My Type 1 Support Group.

This week, I thought I would just give you a couple of lines about the Type 1 Support group that I am part of.

We meet every month in Ennis, Co. Clare and there are usually about 6 of us. Six is a nice number; it means we can relax a bit and really talk about what’s bothering us in our diabetic lives.

Last night, we meet in the Temple Gate Hotel and there were 4 of us. There was myself, who has had type 1 for almost 19 years, a lady who has grown up children and has type 1 for about 20 years, another lady who’s 12 year old has had type 1 for 4 years and another lady who has had type 1 for 46 years.  Even though we were from different stages of live and we were diagnosed at different ages; we all had something in common.

This group has been a huge source of strength to me as I face the everyday “challenges” in living with diabetes and also a great source of local information. Through this group I have learned about the choices I have in terms of medical care and I’ve picked up quite a few tips and techniques that others use to improve their diabetes management.

Another benefit to being part of this support group is that you don’t have to translate the lingo; you can talk about hypos, hypers, HbA1c’s, etc. without having to explain what each word means.  This makes for a very relaxed conversation.

All in all I’ve had a positive experience with my group and I would encourage others to reach out and try and find a group in your area. I know there are type 1 groups in Dublin, Cork & Sligo; Diabetes Ireland would have more information about if there are other types of diabetes support groups in your area.

I had been living with type 1 for 8 years before I met another person just like me. It was only then that I realised I didn’t have to live with this by myself and I didn’t have to feel this isolation. It was like walking into a warm room from a draughty hallway.

Diabetes and Pregnancy

This season of RTE’s OperationTransformation  has been focusing on type 2 diabetes in a big way. This is my first time to watch Operation Transformation and I find it a very interesting programme though not why you would think.

I was extremely interested in the piece about how unfit our school aged teenagers are, especially the girls. That was eye opening but when I thought about it not surprising.

However, it’s the feature on Petrice, which aired on Wednesday, 8th February, that inspired be to write this blog entry. Petrice was overweight and always figured that when she decided to start a family she would get in shape first. However, the best laid plans….. And got pregnant un-expectantly. During her pregnancy she developed gestational diabetes.

I have type 1 diabetes and had it before I started my family. My diabetes played a huge factor in deciding if I was going to have a family and really made me focus on what I had to do to prepare my body for developing a healthy baby. I had 10 years to learn as much as I could about diabetes before I started my family – imagine finding out all the scary things about diabetes and pregnancy after the fact! I felt for Petrice and how she was trying to cope with having diabetes and then think about how it was affecting her baby.

I started to think back to how I felt during both of my pregnancies. My first pregnancy went smoothly and resulted in a healthy baby (TG). It was really hard work; constant testing of blood sugars, lots of doctor’s appointments, faxing in by blood glucose diary weekly, accounting for every morsel of carbohydrate, feeding lows all the time and living in fear of the highs.

My second pregnancy happened just after our transatlantic move and my body was stressed, I was a little overweight and I had a two year old to take care of. I still put in all of the work and thankfully the result was another healthy (if not very large) baby (TG again).

Each time I was pregnant I had the same anxiety but tried to push it to the back of my mind and focus on nurturing a healthy baby. It’s amazing how this growing life makes you take better care of yourself and work twice as hard at managing your diabetes well without grumbling.

It’s like competing in a long distance race; you just want to get over the finish line. Your first question in the delivery room is not “Is it a boy or a girl?” but “Is everything where it should be and does s/he look healthy?”

Diabetes never lets you take a healthy baby for granted.

Big challenge, small steps.

Last month, I read a story called “500 Miles” in the American Diabetes Association’s magazine, Diabetes Forecast. When I read the title I thought “aaahhh, another person doing something insane to create awareness about diabetes”. (I have nothing against people who do insane and wonderful things for charity but I feel I can’t be part of it because I’m just ordinary).

After reading it I was “wowed”. This chap came up with an extraordinary challenge but then developed a plan that turned this extraordinary challenge into a manageable everyday task. He also made it interesting for himself focusing on what happened on his walks.

Also, at this time I was reading a lot about New Year Resolutions, goal setting and the best way to achieve those goals. A lot of what I was reading about this was apparent in “500 Miles”. How it’s not enough to make the resolution to, for example, lose weight in 2012. You have to dissect that goal down to a daily task, like say, a 3- minute walk or to pick one fat-laden item from my daily diet and either replace it with a low-calorie alternative or just remove it altogether. Then pick a date; in one month or two months’ time to review how well you have progressed and if you need to add another task to achieve your goal.

“500 Miles” also made me realise that we all probably do extraordinary things in our ordinary lives!

People say dumb stuff....but...

Yes, even the best of us says “dumb” stuff but what I’m referring to in this instance are the things that people who do not have diabetes (even loved ones) say to us when we talk about our diabetes. You know; the “should you be eating that” or the “I eat so much sugar that I know I’m going to get it”, etc.

