Diabetogenic

We get up

August 12, 2015 in Awareness | 10 comments

I see strength everywhere I look.

I see it in myself as I dig, dig, dig deeper to manage diabetes as best I can.

I see it in my friends with diabetes as they face the challenges diabetes throws at them each and every day.

I see it in other people with diabetes as they get up and push on through the stigma and the discrimination and the assumptions and the judgement.

I see it in our lack of sleep and bodies not doing what we would like and our fear and our uncertainty.

I see it in parents of kids with diabetes as they rise again after a night of missed sleep and their fear and their uncertainty.

And I see it in the healthcare professionals working with is, advocating for us and helping us make sense of the labyrinth of our health system.

We are told that we get diabetes because we are fat, because we are lazy, because we ate the wrong food, because we didn’t move enough, because our bodies were feeble.

We are told that we are not doing the best we can, that our numbers are too low, too high, not enough.

We are told that we are not following the rules.

We are told there is no funding, no money, we cannot access what we want, what we need, what we choose. And then we are told that we failing when we don’t achieve unreasonable targets.

We are told we have no willpower, we are not resilient and we have no expertise.

We are told we are sick.

We are told we are weak.

We face all this. All the time. And yet every day we get up. We live a life like everyone else and manage a condition on top of it that would drive most people to distraction.

We become strong, because we have no other choice.

Pricking our fingers, injecting our bodies, watching how what we eat, how much we move, how we feel affects everything – we manage all of those things with little complaint.

We fight demons, we blame ourselves.

But we get up.

I see strength in every person with diabetes – whatever their numbers, whatever their management.

We get up. We do it. Every. Single. Day.

Tell us again that we are weak. Tell us again.

Translation

August 11, 2015 in Diabetes, Language, Real life | Leave a comment

How are you?

I’m fine. (I’m having a ‘diabetes day’ and I’m a little over it.)

You look tired.

Thanks. But really, I’m okay. (I am tired. I didn’t sleep because my BGL was high all night and I was up every ten minutes peeing and drinking water. Also, stop telling me I look tired!)

How is your diabetes going?

Fine. You know, up and down. Thanks for asking. (Still there. Still a pain in the arse. Still ….)

Did you have a bad night? You look like you haven’t slept much.

It wasn’t a great night. But I’m here! I’m okay. Thanks. (Enough with telling me how shit I look!)

Have you seen the doctor recently? I mean, if you are tired and not feeling great then maybe it’s time to see the doctor.

I’m okay. But thanks. (Seriously, you’re not going to acknowledge the ‘up and down’ comment? And no, I haven’t seen a doctor about the ups and downs, because if I was to do that every time I was low or high or low then high or high then low I would spend all my time in the doctor’s office and I have other far more fun things to do. Such as have this conversation.)

You know, sometimes you just need to take a break from things. Have you thought about that?

That’s a great idea. I’ll see what I can do. (I wish I could take a break from diabetes, but it doesn’t work that way. Instead, it’s about working out how to manage things the best I can.)

Or maybe stay home when you have had a not-so-great night.

Hmmm. That’s tough sometimes, but I will think about it. And I’ll just grab another coffee. (If I was to stay home after every not-so-great night, I would end up with a not-so-great work attendance record. Also, coffee. And more coffee.)

Are you sure you are okay?

Okay. The truth of the matter is that I am exhausted today. I had a lousy night and barely slept. Today, I feel like a bus has hit me, reversed and then hit me again. I would really like to curl up and catch up on the sleep I missed last night, but I had to get up to get the kidlet to school and then get to work because they expect me to show up – regardless of diabetes state – and then get home and parent a little more. But the truth of the matter is that I am tired, emotional and plain over it. Thank you for asking me. (You asked…..)

Um. Okay. Um. Let’s catch up soon.

Yes, let’s. (And let’s not talk about diabetes anymore!)

A seat at the table

August 10, 2015 in Advocacy, Awareness | 2 comments

Following the announcement at the end of last week from Diabetes UK that a new CEO had been appointed, there was much chatter online about whether or not the best person had been selected for the role. I have no opinion on this. I do not necessarily agree that you need a person with diabetes to be the CEO of a diabetes organisation – there are many other ways that meaningful engagement can take place ensuring that the organisation is representing the needs of people with diabetes.

