DSMA August Blog Carnival - Fighting Our Cause

Unfortunately not all PWD out there are able to access the supplies and medical devices they need. Insulin, pumps, strips etc cost a heck of a lot to fund each month and although I'm lucky that I don't have to pay for my supplies at the moment, I'm very aware of how fortunate I am.

So what can we do?

In my opinion the first step is education. When I was diagnosed with D I couldn't name a single person in the spotlight with the condition, it wasn't until a year later I discovered that a famous Olympian athlete and a certain member of a well-known American boyband also have D.

In the UK we don't have adverts for D on the TV (saw them in FL this year and was like OMG a D advert - got a bit excited..). D only gets mentioned here in a bad way especially in the press (particularly for T2 PWD), we don't have a famous face proving that these stories are total bull. It's sad that you have to have a famous face for people to take notice, but unfortunately that's what we need...

I try to educate people whenever I can, proving that I CAN eat what I want in moderation and that you don't get Diabetes by eating too much sugar. If that one person spreads what they know on to another person then that's another person beating the D myths. Educating people would hopefully lead to more fundraising for PWD who don't have the same access to insulin and supplies. Silent advocacy with awesome D-Tees is another way that I try and use. Ducking Fiabetes being a fave of mine :D Not everyone with D fits the stereotype! Plus we have the BEST sense of humour ;D

What can the DOC do offline? How can we be heard?

By shouting it from the rooftops! Continue educating people and raising awareness either by wearing a Tee, blogging, Tweeting or Vlogging. Prove people's ignorant pre-conceived idea's of D wrong.

Stand up and fight for our cause. A change is coming.

This post is my August entry in the DSMA Blog Carnival.  If you’d like to participate too, you can get all of the information at http://diabetessocmed.com/2011/august-dsma-blog-carnival

Back to Black

So I've finally decided to bite the bullet and write this post. It's been a few weeks/months coming but hopefully sharing will help... *gulp*

Since getting back off my holiday I've been incredibly D focused, trying to get back on track with my BG levels and feeling more in control of things. I've had the occasional blip along the way with both bad hypo's and one bad hyper a couple of weeks ago but levels are back to pre-holiday.
PHEW!

My moods are yet to return to normal though. Losing control on holiday got me pretty low and upset, it was like I'd gone back to square one after almost two years and I hated it. I was snappy one minute and crying the next in sheer frustration. None of which is great in the Sunshine State and Disneyland where everyone is happy happy happy!

It's not as frequent, but it's still very much there.
Diabetes burnout or depression? Both? I don't know.

I pretty much wake up in a 'black' mood, irritable for no reason, lethargic, introverted and generally not nice to be around. Nothing bad has happened though, it's like waking up on the wrong side of bed as some people say. Little things can set me off, crying, angry and generally feeling alone (even though I know I'm not). Thoughts of living with D for the rest of my life enter my head and I question if I'm strong enough to do it?

Since been diagnosed I got on with it, I didn't really grieve if that makes sense.. I went back to work within a couple of days and that was that. As my parents still don't know a huge amount about my condition I don't really tell them how scared I am sometimes about D and its possible complications..

I'm hoping that the PDAC course next month will help me with my emotions and how to deal with them properly. I'm a bugger for bottling things up and not telling people how I'm feeling. I'm trying though. I try and be open with Amy as much as a can, even though its still a bit alien to me and it does help. Hopefully these 'black moods' will become less and less frequent and will just be a once in a blue moon thing..

Wordless Wednesday - Winnie Special

Is It Just Me?

As some of you already know I went abroad in May and suffered with stubborn high blood sugars for 95% of the trip, numerous corrections, leaving me a bit of a tired and emotional mess for a few weeks.

Before I left for my trip, the general consensus  from my DSN, Consultant, and other PWD was that hot weather reduces your BG so you need to reduce your insulin as the heat and exercise will absorb it much quicker...

At my Grandma's today we were talking about it and my Dad turned to me and said "did anyone else say that they've had a similar experience  to you whilst going on holiday?"

Ummm...

Sometimes it's great being unique and different from everyone else..but with something like that, another person going yeah I know exactly what you mean would have been brilliant and a bit of a relief. My parents were awesome but didn't really know what to say or how to help me =/

Have any of you suffered with this as well? Or had your D go against what everyone said making you feel like the odd one out?

Happy Birfday!

I found out today (via Twitter cos it's awesome) that it's 90 years today since insulin was created.
Happy birthday insulin ♥ have a whopping great big mahoosive jam doughnut to celebrate!

It's amazing to think of all the millions of lives that have been saved thanks to Banting & Best over the past 90 years, if they hadn't you wouldn't be reading this right now!

Dear Mr Banting and Mr Best

I don't think anyone will ever be able to put into words how grateful they are to you both for discovering insulin.

Over the past 90 years you've turned Diabetes from a death sentence into something that can be managed day to day by millions of people across the world. You've saved parents from losing their little ones, children from losing their parents and husbands & wives from losing their spouses.

Thanks to you:

♥ I'm still around today
♥ I've shared some great memories with my family (and puppy)
♥ I've got an amazing best friend
♥ I've met other people on and offline with Diabetes who inspire me to do better
♥ I'm stronger
♥ I blog about my D sharing my experiences, good and bad
♥ I got to celebrate my 18th and 21st birthdays with lots more to come
♥ I'll go travelling
♥ I'll have some awesome times with lots of laughing
♥ I'll (hopefully) find someone to settle down with and have a family
♥ I'll live to a ripe old age, with grey hair, lots of wrinkles and many happy memories

♥ I CAN KICK DIABETES BUTT! *KAPOW*

 

I toast my doughnuts and cupcakes to you both, and thank you sincerely for saving my life.

