Month: December 2015

Christmas Gift Guide, With a Diabetes Twist

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I’m still wrapping my head around the idea that Christmas is next Friday. Next Friday! For a bit of fun, I thought I’d share with you some things that I own, and that I think are totally awesome. Some are completely related to diabetes, others not so much.

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1. Syringe Pens. These are so bloody awesome! Need I say anymore? Search for them on eBay.

 

 

 

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2. Mesh Pencil Cup. What’s a pencil cup got to do with diabetes? Well, it works as a great waste bin for all of my used test strips, test strip foils and needle caps! They’re pretty easy to find at the shops.

 

 

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3. Freestyle Insulinx Blood Glucose Monitor. This is what all the new d-kids in clinics are getting these days. It’s a glucose logbook and generates reports each time I plug it into the computer, eliminating the need to scramble in several weeks worth of numbers before an appointment! No way to fudge the numbers either, mind you… It calculates my insulin doses, factoring in corrections and active insulin on board, much like a pump does. Check it out here, and speak with your diabetes educator about getting one.

 

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4. Transcend WiFi Memory Card. I don’t care what you say, phone cameras take such crappy photos. So, I always use my camera. Then if I want to share my wicked diabetes photos with you, I have to go to the trouble of downloading them to my computer, syncing them to my iPhone and then Instagramming them. This memory card, however, has a WiFi chip, meaning I can download the photos to my phone from the camera wirelessly and Facebook/Instagram you my diabetes goodness right away. Check it out here.

 

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5. Sony Cybershot DSC-RX100. If you’ve got a memory card, you’re going to need a camera, right? I brought myself this camera for my birthday and it takes amazing, amazing photos. Plus, it’s pocket sized and I don’t need to be a photographer to use it. Check it out here.

 

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6. Canvas thongs. These are great because they don’t have rubber straps and my feet don’t get blistered from walking around in them all day.

 

 

 

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7. Converse Cons. I never used to wear shoes during the summer months, but I’m finding that I’m wearing these a lot this year. I’m a big fan of shoes without socks, and once these are “worn in” they’re quite comfy to wear on their own. You can grab them here. Just don’t tell your podiatrist!

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8. Australian Diabetic Living Magazine. I’d been reading this mag for a long time, before I eventually bit the bullet and subscribed. It’s full of recipes, stories and features on living well. Before I found the Diabetes Online Community, reading this magazine was one of the few things that inspired me with my diabetes management. You can subscribe here and here. The only thing I don’t like is that it only comes out every two months!

 

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9. The Low GI Diet Shopper’s Guide. This is one of my go to diabetes reference books. It’s so hard to figure out whether a particular food is going to make my blood sugars spike, or rise steadily. I try to make the “staple” foods in my diet Low GI, and this book is a huge help. You can buy the book, as well as a variety of other glycemic index reference books here.

 

 

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10. Allan Borishek’s Calorie, Fat and Carbohydrate Counter. Another one of my go to diabetes reference books. The title is self explanatory. You can check them out here, and they’re available in a lot of Australian shops and newsagents.

 

 

 

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11. Walker’s Shortbread. Buy me a box of these for Christmas and I’ll be a happy man. Just don’t tell me that I have diabetes and shouldn’t be eating it!

 

And last but not least, a good smartphone is essential to keep the wonderful Diabetes Online Community on hand throughout the holiday season. Thanks to all of you for your never ending support, encouragement and inspiration. Thanks for reading. Thanks for letting me into your lives this year.

Merry Christmas!

Pieces of the Emotional Support Puzzle

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I’ve written a great deal about the need for more “emotional” support from diabetes healthcare professionals.

In my humble experience, I often felt a lack of emotional support from my endocrinologist and my doctor. I never felt that they had the time for me on a busy clinic day, and I didn’t really feel too important when there were younger children and families around who understandably required more attention.

It was often hard to open up and be honest with them for fear of judgement. My very first endocrinologist told me that I had very poor control, just weeks after my diagnosis, which you can read about here. Meanwhile, my general practitioner often told me that “my sugar levels are too high” without actually offering anything more substantial or helpful.

