Wednesday, January 25, 2012

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!!

2 comments:

  1. How about calling the local chapter and letting them know you're interested in an evening (or whenever...) meeting? Then volunteer to help set it up or do something to help it take place.

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  2. I agree with Collen call your local JDRF or other diabetes organizations in your area. They will be able to help. I agree with you in that meeting people in real life is DEF necessary. Blogging can only do so much! Glad to hear you are taking better care of yourself now as well :)

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