What I was far more interested in was the direction the discussion took – specifically about the inclusion – or, as was being discussed, not – of consumers/patients/PWD/whatever you want to call us at professional conferences.

I watched on in silence as healthcare professionals, PWD and consumer groups all weighed in on the subject.

I am rarely a fence sitter, and on this issue, my position is very clear. Very, very clear.

I have yet heard a good argument as to why PWD should not attend diabetes conferences. In Australia, just as in the UK, we have the same limitations about people with diabetes having access to drug-branded information. This is archaic because, well, the internet. But whatever. (Read more here.)

Notwithstanding these code regulations, there is no reason that a PWD should not be welcome at a professional meeting about diabetes, hearing about diabetes research, learning about diabetes medications and technology and talking with the healthcare professionals working with people with diabetes. And if it is deemed that we are not fit to see the brand names of drugs, then keep us out of the exhibition spaces, but allow us to attend information and networking sessions. (For the record, I don’t support that idea either, but if that is what is necessary for us to be able to attend the sessions, then so be it.)

I would go one step further. PWD should be involved in the planning of these meetings. Why? Because surely if HCPs working with PWD are hoping to improve their knowledge and understanding of diabetes, a big part of that is gaining a better understanding of people with diabetes. And there is no one who gets that more than those of us living with diabetes.

I absolutely do not subscribe to the ‘why can’t we have a professional conference for health care professionals’ viewpoint. Well, of course you can. But there is no reason that PWD should not be involved in this and attend alongside healthcare professionals.

I’ve been more than a little vocal on this in the past. Search ‘consumer involvement’ or ‘PWD at diabetes conferences’ on this blog and you might just come up with a few things. I’ve given talks both here in Australia and overseas about it. I constantly expound the value of the consumer voice and consumer participation and consumer involvement.

The thing that interested me in the discussion I was following was just how hostile it was at times. With 140 characters or fewer at our disposal, we can’t always be as tactful as we might be in person. Sometimes, being direct is the only way. And knowing a few of the people involved in the discussion, tact is perhaps not a characteristic that they generally employ. I say that without any snippiness at all – it is part of the way they get their point across. I get it – I am often accused as being like that and I wear it as a badge of honour. As far as I am concerned, the involvement of PWD is non-negotiable and if I sound pissed about it, I probably am!

But being hostile and aggressive is not likely to result in a favourable resolution.

Working for a diabetes organisation puts me in a unique position. As part of my work, I get to attend the very conferences from which other PWD are excluded. Plus I am frequently invited to speak and this privilege is due to a combination of my diabetes org work and also my work as a blogger and diabetes activist that I do outside of paid employment. It’s a sticky situation that I manage as best as possible. There are disclaimers everywhere and even the whiff of a conflict of interest is declared.

However, there is one thing that I have learnt from ‘being on the inside’ and that is working collaboratively is highly likely to produce results more than being combative. There is a lot of negotiating required at times and an understanding that things take time. Sometimes lots of it. It’s taken me a lot of time to understand that!

Call me – and those who are trying for a more collaborative approach – political or bureaucrats. You can think we’re sell-outs. We’re not. At all. We actually have a seat at the table and are working for people with diabetes. And you want us sitting at that table! Come join us.

So, think you want to get involved, but not sure how? There are myriad ways that you can try to work with organisations. If paid employment is not what you are looking for, there are many volunteering opportunities including Boards (some may be paid positions), advisory panels, expert reference groups or simply, pick up the phone and pitch your idea!

Dear Doctor

August 7, 2015 in Diabetes, Healthcare team, Real life, Wellbeing | 13 comments

I frequently give talks about how to get the most of our healthcare professionals. One of the things I talk about is making sure that we find the HCPs that work best with us. I talk about interviewing doctors – something that I did years ago when I was looking for the right endo. It’s a two way street. One doctor told me that he didn’t think that we would work well together. He was completely right and I walked out of that appointment rather quickly!