I’m amazed at the amount of “smart” comments that I receive, with suggestions that I should find a counsellor every time write about these issues. Comments like these always leave me second guessing myself. Am I too vulnerable? Over emotional? An attention seeker? A basket case? A person who shouldn’t be blogging?

So, it was really fantastic to see that psychologist Marisa Hilliard dedicated a session at the World Diabetes Congress in Vancouver last week to this very issue: diabetes healthcare professionals prioritising emotional wellbeing. I was also honoured that this post of mine was quoted in her presentation.

For the record, I certainly don’t expect that an endocrinologist or general practitioner should have to fill the role of a counsellor. They are qualified professionals in high demand. No doubt they have far better things to do with their time than listen to me blubber on about my diabetes.

However, I do expect that health care professionals will listen to me. I do expect that health care professionals will make me feel comfortable to open up to them. I do expect that health care professionals will look beyond what’s written on the charts and talk to me about what’s going on. I expect that health care professionals will show some empathy during consultations. And I expect that healthcare professionals will offer support and encouragement.

This is not a big ask. This can be done. Even on a busy clinic day. Even when time is limited. Even if you’re meeting me for the first time. Even if you are a general practitioner who is not a diabetes expert. Nobody has to be qualified to be supportive and empathetic, in my opinion.

Emotional wellbeing helps me to see value in my diabetes healthcare team. It encourages me to continue to manage my diabetes to the best of my ability. A good experience motivates me to keep in touch with my diabetes healthcare professionals and to ensure I have my regular checkups. Above all, emotional well being has helped me to prioritise my health. It’s the difference between walking out of the doc’s office holding back tears, or with the biggest grin that I can’t wipe off my face.

Obviously, my endocrinologist and general practitioner are only individual pieces of the “emotional” support puzzle in my diabetes care. I have my wonderful diabetes educator, Gwen, who has my undivided attention during every 60 minute session I have with her. I have my family at home, whom I have a newfound appreciation for in my diabetes care. I know that they are cheering me on every step of the way, even if they don’t have diabetes themselves.

I’ve also discovered the amazing Diabetes Online Community through blogging this year, who have come through for me in more ways than you would imagine. I can tweet something at 2am in the morning and instantly receive words of encouragement and advice. I have the wonderful Oz Diabetes Online Community who I can hang out with on Twitter every Tuesday night. I look forward to my coffee break every single morning, when I can sit back and check in with the Diabetes Online Community on Twitter.

I also have all of you who cheer me on through your support of this blog.

A year ago, I certainly felt very alone with my diabetes.

Finding emotional wellbeing has helped me to embrace it.

Type 1 Writes at the World Diabetes Congress!

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Last week at the World Diabetes Congress in Vancouver, psychologist Marisa Hilliard kindly quoted one of my blog posts in her presentation about prioritising emotional wellbeing from diabetes healthcare professionals.

One of my OzDOC friends Kim, who was at the conference, kindly tweeted one of Marisa’s presentation slides to me on Saturday morning.

My words sounded familiar, but I couldn’t put a mental finger to the exact post that this quote belonged to. I turned to Dr. Google, and who fetched for me a post from July titled “I Don’t Feel Like I’m Doing Enough.”

I have extremely mixed feelings towards this post. This was the very last post that I expected to be quoted. This post was extremely difficult for me to write. I wrote it on a day where I didn’t feel in a very good place with my diabetes management. It was one of my lowest points this year.

But after some deliberation, I decided that I am proud of this post. I’m proud of how transparent I was that day. I’m proud of how writing this post helped me to identify what I needed to find in order to manage my diabetes. I’m proud that I did share a vulnerable moment, because life with diabetes isn’t always smooth sailing. I’m proud of the fact that this post inspired a presentation advocating for emotional support towards people with diabetes.

Initially, I wanted to bury this post and forget about it.

Today, I proudly repost my words from July. (And tomorrow, I’ll weigh in on emotional support from diabetes healthcare professionals).

