“Just don’t eat sugar.” “Take your pills.” “Count your carbs.” “Avoid most thrills. “Be prepared.” “Plan ahead.” But this disease Is in my head. I can’t split up the thoughts around My mental health and body sound. Impossible to draw a line Between “I’m sick” and feeling fine. Just take my shot? And avoid stress? Beware of cake? Test, don’t…
Non-Billable Hours: Purse Party
Blood Sugars, Diabetes Advocacy, Diabetes Community, Diabetes Online Community, RelationshipsIt’s Diabetes Month – have you heard? There will be a ton of diabetes-related news circulating; you’ll see diabetes in the headlines and on the news. Diabetes is, dare I say? so fetch this month. Discussions about diabetes often seem limited, at least in the broader public forum, about blood sugars, weight gain or loss, and diet. Admittedly, a lot…
What Helped Me as a Kid with Type 1 Diabetes
Diabetes and Emotions, Diabetes and Family, UncategorizedI was diagnosed with diabetes in second grade, so I’ve had this disease along for essentially all of the available rides in my almost 40 years. From 1986 onward, I’ve experienced everything from field trips to fights with my parents about boyfriends to learning to drive to college to pregnancy and parenting children of my own. My life, for all…
Guest Post: Mindy Bartleson on Chronic Illness, Mental Heath, and Removing the Rose Colored Glasses
Diabetes Advocacy, Diabetes and Emotions, Mental Health, Psychosocial Support, Real Life DiabetesMindy is self-publishing an honest book about growing up with chronic illness and mental health. She wrote the content before rose colored glasses impacted her experiences too much. Today, she’s sharing the why behind her efforts on SixUntilMe. And if you’d like to help this book get published, you can visit the crowdfunding page to learn more, back her project,…
The Other Half of Diabetes: We think a lot about the physical component of diabetes, but the mental component is just as significant. How does diabetes affect you or your loved one mentally or emotionally? How have you learned to deal with the mental aspect of the condition? Any tips, positive phrases, mantras, or ideas to share on getting out…
The Patient Voice 2016: Bridging the Diabetes Gaps
Diabetes Advocacy, Diabetes and Emotions, Diabetes Community, Diabetes Complications, Diabetes Online Community, Diabetes PoetryHappy Friday, friends! Today, Marina Tsaplina is borrowing the blog to help spread the word about an event she is hosting in New York City on March 20th. It’s the debut event for The Betes organization, and the goal is to give rise to discussions about the emotional influence of chronic illness. Part of the presentation will be a discussion…
What would improve the healthcare experience for me, as a patient with multiple health conditions? I’m glad you asked. (You did actually ask, right?) A few things would help move things forward. Here’s a thought-purging because I happened to have coffee: Billing processes that make sense. For example, I received a refund for mail order pharmacy overpayment in the same…
I looked at my blood sugars in the last few weeks and my worst response was my lack of response. In reviewing the numbers, my brain only shrugged in apathy. A year or two ago, I would have looked at the dwindling number of finger sticks and the creeping trend of high numbers and been very, “Whoa. What is going…
D-Blog Week: What Brings Me Down … and Then Back Up.
Diabetes and Emotions, Diabetes Complications, Diabetes Online Community, Psychosocial Support, Real Life DiabetesDiabetes has made my body broken in ways I don’t readily admit, but I am sometimes forced to acknowledged. People talk about my daughter’s chances of developing the disease and they always give me what they think is a comforting comment – “At least it would be the devil you know,” – but that doesn’t ease my boxed-away fears and…