I also talk about being really clear and upfront about things – what we need from our HCP, what we expect. And then give them the opportunity to do the same thing.

This is pretty much what I want to say to every HCP when I meet them for the first time.

Dear Doctor

Hi. You and I are on the same side. My side. We are both championing for me to be the best I can be with the cards I’ve been dealt.

I thought that we would start out by me telling you what I need from you and I would love it if you did the same. This is a relationship that works two ways. You need things from me and I need things from you. Let’s get all that out on the table from the beginning.

Mutual respect is really important. I come with mine ready to give to you. I won’t, however, be quite so generous if you don’t demonstrate the same thing.

Judgement is not welcome in our consultations. That message is actually for me as much as it is for you, because I am totally judging you. I expect you to be judgemental and not understand me or my condition. Show me that I’m wrong. And then don’t judge me for being such a pain in the arse!

My health condition is one that you know a great deal about. That is why I am coming to see you. I want to know everything thing you know that is relevant. But I need you to remember that I have a unique expertise in the field of Renza’s Diabetes. I am the world expert in this field and I will impart everything I have learnt and continue to learn about it to you. If you could then help me make sense of that, I’d really, really appreciate it.

I am not stupid. I have a really good understanding of the health system of which I am, unfortunately, a user. I also know a lot about the technical sides of my condition. I totally get that you need to make sure that I am clear about what you are saying, but please don’t dumb it down too much for me. I promise that I don’t care about looking stupid. I’ll ask if I don’t understand.

I use humour a lot to try to deal with what is, at times, a really scary thing to live with. Sometimes you may think that my humour is not particularly appropriate. A lot of the time you won’t find me funny (but for both of our sake, please pretend; I promise to ignore your fake laugh). I don’t make fun of the situation because I am making light of it. Or because I don’t care. I always care a great deal. But sometimes, it’s what I need to get me through.

I’m really not good at asking for help. But I am coming to see you because I need it. I may seem to be going the long way around getting to actually ask for what I need. Feel free to ask and prompt and even push a little.

I’ll say it again. I care a great deal about my health. I want to be healthy and well and on top of everything. There will be times – and they may be extended times – where it seems that I don’t care. The important word there is ‘seems’. I do care. Really. Sometimes though, it is just overwhelming and exhausting. But I really, really do care.

I have a beautiful family and a great job and a shoe collection that may make you jealous and really like to drink coffee. I bake a lot and love old black and white films. I have wonderful friends I spend time with – frequently over a meal somewhere. Exercise and I are not mates. I read voraciously and should probably seek some sort of therapy for my inability to stop buying books. I have a thing for bright red lipstick and have too many handbags. I love Nutella. And bacon. And doughnuts. You may wonder why I am telling you this. It’s because all of these things are part of my life. Just like diabetes. And it goes to explain why diabetes is not the most important thing in my life or the thing that I focus on all the time.

I’m terrified about my future. I am scared about diabetes complications, I lie awake at night worrying about the chance of my daughter getting diabetes and I fear becoming a burden on my loved ones. Diabetes is scary. It is not just a condition of numbers and lab results. It is (an unwelcome) part of my present and my future.

I solemnly swear that I will never, ever walk into your office asking you about some ridiculous cure I read about on the internet. Remember that bit about me not being stupid? But equally, the internet is where I get a lot of my support and information about living with diabetes. I have a support network of people living with diabetes from all around the globe. They build me up, tell me about new things, help me work through tough times. They are, to me, as important a part of my diabetes management as you are. Don’t treat them with suspicion.

So, did you know that cinnamon can cure diabetes? I’m disconnecting my pump and eating cinnamon doughnuts and nothing more for a week to see how it goes. Just kidding. (Pretend laugh. Now.)

And finally. I want you to remember all the time that I am doing the best I can at that very moment. It may not be as much as you would like, but this isn’t about you. It’s probably not as much as I would like either. Acknowledging what I am doing makes me feel really great. And frequently then makes me want to do better.

Thanks for reading. I really do hope this is the beginning of a beautiful doctor-PWD friendship.