I’ve been stuck in a rut for a while. My hba1c levels are okay, I guess, but they’re not great either. And they’ve been stuck in that good, but not great phase for a long time. And right now, I just can’t stop thinking about this tweet from last week.

I have a love hate relationship with my doctor. I love how he can quickly dismiss my concerns when I’m not feeling well. But I hate that I don’t feel that anything constructive comes from seeing him. Every single visit usually goes the same way. He’ll tell me that my illness is “just a virus,” send me for a blood test and then tell me “you need to get your sugar levels down.” I’ll nod my head. I might even manage to mumble an “okay.” He’s usually running an hour behind, and I’ll be lucky to get five minutes in there before I’m pushed out the door. I know he’s not a diabetes expert, but it’s not like he even tries to offer any sort of genuine help.

Then there’s the endocrinologist. An endocrinologist appointment really does motivate me to do better with my diabetes. And I can talk to the endo, if its someone I’m comfortable with. But I don’t get to see them as often as I probably need to right now. If I’m lucky, I’ll get to see them twice a year. And if I’m extremely lucky, I’ll get to see the same endo both times. I’m due for an appointment right about now. In fact, I could really use an endocrinologist appointment right about now. And out of the whole six months that my appointment could have been scheduled for, it just had to be in the two weeks that I was on holidays. And now, the earliest I can reschedule for is January. January, for heaven’s sake. Being in the public health system can be so frustrating sometimes.

And I just can’t stop thinking about that tweet. I think there’s a good reason I wrote it. I need to try harder to find the support I was calling for in that Tweet. It’s well and truly time for me to get back on track. I’ve had my break. Perhaps too long of a break. I’ve had a lot of fun and enjoyed a lot of good food. And now, it’s time for me to hit that reset button that comes after a good break.

Normally, I would have accepted that wait until January for an endocrinologist appointment. Normally, I would make those excuses about work and life and being busy. But today, I’m going to give my Diabetes Clinic a call and see if there are any cancellations that have come up. And I’m going to make more time for diabetes. Because right now, I don’t feel like I’m doing enough. And right now, I want to feel better about myself.

Diabetes Tech: A Cure of Sorts?

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It’s no secret that my cure faith is not very strong. I don’t really live my life expecting, or hoping that my diabetes will be cured tomorrow. This post sparked a fair bit of conversation two weeks ago.

For the record, I define a cure as a means to regulate my blood glucose levels without any action from myself. No finger pricks, no carb calculating, no insulin injections, no treating hypos and no thinking about the whole diabetes thing! Long, uninterrupted nights of pure sleep and leisurely days free from the stress of managing diabetes would be very much preferred.

Although I’m hardly a diabetes veteran, technology has only come in leaps and bounds over the years. And I believe that’s what we are going to have to accept as a cure, of sorts, for the time being.

I believe that the right kind of technology could be a cure of sorts. There’s talk in the Diabetes Online Community of “closing the loop” – i.e. insulin pumps and Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) that “talk” to each other. There’s artificial pancreases in development, and there’s always research surrounding insulin producing cells that could one day be a game changer for us all.

Technology will inevitably make diabetes easier to manage, going forward.

Technology is spectacular. Technology means a lot to many who already use it to manage our diabetes, evidenced here. Technology would be life changing to many, evidenced here and here. Technology provides our health with the best of prospects. And I know that I am extremely lucky to be living with diabetes in 2015, rather than 1915.

But technology is damn expensive, too. And that’s the one thing that worries me.

Research and development into new diabetes technology is costly. Then there’s marketing, promotion and distribution costs. And then of course, the business is a business and needs to make a nice profit from their efforts, too.

But where does that leave the humble young adult from suburbia, working his way through life on a less than spectacular wage? Where does that leave the parent of a young child, managing diabetes on top of family and work commitments? Where does that leave the person living in a developing country, unable to access basic healthcare and diabetes supplies? Did I mention these people are all affected by diabetes?

