There’s nothing like hanging out with a bunch of people with diabetes and I’m spoiled at the moment with all the opportunities I have had this month to meet up with fellow Dia-Buddies.
Last night, we had a diabetes themed table quiz with our support group. I think I was really mean though, I made the questions way too difficult. We had no top scorers but we did have winners and good conversations.
Last week, I met up with a number of Dia-Buddies at the Diabetes Ireland National conference in Cork, even had lunch with two of them!!!
And finally, next week in Limerick, I’m really looking forward to attending this event organised by Diabetes Ireland with support from the Clare branch:
“Dealing with the Medical and Psychology Aspects of
Type 1 Diabetes”
Tuesday, 27th November 2018
7:30pm - 9:30pm
Castletroy Park Hotel, Limerick.
Quite a few members of the Limerick Adults with Type 1 diabetes group are planning on attending, so it’ll be a bit of a Dia-Party!?!
The event will provide information on the medical and psychological implications of living with type 1 diabetes, creating awareness of their increased risk of mental health issues, recognising and addressing diabetes distress or burnout and discuss coping strategies and is free to attend. It’s over 18 years but parents of children with diabetes are welcome.
One of the speakers, Dr Mark Davies, Clinical Psychologist from Belfast City Hospital spoke at Thriveabetes 2018 and was great! He spoke about only “Control the Controlables”. You can read my review of his presentation here.
I have experienced the psychological impact of living with type 1 diabetes a number of times in my 25 years of life with diabetes.
When I was diagnosis, I cried myself to sleep every night for about two months mourning the loss of my “normal” life.
In those early years, when I felt my diabetes was my responsibility and therefore my burden and I should not need to ask for help with it. That was very lonely time.
After the birth of my second child, when I struggled to get my diabetes back on track, to lose the baby weight and my son wasn’t a good sleeper.
And the worst time was after the loss of my third child and subsequent miscarriage when I was drowning in sadness.
My diabetes does affect my mental health and my mental health does affect my diabetes. And we should be able to talk about it more.