Best

Renza

Friday tunes. Oh, Vinnie Barbarino!

Accessing our stuff

August 6, 2015 in Advocacy, Awareness, Diabetes, Real life | 1 comment

I am always interested to hear from friends overseas about how they access their diabetes supplies. In some places, discussions, negotiations and, it seems, arguments with insurance companies are required before product is delivered; in other places, people with diabetes require a prescription from their HCP to purchase consumables as well as medications. And, in other places, access is so limited and sporadic there are no processes in place to guarantee supply of the things we need to manage diabetes.

In Australia, the process is actually quite simple. A diagnosis of diabetes means that a person is eligible to be registered on the National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS). Once registered, PWD can use the NDSS to access most diabetes (non-drug) consumables.

The supply of insulin (or other diabetes medication) here is part of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). A prescription is required from a doctor and that is taken to a pharmacy to be filled.

In my experiences, insulin is not always kept in stock, so I make sure to call ahead and have it ordered in for me. Most people with diabetes I know do the same thing – many have been caught out thinking that we could simply show up, hand over our prescription and be given the insulin (after being warned about how it needs to go into the fridge NOW – RIGHT NOW).

The NDSS is an initiative of the Australian Government. Diabetes Australia has, for the last 28 years, administered all aspects of the NDSS, which apart from product supply and delivery also includes information and support services for people registered on the Scheme.

When I need BGL strips or pump supplies or needles, I can access whichever products I choose to use by either ordering over the phone, online, or at an NDSS outlet, which could be downstairs at work (see disclaimer), at a hospital, community health centre or, most commonly, a pharmacy.

Sounds easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy, and for me, generally it is.

The NDSS rules and regulations are all set out by the Department of Health and then carried out by those actually distributing products. It’s for that reason that there are limits on the quantity of product you can purchase in one hit. Again, I’ve not had a problem with that. I had a form filled in by my endo a number of years back that stated I use above the upper limit of strips. I am therefore able to order more than the 900 strips per 180 days that is standard. (For those doing the maths at home, that is five strips per day. This is what is recommended as a guide by many HCPs. Of course, diabetes does not operate to a guide, which is why there is the flexibility to order more if required.)

I have recently noticed quite a few people online complaining that they are having difficulty accessing the quantity of product they require.

So, what do you do if you have this problem? The first thing to do is to remember where the rules and regulations come from. Of course it is frustrating to be faced with someone telling you that you are unable to have as much product as you need – especially if you are ordering within the limits, but even if you are ordering outside of that quantity. But don’t shoot the messenger. A pharmacy assistant telling you that you can only order 180 days of strips or needles is just doing their job. (It’s a completely different issue if they are telling you that they will only give you one or two boxes – that is not okay!)

You can write directly to the NDSS or even better, to the Commonwealth Minister of Health. Be clear and concise about why you need to be able to order the quantity you require.

This is also the time to remember that your local member is there to serve you.

Remember that if you are writing to an MP, they may not have the understanding of diabetes that you do, so use generic terminology – and don’t use ‘diabetese’. Keep it simple and try not to get bogged down in detail.

If you believe that you are not able to access what you need – the actual product and/or the product in the quantity you require – there is something you can do about it. That something is not bitching and moaning on social media, by the way. It’s taking action and actually doing something that will result in change.

I have written before that there are going to be some changes in the next twelve months with NDSS product supply. There is absolutely no reason to believe that the subsidised scheme is under threat, however the changes will certainly mean that the way we have accessed diabetes supplies in the past will change.

FUN BIT! Disclaimer

I work for Diabetes Victoria and Diabetes Australia. The majority of the work I do is funded from the Registrant Support Services part of the NDSS. This is a different funding stream to Product Supply and Delivery.

Speaking ‘diabetese’

August 5, 2015 in Diabetes, Language, Real life | 3 comments

Despite my parents having been born in Italy, I can barely speak a word of Italian. I can order a coffee, ask for a size 38 shoe or boot, and enquire about where to locate a decent Nutella cornetto for breakfast. I also speak with my hands like a native, so I fool a lot of people into thinking that my Italian must be as good as my Italian hand-waving. Alas, it’s not.

