with us. When we have a very easy life, without any problems, this potential remains hidden and we may lead mediocre lives ( unless we are motivated from within, needing no external stimulus ! ). For the majority of people, difficult times can bring to the forefront hitherto unknown and unexpected strengths, if we face the challenges with the right attitude. In these cases, not only do we reach the top shining, but we can also become an inspiration and a role model for others.
And that’s why I am especially grateful to the rough times that our family has had to endure, because those were the times when we knew our real strength !
I hope all of us can tap our hidden potential,
Love,
Anjali Bhatawdekar