Yours,

Teapot Diabetic.

Brighton With The Betes

Last weekend was the annual forum meet in sunny Brighton :)

Me and Amy decided a few months ago to make a weekend of it, as we'd never been to Brighton before, and stay for a long weekend so we could have a little holiday and a proper catch up with the forum D-Peeps!

The hotel was pretty basic but clean, and unfortunately didn't come with a mini-fridge.. luckily I'd sorted my Frio bag for my spare pens!! After a while settling in and unpacking we decided to go have a wander and explore our new surroundings (we were literally across the road from the beach).

Diabetes: "Oh I'm sorry, you've had it easy all day so I'm going to throw in a hypo! Moo ha ha"

About an hour and a half went by with me testing and scoffing the jelly beans until I reached the low 5's so off we went! The pier was about a 10/15 minute walk away along with the beach bars/shops and the city centre was about the same. We nipped back to the hotel to get our gladrags on - and I had to give a correction as had shot up to 14mmol!! - went to the pier to have a look round and grabbed some food.

Have to admit I was a little wary of the deckchairs as I've seen plenty of You've Been Framed clips of people falling straight through on their butts! But I stuck with it and even did my jab right on the middle of the pier! :D

Visited a couple of local bars (diet coke for me obv.) and then hit the hay after 11. Me being the clever soul I am had no idea how loud things would get and how noisy god damn seagulls can be!! Took until half 4 in the morning to finally get some sleep...

I'm sodding awful not great when I've had no sleep, as Amy found out on Saturday morning.. :)

But we did make it to the meet! (Did have a shower and go on some rides to wake me up a bit more). As this was my second one it was a lot less nerve wracking and I was actually chatting to new people instead of going all shy and quiet. I love being with other PWD because you can share your stories all day long and have a giggle without being asked 'are you sure you can have that?'. Due to my serious lack of sleep I started flagging by the afternoon so we did leave early and ended up having a mid-afternoon nap followed by an indian takeaway eaten with teaspoons!

Overall I had a brill weekend and my D behaved about 85% of the time which I'm pretty pleased with. Just wish I'd have had a better night so I could have had longer at the meet! *frowns*

Thank you Amy for putting up with me this weekend, it's not all been plain sailing but you've kept me smiling and have been an awesome BFF/adopted pancreas. I really enjoyed myself, so Brighton next year? ;)

*The guys in the background were from a Ginger Spice themed stag-do! :D

Balderdash And Piffle

Yesterday was the seventh annual Chap Olympiad in London's Bedford Square Gardens (my second) :

THE CHAP OLYMPIAD. Saturday 16th July, London. The nation's most challenging sporting occasion - if your idea of a challenge is pitting your finest trouser creases against another man's, or seeing who can hurl a plate of cucumber sandwiches with the most panache. The Chap Olympiad is open to all comers, male or female, moustachioed or clean shaven, top drawer or bargain basement, just so long as you are keen to cut the mustard on the field of drachms.

It's one of the most surreal days out you can have but brilliant! Am already looked at potential outfits for next year :D

Our day started at around half 8 (as we were intending to help set-up our Subs stand) and by the time we got into Kings Cross the heavens opened. The entire event is outside without much cover so we were a little worried that everything would be cancelled...

Everyone persevered despite the awful weather and at 12pm the gates opened. It was great to see so many people arrive complete with picnic baskets, waterproofs and umbrella's, and within a couple of hours the sun came out so on went the events and dancing. It was a credit to both Gustav and team!

Unfortunately we didn't get to see as many events as last year (where we had front row seats) as we were working selling subs, books etc however we met the lovely Gustav (Editor) and the slightly naughty Atters (a regular contributor to the mag), and we even sold some wares within a couple of hours!

Q How did D react to such an awesome day out?
A Badly, very very bad.

We each had an Angus burger for our dinner (which were scrummy) and mine was with a little burger relish. I injected about 6u in my leg - through my tights which was very strange - as the burger was homemade so a little bigger than supermarkets ones. I was 6.5mmol before dinner so decided to test again at around 3pm to make sure everything was going okay.

28.4mmol are your fking kidding me?

I almost cried then and there on the spot. How could this have happened? I felt so ill for the rest of the day and worried both Fliss and Amy. I injected another 6u in my leg and sat back down in a daze. We decided to call it a day at around 4pm and walking back to the tube station I felt woozy, wobbly and like someone had rammed my head through a brick wall.

Delays on on of the tube lines meant walking to Covent Garden to grab the tube to Kings Cross, I grabbed a couple of Ribena cartons and downed one within seconds. I had to walk holding Amy's hand to steady myself (sorry again for almost cutting your circulation off Aims!) and felt a little better when we eventually got on the train home.

Tested again on the train, 13mmol. Better. Tested again when at home 5.4mmol. Phew.

Had some tea and then went off to bed at about 9 as was absolutely exhausted. But D had one last surprise for me. Another high? Nope, a hypo! 2.2mmol

Went to town on some jelly babies and went to sleep. Not the most responsible thing to do after such a bad day with D, but my body had reached it's limit.

Woke this morning to 9mmol, not bad considering the past 24hrs!

What caused the mahoosive high? Burger relish? Fresh air? Too many chaps in one garden?

Bah, you're a bitch Diabetes and I hate you for ruining a day I'd looked forward to for about a year.