It wasn’t until I was diagnosed with diabetes that I became bi-lingual. That’s right; I learnt how to speak diabetese.

When I am low, I become super fluent in diabetese. It is at that point that words I know to be correct in English completely disappear from my memory and are replaced with words that may or may not work. Frequently they don’t.

The other morning, I announced to the family that ‘I need fooding’. Hilarity ensued from Aaron and the kidlet while I looked on confused and annoyed at their laughter, trying to find the right word, and demanding they stop it and get me a freaking doughnut. Apparently it was so funny that it warranted a Facebook post, where someone kindly responded that I had spoken ‘like a true Calabrese’ (which actually isn’t too far off the mark when I think about some of the words that my grandparents turned from Italian to half-English. My mother still jokingly refers to the first meal of the day as ‘brekkafesta’).

On the same day, I couldn’t remember the word for a particular appliance. ‘Heat that up in the dishwasher…I mean washing machine…I mean microwave,’ I said, desperately searching for the name of the correct white good. (More laughter from the other inhabitants who reminded each other of my earlier ‘fooding‘ comment and laughing about that all over again!)

I don’t even need to be low for diabetese to fall into dialogue.

‘What was Amy Winehouse’s blood sugar level when she died?‘ I asked Aaron when we walked out of the movie the other night. ‘Huh?’ he asked, looking at me. ‘Blood alocohol?’

Of course there is the ability to have whole conversations in acronyms – ‘At the ADA conference I was at a session on IPT and CGM and a CDE pointed out that QoL is as important a measure as HbA1c.’ Makes perfect sense to me and my people.

Being able to speak a LOTE that may only be understood by a (very select, very intelligent) few is kind of special. But I would be more than happy not to have to ever, ever again.

What’s YOUR story?

August 4, 2015 in Diabetes, DOC, Real life, Vlog | Leave a comment

‘Storytelling is the essential human activity. The harder the situation, the more essential it is.’

Tim O’Brien

Let me be your punch line

August 3, 2015 in Advocacy, Awareness, Diabetes | 11 comments

It was a lovely morning – a lazy weekend sitting in a local café, drinking fabulous coffee, skimming through the papers and discussing the Amy Winehouse doco we’d seen the night before. The kidlet was still being spoilt by her grandparents, and Aaron and I were making the most of a leisurely breakfast.

We were at one of our favourite cafes in our area. The coffee is consistently excellent, the food is great and the owner is one of the nicest people I have ever met. Being in his café is one of my favourite things to do on the weekend. (Plus they make the most amazing home-made marshmallows. Totally bolus worthy!)

We finished up after sneaking in a second round of coffees, and meandered to the front of the store to pay.

‘They look awesome,’ the guy ahead of us was saying to the barista, pointing at the delicious-looking fudge-y, chocolate brownies on the counter.

‘Yeah; they are really great. So sweet. You get diabetes just looking at them.’

The next noise was the sound of my head spinning and my hair whipping around.

‘No you don’t,’ I said – loudly enough for them both to hear. The customer turned around and the barista looked at me. I was a little terse, but not rude.

‘I mean it. Really, they are so sweet,’ said the barista.

‘Doesn’t matter how sweet they are. You still won’t get diabetes eating them. You really shouldn’t say that. It’s not true.’ I turned to Aaron. ‘I’ll be outside. I’m done here.’

And there it is. Again. The stupid, ignorant, insensitive, offensive, throw away comments about diabetes. Comments that also happen to be untrue.

At Nova the night before, we watched the heartbreakingly sad story of Amy Winehouse in the brilliant, but harrowing, documentary Amy.

This incredibly talented young woman was hounded by the media as she dealt with addiction. And at the moment when she most needed support and help, late-night television show hosts thought it was amusing to make fun of her. They thought it was hilarious to comment on her alcoholism or weight loss or drug abuse. They thought that a vulnerable young woman who was falling apart was a great target for their cheap jokes.

And apparently, diabetes is too.

