Sometimes, we all need a little support. Even the strongest of us may come to a point in their life where something just can not be fixed, on their own.
As a peer support volunteer, I devote my time to listening to people talk about their worries, and offering them the guidance and reassurance that they are looking for. I have always been more of a listener than a talker, perhaps that's why I love what I do for Diabetes UK.
Recently however, I admitted to myself that I am the one that needs a little support and guidance, to keep me going. I published a post on my blog and within half an hour of it going online, I had a phenomenal response. Within an hour of my posting on the blog, I had friends reassuring me that they were there for me, that they wished I wasn't in this position, and suggesting resources for me to look at, to get myself out of this deep hole.
As they say, a problem shared is a problem halved. If you're having a tough time, please please please don't bottle it up. Talk to someone. Anyone. Tal to your dog, if you like! Drop me a line, I'm more than happy to lend an ear.
I've probably heard the words 'diabetes' and 'rollercoaster' being used in the same sentence a hundred times, possibly more.Thinking about my own personal experience since I was diagnosed with diabetes, I'd probably agree with anyone who claimed diabetes was a rollercoaster.
From the moment of diagnosis, adjusting to the body's requirements, right through to learning to live a 'normal' life, there is constantly a battle to beat the lows, and keep the high's going. Anyone who lives with diabetes deserves a medal, from this perspective. But why does diabetes come with the rollercoaster of feelings, as well?
Some days will be good days. Waking up with a decent blood sugar reading, being able to calculate the right medication. No high readings and no horrible hypos. What a great day these are.
But then some days will be bad days. For some reason or other, you might wake up with a high reading, or you might catch a mid-morning hypo. How inconvenient, I always think. Especially if you're stuck in a meeting and no end is in sight! Halfway through a meeting the other day, I was convinced I must have had a reading in the mid-teens - I was falling asleep, I felt grumpy and I couldn't concentrate. After the meeting finished, I checked my sugar levels and I was a perfect 7. Perhaps what I had felt were just the symptoms of an incredibly boring meeting, in that case!
There might be times when you can pinpoint why your meter tells you you're a certain level. You might have forgotten about that small glass of fruit juice at breakfast, or you may have not had the time to have a mid-morning snack. Remembering though, can bring you a solution.
However, what about the times that you can't work out why your sugar levels are particularly high or low? The lack of control may well leave you wanting to bang your head against the wall in frustration. It might make you want to rebel against your diabetes.
Whatever it makes you feel, diabetes shouldn't make you feel like it is controlling you and your life. Sometimes, we could perhaps take our sugar level readings with a pinch of salt (not sugar), accept the reading and look at how to fix it. Of course, this is easier said than done.
Diabetes has no right to make you feel the way it sometimes makes us feel. So, once you've taken a correction dose, or had a hypo treatment, remind yourself how incredible you are for living with diabetes, and say hi to everyone else who is probably feeling the same way as you. You're not alone.
Feel free to drop a line if diabetes is getting you down. Bottling up how we feel can do more harm than good.
There are few things in this world that we can do entirely alone. As children, we needed help to learn to ride a bike, we needed someone to teach us learn to swim. Growing up, we needed the help of teachers and professors, to pass academic exams. We no doubt needed help in our first jobs, someone to guide us in the right direction. Someone to show us the ropes, and to point out where we went wrong.
Living with diabetes is no exception, yet many people often feel like they have to go through it alone. Maybe because they don't know anyone else who has the condition. Maybe because they feel like a 'burden' on their loved ones. Maybe they even feel guilty for having diabetes, and don't feel anyone else should have to put up with it, too.
This is very far from the truth, and very far from the expectations. Diabetes is a condition that doesn't yet have a cure. Until the day that we have a cure, we have to live with the condition. There are no 'holidays' from it, we cannot postpone the condition from ourselves. There is no escape.
There are no doubt times when we wish we could run from diabetes. Lock it in Room 101 and carry on as normal. Diabetes is the cause of so many cases of depression and anxiety, and of course, that could then have a knock-on effect with diabetes, itself.
When we feel like this, it is easy to want to lock away not just the diabetes, but lock ourselves away, from the rest of the world. To some people, this is a coping mechanism. They may need time to think. However, what about those who do this because they feel they have no one to help them get through this?
Diabetes UK has a number of branches when it comes to support networks. This is something they pride themselves on. and rightly so:
Careline: Dedicated helpline for people with diabetes, their parents, partners, friends, colleagues. The helpline is staffed by trained counsellors, who are there to answer ANY questions you have relating to diabetes. Very useful if you have a quick question, or if you need someone to just listen to you.
Local support groups: These have been running for many years, and give support to those with diabetes, on a much more local and personal level. Some groups focus on providing support, some look at ways to raise money for Diabetes UK. Many groups have guest speakers, covering a range of topics. Find your local group.
Diabetes Peer Support Volunteers: This is all about talking to someone who knows first hand what it's like to live with diabetes. They might not be healthcare professionals, but they CAN share their experiences, and help you to work out your issues.
There is a wealth of information out there, in the local community, and within the diabetes online community. As peer support volunteers, we really want to find a way to support YOU. Who do you talk to about your diabetes? Do you have someone you can talk to? Let us know, and let us listen to YOU. Because no matter what anyone thinks, it's all about YOU.
The beginning of another year is always filled with promises – no more junk food, lots more trips to the gym, lose tons of weight, travel the world. The list of typical new years resolutions, is endless.
How about we stop for a minute, and think about what we really want from 2014. Do we really want to exhuast ourselves at the gym 7 days a week? Do we really want to cut all ties with the things that we love? The answer is probably no. And the good news is, there's no need to.
