A New Chapter in My Life with Diabetes

I started a new chapter last week in my life with diabetes. I have moved around a lot in my 22 years with type 1 diabetes. This also means that I have changed where I received my diabetes care a number of times too.

I firmly believe that my health care team should be one that I like, that I can open up to and that they know their diabetes stuff (believe me some are pretending). I had found that in my previous endocrinologist, Dr. D. She always told me that I was too hard on myself and that I was an exemplary patient. What a gem!

But I knew Dr. D would be offered something better, job wise, some day and I would stay with her until that day. I really didn't think we would make it as doctor/patient to her retirement.

When she announced that she was moving on in August 2014, I was sad but saw it as an opportunity to make a rest-of-my-life commitment for my diabetes care.

So, I decided that the time was right for me to move back into the public healthcare system.

I asked my GP for a referral to the Diabetes Centre in University Hospital Galway (UHG) last September and when I hadn't heard from them by January I gave them a call. BTW, "pro-active" is my middle name! Yes, it is!!!

At that time, UHG had a 15 month waiting list but given that I had no support, medically, since June 2014 they said that if my GP was to send another letter they would see if I could be seen sooner.

And hey presto, I got my appointment for the April 7. I did end up in the Type 2 Diabetes Clinic but that was a consequence of squeezing me in and moving me up the waiting list.

I met lots of friendly health care professionals and I have a good feeling about where our relationship is going. One of the best things about public healthcare, when it comes to type 1 diabetes, is the fact that it is multi-disciplinary. I met the one of dietitians during my appointment, which means I don't have to make separate appointments for that and I have a team of consultants. If one retires or goes on holiday there is always another one and I look forward to meeting all of them.


Plus, when I came home from my appointment. After I had caught up on the daily household chore without hypos, I saw that I had an email from the Endo putting the wheels in motion to get my Continuous Glucose Monitor.

Now, that's a good start!