Search This Blog

Monday 16 May 2016

Diabetes Blog Week Day 1: Message Monday

Lets kick off the week by talking about why we are here, in the diabetes blog space. What is the most important diabetes awareness message to you? Why is that message important for you, and what are you trying to accomplish by sharing it on your blog? (Thank you, Heather Gabel, for this topic suggestion.)

I open my mouth, and opinions come out. My blog is a space where I can vent, rage, be happy, hopeful, sad, and educate; hopefully without judgement.

One of the reasons that I did start writing my blog was as a way to self-support. Support is often the message that I want to convey the most. Diabetes is a critical and hard disease to cope with, and support in dealing with diabetes can make or break a bad diabetes day.

I find that a lot of my messaging highlights how the general community can help support us, through educating them further about all types of diabetes, how language use can impact on us, and trying to correct untruths told about diabetes.

I look to give myself emotional support. Sometimes I just need somewhere to write down all my frustrations. I am one of those people that needs to get bad feelings out of my system. If I can have a rant or whinge or cry about something and lay all my feelings out, I can move on quite quickly and go back to my normal happy self. Most of the times, I completely forget who or what it was that I was even cranky about in the first place.

I look to support others living with Diabetes. Earlier today I finished tapping out my response to the CGM announcement (self-support), and made a point of the lack of support that I feel as an adult with Type 1 Diabetes. When I was first diagnosed with diabetes, I didn't have any familial support. I didn't have any support from my friendship circles. People either did not want to or did not know how to help support me through my diagnosis. My first month living as a T1D was hands-down the loneliest month of my life. I created my own support, but I never again wanted to see anyone struggle to get support like I did.

I have since created a face to face support group for young adults, and talk regularly with group members, some of whom have become close friends.

Raising awareness of issues is one way that I can help to support others with T1D.

Reading other blogs helps me feel supported.


13 comments:

  1. looking forward to reading more this week. I agree writing blogs can be so relaxing that we tend to forget about our emotions in the background :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks David. Its a bit of a free therapy.

      Delete
  2. Hope writing the CGM post has helped, it did me
    I'm sorry you had so little support at first. I hope the DOC has given a little of that to you

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Bec! It absolutely has. There are people that I have met through the DOC that I see every few weeks, or talk to if I dont live near them. Once I found the DOC it was an immediate relief.

      Delete
  3. I'm right there with you...I didn't feel any familial support nor friend support for majority of my diabetic life...the DOC really helped

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad you found support through the DOC :) Its a great community.

      Delete
  4. I felt so left out when I heard the announcement about CGM yesterday. Type 1 is such an isolating condition. I think it's great that you are helping others not to feel so alone with it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for that honesty Frank :) It was a bit of a blow for a few people I think, but it helps to know I that I am not the only one feeling that way. Makes it feel like a more natural emotional response. Even though I know we are all still happy for the children that will get it, Diabetes is an isolating enough condition as it is without being cut out of ways to manage diabetes better.

      Delete
  5. Our messages are very much alike, and I'm grateful for all you are doing for others!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I thought the same when I read your blog. Thank you for all your support of all people with diabetes.

      Delete
  6. Yup, getting out the crankiness is so worth it.

    ReplyDelete
  7. All great reasons to blog!

    ReplyDelete