There are lots of people on social media doing their bit for diabetes awareness, and this is fantastic. However, raising awareness seems to be a big buzzword these days, but what does that really mean, and how do we raise awareness of something effectively? Should I do it by sharing a random image on my Facebook feed that doesn’t tell any of my friends anything at all? Or should I use my social media to share information?
In this post, I will provide a short summary of the information revealed from parliamentary question responses on how many people in Ireland use insulin pumps, what clinics provide them as a treatment option and how many new pump starts are done each year.
My diabetes diagnosis shattered my confidence in my ability to take care of myself, and my plan quickly became to just get through the rest of the term, move home for the summer to my previous summer job and figure the rest out over the summer. Adjusting to my new normal of living with diabetes began while I was still in hospital, or did it?
I realised last year that in all the blog posts I’d done these last 13 years, I have never shared my diagnosis story, so here it goes. My diabetes diagnosis is not unique; many of my friends with diabetes share similar experiences; however, some people end up very ill and may have spent time in intensive care units in hospitals. Thankfully this was not the case for me, but I did feel like I was dying.
The purpose of the document is to provide an estimate of the number of people who are using HSE-funded Flash and CGMs in Ireland and to prompt a discussion around access equality. I believe we need to talk about how fair it is that so many are approved for HSE funding and why some people are still being made to pay.
Grainne.
See you in 2016.
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| Image from http://james-the-nose.deviantart.com/art/ A-deer-in-the-headlights-122552318 |
I attended a diabetes meeting once where one of the other attendees said they wanted to see photos of all the horrible things that can happen to a person with diabetes if they don't take care of themselves. That this would motivate this person into doing more to take care of their diabetes. I understood this person's point of view, they were much older than me and may have seen the "dangers" of diabetes as being more imminent than I did.
For me though "the fear tactic" doesn't work. I've heard all the horror stories. I've heard all of the threats in relation to what I should and what I should not be doing to take care of my type 1 diabetes. And I have been paralysed into doing nothing by them.
I think it's a well known piece of advice that fear is not a good motivator to get somebody to do something. Do you like it when someone threatens you? Even if it's for your own good? Does it make you want do what they say?
For me, it, absolutely, does NOT! But you might ask me what does get me moving and doing? My answer is "Information and inspiration" ;-D
I don't test my blood glucose more because someone told me I should. I do it because it was explained to me why I should consider it and how to use the additional information (EDUCATION, can't. say. it. enough.). And I could see almost straight away how this improved my management of my type 1 diabetes.
I do remember, all those years ago, when I was told that I had to eat a strict "diabetic" diet and I absolutely HAD to take my insulin at exactly the same time every single day. If I didn't I would end up with all sorts of ugly diabetes complications.
But guess what? Some people do all the right things and still get complications. And some people don't take care of themselves and don't get any complications.
Those were the days when we had very little in the way of diabetes research or education to revert to. But by God we had fear! And it got me nowhere!!
What did motivated me to do all the things that I do to take care of my diabetes? Education, education, education and some more education. Can't say it enough times!!! And of course, a good support network:-)
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| Image graciously stolen from Diabetes Mine |
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| Image from http://res.public domainfiles.com/pdf_view/ 52/13526046019596.png |
I'm thrilled to say that happened on the 25th November. So I've been using it for two weeks. I had a little hiccup with my pump, which decided to die on the 30th, which made me appreciate the CGM more as it's so helpful the not only know what my blood sugars are but also know where they are going. It was such a relief to see that down arrow.
This time around I feel like I know what I'm doing this time around with this new gadget. The workshop I attended in July presented by author of "Think like a Pancreas", Gary Scheiner entitled "Making Sense of the CGM Data" also helped.
The technology was so new to me in June that I was preoccupied by "how does this thing work?". I was only just getting a handle on having all that extra information by the end of the two weeks. I had been able to upload the information to the software programme and identify trends where I could make some adjustments in my insulin regimen.
But then the trial ended and it was like being blind again.
The major benefit of having a CGM is having this;
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| This is the graph from my CGM data. |
and knowing what to do with all those extra data points.
After two weeks, I have been able to prevent a number of lows by my CGM alerting me to the fact that my BG was 4.4mmol/L and dropping. And I've been able to reduce the impact of how high my blood sugar climbs. It's my hope that this will increase how much time I spend within my target blood sugar range of 4 mmol/L to 10 mmol.L (72 mg/dL to 180 mg/dL) overall.
People who have lived with type 1 diabetes since before the 1970's often talk about how access to blood glucose monitors changed diabetes management in a revolutionary way.
I think that the CGM is a game changer for my generation of type 1 diabetes.
Earlier this year, I started using the EzCarb and the EzBG features on my pump a bit more. Previously, I really only used them for correction insulin doses. I use an Animas Vibe pump and I'm told that on the Medtronic pump this feature is called the Wizard.
Since I've started using this feature I have noticed a reduction in the number of hypos that I have been having.
Before, I had a tendency not to factor in my Insulin on board, I didn't really have a way to calculate it. Insulin on board is the term used to describe how much insulin is left working in your body from the last bolus and how active it is.
Also, I would only factor in a correction amount of insulin if I was over 10 mmols/L (180 mg/dL).
I have to say that since using these features I feel like I have reduced the number of hypos that I have. However, I have nothing to back up my theory, it's just a hunch! But it feels nice.
I also like it because it separates out my insulin dose so that I know how much of my insulin is related to the carbohydrate, how much is a blood glucose correction and how much I have to reduce for my Insulin on Board.
Here's to continually making improvements and to tiny triumphs!
Disclaimer: I have not been paid by anybody in relation to this post.