It is not funny. People who are living with health conditions are not a punch line. Diabetes is not here to use as a material for a cheap joke. The condition that I work so bloody hard to keep in check – every minute of every single day – is not a chance for you to try to be witty (which, incidentally, you are most likely not!).

All of that came flooding to my caffeine-fuelled mind as I stood there, waiting to pay the other morning. ‘Am I overreacting?’ I asked Aaron when he walked out of the cafe. ‘No. Not at all.’

People who are dealing with health issues – no matter what they are – need support. We need people to try to understand what we are doing. We occasionally need to be reminded that we are doing the best we can.

It’s actually quite simple. Diabetes is not a joke. Stop thinking it is.

Amy Winehouse singing The Girl from Ipanema is a thing of beauty. Here it is.

Tips for travelling with diabetes

July 31, 2015 in Diabetes, Real life, Travel | 6 comments

Come fly with me…. (2015 to Orlando)

By the end of this year, I will have travelled overseas five times and interstate heaps more. And over the last few years, have done a lot of travel – for business and pleasure with my family. So with this recent experience under my belt, I decided to enter Diabetogenic into the Top Travel Tips competition run by Virgin Australia and ProBlogger with some tips and tricks that I have learnt on my travels.

Always visit the city public library. (Boston 2015)

‘Travelling with diabetes’ is just ‘travelling’ for me. It’s not like I can leave the diabetes at home – I asked and it refused. I have never considered diabetes as being a reason to not travel. It just takes some planning. But then, so does travel in general!

Steamboat Natchez (New Orleans 2013)

As I have said frequently, diabetes adds an extra degree of difficulty to life. And it is the same with travel. It’s not anything all that significant, just something to consider. So here are my fail-safe tips to travelling not only safely, but also ensuring that a wonderful time is had.

Camels in the Atlas Mountains (Marrakech 2013)

1. Have fun!

Lady Liberty (New York City 2010)

2. Don’t let diabetes be the reason that you don’t travel. And further to that, don’t let diabetes be the reason that you limit your travel to areas you consider ‘safe’.

Shoes in every possible colour combination. (Barcelona 2013)

3. Read points one and two again.

Ice skating in Central Park (New York City 2011)

4. Work out what diabetes supplies you need to take. And then double it. I know: diabetes paraphernalia add bulk and that is a pain – especially when you are trying to travel light (a concept completely alien to me, because: shoes). It is highly likely that you will end up coming back home with a lot of the extras, but that is a far better option compared with trying to work out how to access insulin/pump lines/BGL strips etc. when you are in the middle of a cooking with truffles tour of southern Italy. (Note to self: find and book cooking with truffles tour in southern Italy.)

The magic of a gondola (Venice 2009)

5. And again – I know it’s a pain, but carry things with you rather than packing them away with your stowed luggage. That way, you know where it all is, and the insulin won’t be subject to significant temperature changes. I do know of people who stowed their insulin and it froze, rendering it useless. And someone else whose luggage sat on the taxiway in direct sunlight for 6 hours cooking their insulin. It’s unlikely, but in rare cases, it can happen. You don’t want to be that person!

Mozart everywhere! (Vienna 2012)

6. To declare or not to declare? That is the question. I never walk up to security and announce that I have diabetes. But equally, if necessary, I am happy to answer any questions. I seem to set off security alarms with alarming (!) regularity. By the time my shoes have come off, and any jingly-jangly bracelets are removed, I still frequently set off the alarm. No idea why. At that point, with a pat down on the way, I do point out that I am wearing a couple of medical devices, pointing to them on my body. I am always relaxed about it and willing to pull them out for show and tell. It’s never ever been a problem. Ever. And I don’t assume that the security person will know what I am talking about, so I use simple terminology when explaining what they are for. Often, an interesting conversation ensues!

Dubai 2011

So on that: stuffed in with my travel documents is a letter from my endocrinologist stating that I have diabetes. That letter has never, ever come out – I’ve never been asked. However, it always there, because it is a piece of paper, weighs nothing and the day I decide I don’t need it will be the day I am asked for official documentation to prove my faulty beta cell status.

