i am slowly going crazy (1,2,3,4,5,6,-switch!)

crazy going slowly am i 6,5,4,3,2,1,-switch!

for many, many years, i pretty much ignored Diabetes.  by that i mean, i just didn't talk about it much.  i did not advertise my Diabetes.  i played along, by occasionally testing my BG.  i counted carbs sometimes.  i did my MDI's based solely on how i "felt" at the time and a lot of swagging.  obviously my family knew i was diabetic.  my friends knew.  some of the people i worked with knew (but probably only because of a low blood sugar episode). 

Diabetes was my private demon.

so over the course of the last year or so, i have taken ownership of my Diabets.  i test somedays up to 10x.  i now have an insulin pump.  i have become a lot more vocal about it.  and a lot more obvious.  i am not really afraid to talk about Diabetes.  to educate people when it seems necessary. 
i plainly wear my pump hanging out of my pocket.  i test in public if i need to.  i started blogging, instead of just creeping. i wear my Blue Circle lapel pin everyday!  in september i even got a tattoo telling the world i am a Type 1 Diabetic.

and yet, i really don't know any other Type 1's in "real life".   i think i have mentioned this before.  i have an estranged niece with Type 1.  i work with a lady who is coming to terms with her Type 2.  i met with a women from Medtronic when i was deciding on which pump to go with who was a Type 1.  but this isn't what i need.

i need to be able to meet people.  have a coffee (or diet pop), talk about diabetic things, face to face.
i love the DOC, don't get me wrong.  i really do.  and i think it is what's pushing me forward to being more active in the D-world.

i have thought about volunteering with my local chapter of the Canadian Diabetes Assoc.  i have thought about attending one of their Information & Support Group Sessions.  the problem with these is the time of day.  i have a list of sessions all the way up to June.  each and every one takes place at 10:00am - 11:30am.  this, unfortunately, is not a good time of day for me. 

i need to find another way to meet up with other PWD's.  i cant be the only one.  there have to be others.

my family thinks i have gone off the deep end.  they ask why i feel the need to meet others.  i try to explain it to them, but for the most part, they just don't get it.  i think, out of all of them, my daughters are more able to relate, especially my youngest.  and in all honesty, i don't really even understand this new need.  i just know it is something i need to do.

i would greatly appreciate any ideas any of you may have, on how to go about meeting others. 
should i take out an ad in the local paper?  should i put up notices in the local grocery stores?  perhaps a radio announcement? 

"Hi.  My name is Kim.  I am a Type 1 Diabetic in desperate need of meeting other PWD.  if you too are looking, call me at ***-***-****.  lets meet up for coffee"

i am slowly going crazy, 1,2,3,4,5,6, switch ~ crazy going slowly am i 6,5,4,3,2,1 switch!!