The sad truth is that diabetes technology, and the closest thing we have to a cure, is still out of reach for many of us. I refuse to adopt a CGM, because I can think of a million other things that I’d rather invest my hard earned money into. I count myself lucky that I am in an independent situation where having a CGM is not a necessity for the time being. For many people with diabetes, it certainly is.

Research and development needs to be conducted with an end game in mind – the consumer. These advances in diabetes technology need to be accessible and affordable to the consumer. Otherwise, I fail to see how we are doing anything to help people living with diabetes. Other than making them feel marginalised, deprived and isolated.

I don’t want to place the blame on any one party. Personally, I’d just love to see government, researchers, diabetes tech companies and diabetes organisations come together to find a solution. I know, easier said than done.

The only cure that I would give everything for, is a proper one. A cure with a one time cost that leaves me forever free of diabetes. A cure that is not reliant on devices, consumables, batteries, cable cords and credit cards. Now that, I would happily give all of my life savings for.

Are you on Twitter? Join the Oz Diabetes Online Community for our weekly chat Tonight from 8.30pm AEDT (GMT+11) by following the #OzDOC hashtag on Twitter.

“How Do You Prepare For A Big Event Like This?”

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“So Frank, how would you prepare for a big event like this?” My aunty asked me from across the table.

You might not necessarily class a Sunday afternoon family function as a “big event.” However if you’re from an Italian (or European) family, or if you’ve ever been to one of their functions, you might have some idea as to the context of this comment.

Antipasto plates were first brought out that day, piled high with bruschetta, sundried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, arancini, priochutto, buffalo cheese, provolone cheese and bread. Followed by entrees of creamy ravioli filled with minced pork. For mains we had the choice of sirloin steak with roast potatoes, or grilled snapper. Then the trays of Dolce (sweets) were brought out, filled with biscotti, biscotti and more biscotti. That was followed by cake. Two cakes, actually, because we were celebrating a Christening and a birthday. Then there was Champagne for the toast, which I politely turned down, only to have another waiter come over and place a glass in front of me. This is pretty much typical of anything you refuse at a family function. And if you make a big fuss about it, then you’re obviously not feeling well. Finally, coffees were served (traditional Italian espresso, of course).

By now you probably think we’re crazy people.

And you’re probably expecting some strategic, well thought out answer to dealing with events like these.

I’m (reasonably) sensible when I’m at home. I eat breakfast every morning. I bring my lunch from home most days of the week.  I have home cooked meals at dinner time. I rarely drink alcohol, much to the disbelief of every healthcare professional who asks. I’ve never smoked or done drugs, either, for the record. Burgen bread, Weet Bix, multigrain crackers, fruit, water, nuts, eggs and muesli bars low in sugar form some of the daily staples in my diet. There’s also generous helpings of coffee, chocolate and the occasional cake, cannoli or other treat that tempts me throughout the day. I test my blood sugar levels ALL the time, and always remember to give my insulin accordingly. All in all, I’d say I’m pretty sensible.

So, when it comes to occasions like these, I honestly just enjoy myself. I don’t live by rules or restrictions. I’ll dial up a generous dose of insulin to account for what I eat. I’ll keep a close eye on my blood sugar levels in the hours afterwards. Normally I’ll need another shot a few hours later to account for the delayed effect of the fatty foods. And I normally increase my next long acting Lantus dose by 20 to 30%, because I find that it helps keep my levels more regulated against the increased carbs that I’ve eaten.

As I sat there explaining this to my Aunty, I could see the look of pity for me in her face. Unintentional, I’m sure, but a look of pity that I’ve seen all too often when talking about diabetes with others.

But I certainly didn’t pity myself that day.

The only thing that I did pity that day, was my aunt’s pity for me. Pity that was completely unnecessary.

Because I was still able to have a great time that day. I was still able to enjoy the good food. And I was able to successfully navigate my own diabetes through this occasion.

And I did it again, last week, when I enjoyed this delicious birthday cake that I never thought my sister would be able to pull off (not my birthday, FYI).

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And so did Grumps on the weekend. Seriously, love this quote.

Bring on Christmas.