7. For pump users. Having an insulin pump undoubtedly makes travel easier. No need to do any sorts of tricky calculations for time zones and working out what time to take your long acting insulin. I always have the same procedure: once it’s wheels down at my final destination, I reach for my pump and reset to local time. That’s it! Done! I don’t do it earlier in case of any delays along the way.

Denmark Street for music stores (London 2014)

TAKE A PUMP BACK UP. Most pump companies offer loan pumps. Just make sure you give yourself enough time to organise one.

Oh, Paris. (2008)

Write down your pump settings. I save the settings in my phone and save a copy in the cloud as well. Because I seriously couldn’t tell you my insulin sensitivity factor (or anything else) if my life depended on it. Which it kinda does!

Pumps fail. It’s a reality. It’s crap. And even back up pumps fail. I know the likelihood is small, but it can happen. And if it does, you’ll still need insulin – both basal and bolus. So with that in mind, don’t forget long acting insulin. You can get pre-filled pens if that is your preferred option (don’t forget you’ll need needle tips!). I take syringes because they are easy to use, light, and do the trick!

8. Travel insurance. Don’t leave home without it. And don’t forget to disclose diabetes.

Apartment doorway. (Rome 2012)

9. Medical ID? Some people don’t go to the corner store without their medical ID. Other people rarely, if ever, wear something (guilty as charged). It is an incredibly personal decision as to whether or not you wear something identifying you as someone with a health condition. Think about where you are travelling, if you will be spending periods alone and if you think that having a medical ID would be the best thing for you.

Montmartre (Paris 2013)

The gorgeous seaside Honfleur in Normandy.

The gorgeous seaside Honfleur. (Normandy 2009)

10. Frio packs are great if you are travelling to hot places and you are not sure the availability of a safe fridge. I have found (increasingly) that some hotel rooms don’t even have fridges in them anymore; in Boston, I spent 10 minutes looking for a cleverly hidden fridge in my room at the Hyatt only to realise that there wasn’t one! Having said that, insulin is a lot hardier than our pharmacists would like us to believe, and it won’t disintegrate before your eyes if it’s not refrigerated constantly.

11. One of the best things about travelling is exposure to new foods. Often what you are eating and its nutritional value are a complete mystery. Eat it anyway. You can always correct a high blood sugar or treat a hypo. Don’t let diabetes be the reason to not try the local delicacies.

So much delicious food. Carb counting is your friend!

And while we’re talking food – think about the food available while you are actually in transit. Aeroplane food will never be the best food you will eat. I have never, ever, ever ordered the meal for PWD, but I know others who do and say it’s fine. Don’t think you HAVE to order a special meal just because you have diabetes.

There seem to be some recurring themes in our travel photos. (Coffee everywhere)

I always make sure that I have my own hypo stash while on planes. But don’t worry if you don’t (or if you’ve already munched your way through). You can always get juice on flights. (Don’t forget – on some flights food and drinks are not included in the fee and you will have to pay on board.)

Ampelmann (Berlin 2012)

12. I don’t exercise, so when I travel, I spend the first couple of days low until I remember that I am walking miles and miles and miles. And then remember to alter my basal rates on my pump. (If I was smart, I would do this before the hypos start. I am hoping to become that person one day.) Same thing applies, of course, if you are usually super active and suddenly doing nothing but lying on a lounge chair, reading a book and doing nothing more than waving your hands at a waiter for another cocktail.

13. The Diabetes Online Community (DOC) is your friend! There are people with diabetes EVERYWHERE and we’re a helpful bunch! If you’re in a pickle, social media might just be the thing to connect you with someone to help you out. (And here is the famous Pumpless in Vienna story again.) And even if you are not having a diabetes crisis, travel is a great chance to meet up with people you’ve gotten to know in tweetchats and diabetes discussions online.

Bright (xmas) lights, big city (NYC 2014)

Bright (xmas) lights, big city (New York City 2014)

One of my favourite things when travelling is to do just that. I have spent countless hours all over the world getting to know people from the diabetes online community and they have moved from being wonderful cyber friends to truly wonderful in-real-life friends. Diabetes may have connected us, but there is much more that has secured that friendship!

