Tammy Galligher is an Expert on living with diabetes long-term. To check out Tammy’s full bio, click here.
Poor little ole’ me. Sometimes I must admit I find myself there. Especially times like this past weekend. I helped chaperone a youth trip to Washington, DC and I was having a bit of a pity party.
I had to pack extra things. I had to carry a “supply” bag. Then my blood sugar would drop from all the extra walking and I couldn’t get the temporary basal on my insulin pump worked out right. For me these pity parties are rare but sometimes I just flat out get tired of diabetes.
Those of us who deal with Type 1 juvenile diabetes on a daily basis have so much more to deal with than your average run of the mill person. I am not implying that others do not have their own issues. We all have issues. Ours are just better defined, constant and hard to escape.
Even the joy of a vacation can be diminished because of diabetes. We have extra supplies to carry and have to take several precautions. Then it never fails, you’re out having a good time and boom your blood sugar drops. Day to day life is one thing but having to think about our disease when we are suppose to be living it up can make the most optimistic person a tad bit down trodden.
But there is a silver lining. We are not alone and when we feel a pity party coming on there are places we can go for support.
The World Wide Web is a wonderful place to reach out for support. When you Google juvenile diabetes there are so many sites, blogs, support groups and communites to choose from. These sites are informative and filled with other diabetics from around the globe who deal with the same issues that we all do. When you find yourself in the middle of a pity party and no one else seemed to get their invitation, you can instantly find someone or a site to help.
Getting together with other diabetics in person is a great way to find support as well. Having friends you can touch and see can give you that extra oomph you may need when the blahs hit. Others have been where you find yourself. We all have days like mine, in Washington, and we all have our pity parties.
I encourage everyone to reach out, either online or in their communities. Find others who have that one thing in common with you that makes your life a bit more challenged than others. Find others you can invite to your own pity party.
Here are three prevalent diabetes-related online communities.
(Each of the Expert columns are based on the experiences and knowledge of the individual columnists. The columns are meant to provide you with helpful information, but are not meant to be considered direct advice. Before making any decisions that could affect your health, make sure to contact a physician or the appropriate medical professional.)
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