When it comes to diabetes, taking care of one's self, is really important. People with diabetes are more likely to come across complications in old age, if they don't care of themselves, today.
However, there is a difference between taking care of one's self, and overworking the body. Working out 7 days a week, and having no form of enjoyment, will most likely lead to exhuastion, tiredness, and a desire to stop everything, all together.
The important thing in looking after yourself, both your diabetes and your general health & fitness, is learning to find a balance. You don't have to be a gym buff. The Department of Health recommends 150 minutes of exercise a week. This is less than 3 hours a week. What's even better, is that this doesn't mean 3 hours in the gym. You might be surprised at what counts as exercise...
How many times have you taken the lift, instead of walking? Try to take the stairs once in a while, perhaps. Or how about taking a nice stroll to meet friends for a coffee?
Try cycling. Find a local park, and enjoy the breeze, as you cycle your way to fitness.
Even those mundane tasks around the house that need doing – vaccuuming, DIY, gardening.
You might want to get family and friends involved. It is a lot easier to keep at something, if you have a reason to keep going.
Building up your activity gradually, makes it easier to stay active. You might even discover you quite enjoy a particular activity!
Diabetes is a very unpredictable condition. That doesn't mean that it should control us or stop us from doing things. If you are worried about doing a certain form of exercise, because of how your diabetes might be affected, it might be worth talking to your Diabetes Nurse or Consultant. There are a lot of people with diabetes, who also regularly blog about they sports they take part in.
More importantly though, listen to your body. No one expects you to be running marathons next week, or climbing mountains next month! Take it one step at a time, remember to check your sugar levels before the activity, during if possible, and after. You are more likely to have a hypo up to 24 hours after exercise, so it is perhaps wise to monitor your levels the next day. If you feel low during the activity, stop and treat the hypo.
Useful Resources Diabetes UK – Getting Active and Staying Active Diabetes UK – Blogs from various people with diabetes, who take part in sports
Living with diabetes can at times be very difficult. There may be times when someone who has diabetes, feels that life is very unfair, and that they don't deserve to have the condition. There are so many things that need to be thought about, every day, of every week, of every month of the year. Living with diabetes is almost like having a full time job, except without the added bonuses - there are no pay rises or annual leave with diabetes!
For anyone living with a chronic condition, such as diabetes, it is not uncommon to also suffer from periods of depression and anxiety. Diabetes can feel like it is taking over your life, overwhelmingly so. So many people have periods of depression, which can in essence, make diabetes management even more of a struggle. It is a vicious circle, difficult to escape from.
So what can someone who feels like there is no way out of this deep black hole, do? Feelings of despair when it comes to diabetes management won't disappear overnight. It can takes weeks, months, even years to feel truly happy with yourself and your diabetes. Despite this, there is a lot that can be done to make the journey easier and shorter.
If you are at the point where diabetes has taken over your life, take a minute to think. Think about all the things that you are entitled to, have access to, and can do, because you have diabetes. It sounds almost ridiculous, but there really are ways in which people with diabetes, can make the most of a bad situation.
Regular health check ups. Diabetes UK promotes the 15 basic health checks that anyone with diabetes should receive from their health care team. These checks include blood pressure, blood glucose levels, cholesterol, eyes, feet & legs, kidney function, weight. You are also entitled to support if you are a smoker, or are planning a pregnancy. You should also be offered an education course to help you understand and manage your diabetes. Speak to your health care team about the 15 essential health checks. If there is something you are not getting, you are entitled to the checks and support.
A healthy lifestyle. People with diabetes have to closely monitor their blood glucose levels. This means that in general, they are more likely to be looking at what they are eating and assessing how much exercise they are doing. If this is on the conscience, then it is probable that the person will be making an effort to take care of themselves.
Fashion statements. When all is going wrong, and diabetes isn't playing ball, think about the things that make you who you are. Many people wear medical ID jewellry, to ensure that if they are found unwell, people would know that they had diabetes. There are a lot of different types of medical ID jewellry nowadays. Gone are the days where your only option was wearing a dog tag or gold bangle.
A quick search in Google also brings up hundreds of images of people with medical ID in the form of tattoos. This is yet another way in which people choose to use their diabetes in a positive light. Not only this, but they can also look good whilst doing so!
Free prescriptions. Certainly in the UK, if you have diabetes, you will not have to pay for medical prescriptions. This includes prescriptions for diabetes-related medication, or any other illness. Imagine how much money would be spent every month, if we had to pay for all our insulin and testing strips as a bare minimum!
Free eye tests. It can not be said enough, how important it is to take care of your eyes. Aside from the retinal screening that anyone with diabetes, is entitled to, it is also important to have a regular eye test. Diabetes can eventually lead to a condition called Diabetic Retinopathy. However, regular eye tests can spot the early signs of the condition, meaning you can take action, before it becomes a problem.
Exit passes at theme parks, for children with diabetes. It sounds too good to be true! Places like Thorpe Park and Alton Towers have an 'exit pass' for children with diabetes. This means that they are able to miss the queues for a ride. This is because for a child, going to a theme park is very exciting. Excitement can lead to either a hypo or a hyper. If hyper, then a trip to the loo is normally needed, so they would likely lose their place in the queue. If the child is hypo, they need to treat and wait 15 minutes, which you can't do in a queue. Obviously, this would need to be clarified with the venue, and a letter from a GP may be required. However, it is an incentive to see diabetes in a more positive light.
These are just a few examples of how it is possible to 'make lemonade from lemons'. When someone feels overwhelmed by their diabetes, it can feel like nothing else matters. Trying to make the best of a bad situation, is just one way of trying to make the journey out of that black hole, a bit easier.
Finally, Gladys Knight & the Pips believe in making the best of a bad situation...