Yankee Stadium (New York City 2013)

14. Shop for diabetes! (Yep, of course there is a shopping angle.) Shopping overseas gives you access to things you may not find at home – especially if you visit markets and fairs. I have found gorgeous little purses for my diabetes supplies while travelling and one of my favourite bags ever was bought on the Rialto Bridge in Venice from a man who makes all the bags in the store. (I justified the purchase by the size of the bag, telling myself it would carry everything I needed for my diabetes for the rest of the trip!)

Rijksmuseum Bibliotheca (Amsterdam 2014)

Travelling should be fun and exciting and enlightening and enriching. It’s a chance to spread your wings, find new places, meet new people and discover new things about yourself. It’s an awesome ride, and diabetes – whether you like it or not – is there with you. Most of all, remember what I wrote in this post here:

The theory of travelling and diabetes is different for every person and every trip. And every trip I learn something new – and not everything I learn is about diabetes!

We have made a point of visiting somewhere new each year over the last five years.

‘It’s like you don’t have diabetes anymore’

July 29, 2015 in Awareness, Devices, Diabetes, Healthcare team | 4 comments

I recently gave a short presentation on wearable medical devices that provide constant, real time data, and what that means for people on a day-to-day, minute-to-minute basis.
I had a slide that was a word cloud, including some of the (non-sweary) words I use regularly.

Being conscious that the crowd were not all necessarily diabetes-savvy, I focused on the data aspect and what that means for me emotionally more than the technicalities of the technology.

Afterwards, over tea and Arnott’s cream biscuits (Kingstons FTW!), I spoke with a (non-diabetes) healthcare professional – a GP who had never seen either an insulin pump or CGM before.

‘What great technology! It’s like you don’t have diabetes anymore,’ the GP said to me, clearly not having listened to any of my talk – especially the bit where I said sometimes tech could actually be more overwhelming and a constant reminder of my diabetes. Or the part where I said that as much as I love the devices, I still need to drive them and do a lot of work.

I shook my head gently and smiled. ‘I wish. And one day, I hope it will be like that. But this tech, whilst terrific, is part of my arsenal in the significant self-management tasks I do each day to manage my diabetes.’

He looked far less impressed.

‘Oh,’ he said. ‘So it’s not all that great?’

‘No, no. I’m not saying that.’ I wondered if he had actually heard anything I said. Because as much as I talked about the overwhelming side of the technology and all the data, I spoke a lot about how useful it is too.

‘It’s complicated,’ I said. ‘Sometimes I love this tech; other times I hate it. But mostly, I am glad I can use it the way I want.’

I munched on my Kingston biscuit, thinking. ‘I guess it’s kind of how I feel about my mobile phone. I love it – it means that I can reach everyone I want to whenever I want to and they can reach me. It means I can check Twitter and Facebook to see what everyone is up to. I can check the weather. I can receive emails and reply to them all the time. It’s great, right?’

‘And it’s a pain in the arse as well. Pretty much for all the reasons that it is great. But regardless, I wouldn’t be without it.’

He nodded. ‘I think I get it now. That’s an analogy that makes sense to me. Diabetes is so huge. A lot of it doesn’t make sense.’
It was my turn to nod. ‘So much of the time I am guilty of forgetting that not everyone gets the intricacies of life with diabetes. I try not to have expectations that people know about it, but find it difficult to explain. Maybe I need to come up with non-diabetes explanations.’

‘Like ‘life is like a box of chocolates?’ Forrest Gump managed to do it.’

I laughed. ‘Actually, that’s a pretty good analogy for diabetes too,‘ I said.

He thanked me and walked away, promising to learn more about diabetes technology.
I spoke with a few other people, ate another (couple of) Kingstons and got ready to leave. As I was collecting my things, I heard the GP speaking with someone else. ‘The technology is great,’ I heard him say. ‘But it can be frustrating at times. Kind of like the frustration from having a mobile phone and being reachable all the time.’

I smiled to myself and left the room.