Just call me ol’ Wonky Eye

Dear Big Brother, and anyone else who believes video blogs are the way of the future – my wonky eye begs to differ!

I’ve done videos over the years, quite a few actually, but hardly any of which have been made public due to my uncontrollable wonky eye. Seriously, I don’t know what the hell goes on when there’s a camcorder in front of it, but it starts winking and blinking and squinting and weeping and wandering and my gawd it twitches as though there were a rogue eyelash incessantly stabbing the retina. It’s freaking ridiculous!

I’ve known this was an issue for quite some time (in fact, there was once a time in my life when I dreamed of becoming the next Jennie Garth, but the wonky eye kiboshed that dream… wonder if that’s what kiboshed hers too???) and so with this latest production, I made sure to ask Big Ring (aka: Michael Mann) after the first take if my eye was wonky, and he assured me that nope, it was not.

He lied.

Totally wonky.

But there comes a time in your life when you’ve just got to embrace the wonk and put it out to the people. This is my time.

I recently became aware of the You Can Do This Project, an online diabetes campaign of videos created by diabetics for diabetics that works to provide validation, hope and encouragement for those in need. Sounds pretty cool, right, totally cool. And I’m pretty sure I’m the only diabetic out there who didn’t already know about it!

You Can Do This was started by Kim Vlasnik a year ago, and has become a go-to place for diabetics to share their stories and “be a light in someone’s darkness.” Man, I could have used something like this over the years. I couldn’t pull my eyes away from the videos, vigorously nodding my head at the similar experiences, grimacing at the tough times, and smiling through the different realms of inspiration. So far, this one’s my favourite:

It didn’t take long for me to realize I had to be a part of this – wonky eye and all!

I know I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again, my diabetes story is not a perfect story. I used to think I was an endocrinologist’s worst nightmare. I hid stashes of candy between my mattresses, gorged out on ice cream under the dinner table when no one was around, threw my healthy lunches in the bushes, and was carted off to the hospital in hypoglycemic convulsions several times. And when I was a kid, I thought for sure I was the only one, I cried with my head under my pillow, pounded my fists into my bookshelf, dreamed of a different life. But, after almost 25 years with this disease, I can tell you, while it’s not always easy, it does get better. And heck, if I can get through it, anyone can 😀

This is my wonky-eyed story:

You will note there’s only actually 5 seconds of me talking on screen, the rest hit the cutting room floor 😉

19 thoughts on “Just call me ol’ Wonky Eye”

  1. Living outside the box of conventionally pre-conceived expectation is what puts us on the map…embracing life from wherever we are physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually opens up all sorts of wonderful, exciting opportunities and experiences from pregnancy to pedicures; from apathy to passion!

    Carpe dium, Katie – let your true heart lead you always…I don’t think you will get lost / at least not for long.

  2. I loved your video! Thanks for posting it!

    Will you trade a wonky eye for two annoying cats that like to bump the camera?

    1. You did notice the picture of my cat dressed in a Cabbage Patch Kid dress right? And the Lion King pose I liked to hold my cats in, and babies for that matter too it seems… I’m thinking your cats would do what mine did in my hands: run into the mouths of hungry coyotes!

  3. Katie we are so proud of you. You are an amazing role model in your daily life you are going to be an amazing Mom!!! This is the 3rd time I tried to post this so hope it doesn’t come up 3 x.s.

  4. WOO HOO!! You didn’t give us enough time to gawk at your wonky eye!
    this was such an awesome video and I’m SO glad you partook in the YCDT project! that’s one up from me. I haven’t done a video because I suck at videos.
    this is awesome!!

  5. I just saw your video on the YCDT Project site, and all I can say is one word: “Wow!” The story is so impressive! But then I came over to this site, and read about your Endo’s-worst-nightmare stories (and the alleged wonky eye, which I wouldn’t have known of if you didn’t bring it up), and thought “Wow…. just like me!”. I come away thinking “It’s not too late. Finishing strong is a real possibility, even without starting strong”.

    I’m not really going away though — I’ll be back to read more. Thanks for sharing the video and the story behind it!

    1. Finishing strong is way better than starting strong and fizzling out right… that seems to be my motto across the board 😉

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  7. fantastic video! i was getting so angry at all the things you were told you couldn’t do as a child with D, so as it went on and i saw all the stuff you HAVE done (CONGRATS ON THE BABY!), i was smiling at the end. thanks for making this video! 🙂

    1. Thanks Shannon! Thank goodness the docs today are nowhere near what they were like in my day, because if so, I’d still be considered the “bad” diabetic what with my love for chocolate and ice cream 😀

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