What amazes me is the way people react to the “dumb stuff”! Sometimes we over-react to what the person says because they really don't know what to say and we don't do ourselves any favours by doing so. The way I see it, as a person with diabetes or affected by it, you have a couple of choices in this situation, you can;

1. do the head tilt and nod,
2. the calm informative response or
3. the rant.

I think that as people with diabetes it is our responsibility to educate others, to a certain degree, about the diabetic basics as they relate to us.

Why? Firstly, we need to educate more people about Type 1 diabetes because we are such a minority that we are dependent on the extended diabetes community to help us in our fight for a better future and a better healthcare system. Secondly, we need people to realise that there is a lot more involved to diabetes management than taking medication and following a "diet". And lastly, we need to educate more people about type 2 diabetes because of their risk of developing it and maybe they can prevent it in their own lives.

Having said that it shouldn’t solely be up to the person with diabetes to provide all of the information; for instance, if you are a significant other to a person with diabetes it would be an ultimate act of support if you found your own source of information and then you both talk about your findings.

That's my 2cents:-)

The Diabetes Christmas Challenge!!!!

I may be a bit late with this post as we are only two weeks away from the season’s climax. Most people love the Party Season but for people with diabetes this can be the most difficult time of the year to stay on top of it. The Christmas season presents many temptations with big neon Christmas lights, trying to manage party after party, then, when Christmas day arrives you find you’re sitting around a lot in the presence of bad food choices.

How do you deal with having all this time on yours hands while you’re off work?

I remember the years when I was single and went home to my parents for Christmas for two weeks. There was lots of sitting around, eating and watching tv. I think that if I had that experience now I would have a difficult time getting back to normal in January.

These days, I’m lucky that my job is a stay-at-home Mom because my daily routine doesn’t change much over the holidays. On the years we have an Irish Christmas we spend only a couple of days away from home visiting family and I’m not a big fan of Christmas pudding and usually don’t have enough room for it after dinner. I tend to get my diabetes back on track when we leave the family.

On the years that we have a good old US Christmas the good stuff disappears very quickly when there are 21 people in the house, so if it’s there I have it, if it’s not it’s no big deal. Plus, we tend to organise lots of activities to keep the children entertained and the adults sane. You can’t keep 9 children cooped up in a house and expect them to be relatively quiet!

The fact that I don’t have that dread of all the Christmas parties means that I probably have a more positive attitude towards it. I LOVE the build up towards it more than the actual day itself. I love buying presents, I do miss having parties to go to but not that much, I love the lights and decorations, I love sending Christmas cards … and getting them.

My tip to you would be to remember that it’s only really one week, keep your head and insulin is your friend. Happy Holidays and wishing you a healthy and fit new year.

One of those happy/sad moments

The Story of Jim's Christmas Lights.
In September 2010, I was contacted by a gentleman named Jim O'Driscoll who lived in my town. You see every year he would decorate his house and garden with Christmas lights, snowmen & reindeer, extreme style and use his love of this to give something back to the community by asking people who came to see them for a small donation for charity.

Jim had done this for 10 years and raised thousands for many good causes including; Crumblin’s Children’s Hospital, Cahercalla Hospice and the Clare Sunset Foundation, among others.
As a representative of the local Diabetes Ireland branch I jump at the chance of being the benefactors of this. Jim was so enthusiastic about raising money for diabetes especially when he heard that there was a local branch and because he had Type 2 diabetes for about 20 years.

Sadly, Jim became seriously ill in November and passed away from the complications of his diabetes in February 2011, at the age of 58 before this could become a reality. Because of this, Jim’s wife, Ann want to see his wish through and is dedicating the lights to his memory this year.
Jim's Christmas Lights will officially be switched on at 5:30pm on the 8th of December at No. 75 Elm Park, (behind Ennis Swimming Pool) Gort Road, Ennis, Co. Clare.

On Saturday, the 10th of December, between 4pm and 7pm, there will be a special guest appearance from Santa Claus. “Everyone’s invited and we’ll be having mince pies, mulled wine, hot food and some treats for the children” says Ann O’Driscoll.

The lights can be seen at No. 75 Elm Park, Gort Road, Ennis (behind Ennis Swimming Pool) every evening from the 8th of December to the 6th of January between 4 – 11pm.
The Clare branch of Diabetes Ireland hopes that lots of families from Ennis and the surrounding areas in Co. Clare will come out to see and enjoy Jim’s Christmas Lights and to support his wish to raise money for diabetes awareness and education. People can also make a donation in Jim’s memory to Diabetes Ireland by calling 1850 909 909 or by logging onto www.diabetes.ie and clicking the “Quick Donate” icon.

Proceeds from Jim's Lights a few years ago to The Children's Medical Research Foundation. From left: Gerry Cully, Jim O' Driscoll, Fr. Martin Blake and Anne O' Driscoll. Photograph by Yvonne Vaughan, The Clare People.