A Girl's Reflections

Freaky Friday – Diabetes Blog Week 2013

Adjoa Pearlsa — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:05:29 +0000

Today is Freaky Friday –

Just like in the movie, today we’re doing a swap. If you could switch chronic diseases, which one would you choose to deal with instead of diabetes? And while we’re considering other chronic conditions, do you think your participation in the DOC has affected how you treat friends and acquaintances with other medical conditions? (Thanks to Jane of Jane K. Dickinson, RN, PhD, CDE and Bob of T Minus Two for this topic suggestion.)”

Whenever I pass by or I’m dealing with another person, I try to remember the saying – Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.

I believe all chronic diseases come with their own unique set of challenges. I cannot see myself switching chronic diseases because I do not wish type 1 diabetes on anyone.

I decided to do the next best thing and go in search of how others live with their chronic disease. I found this YouTube video by Hank Green, in which he talks about living with ulcerative colitis and how extremely lucky he feels for having the support of family and friends and his Internet community.

Take a moment and watch the video.

Accomplishments, Big and Small – Diabetes Blog Week 2013

Adjoa Pearlsa — Thu, 16 May 2013 13:15:06 +0000

I spent the decade following my diabetes diagnosis hating diabetes. I did not ask “why me” or feel sorry for myself, I just hated diabetes.

However, hating diabetes made me hate myself.

I was diagnosed as an adult and I thought I knew who I was. Unfortunately, who I was, was wrapped within the commercial sense of “love yourself”, because “you are worth it”.

You know, like the TV commercial that tell you to reward and indulge your successes and good deeds. I grew up equating that with self-love.

Diabetes management was easy in the beginning. My health care team praised me, they told me they wished all their patients were like me. I was their star. Great numbers made me feel good about myself and my team made me feel special.

Then slowly diabetes got a lot harder to manage, I became one of those patients, and I was not a star anymore. I felt bad about myself, I felt like a failure.

How can I love myself when I hate a part of me?

I needed to value all of me, including diabetes. I needed to cultivate a respect habit, everything I do, I needed to do with care. The quality of my actions matter, I try to pick up and put down my diabetes care tools with respect.

I try to test my blood sugar purposely and respectfully.

I endeavor to respect every supply I buy, use and dispose of. There is a choice in every diabetes moment, between acting out of love, or out of fear.

Learning and continuing to act with love toward diabetes is my big and small accomplishment.

Today’s prompt is – Accomplishment, big and small

“We don’t always realize it, but each one of us had come a long way since diabetes first came into our life. It doesn’t matter if it’s been 5 weeks, 5 years or 50 years, you’ve done something outstanding diabetes-wise. So today let’s share the greatest accomplishment you’ve made in terms of dealing with your (or your loved one’s) diabetes. No accomplishment is too big or too small – think about self-acceptance, something you’ve mastered (pump / exercise / diet / etc.), making a tough care decision (finding a new endo or support group / choosing to use or not use a technology / etc.). (Thanks to Hilary of Rainie and Me for this topic suggestion.)”

Memories – Diabetes Blog Week 2013

Adjoa Pearlsa — Wed, 15 May 2013 13:05:56 +0000

There is nothing I love more than to travel and explore. I love getting lost in someone else’s city. It was during one of our travels to London that we decided to hop a cheap flight to Paris for a day.

I was so over joyed I could barely sleep the night before we caught our 6am flight. We were in front of the Champs-Elysees before 9am Parisian time, blending in with commuters and tourist we headed east towards La Place de la Concorde.

I was beyond excited.

The crisp autumn morning slowly began to warm; I took my scarf off and soon after took off my jacket. We walked and talked mapping out our day as we went.

I started to sweat, still smiling ear-to-ear and filled with excitement, I noticed everyone around including my travel companion was still bundled up.

“How come everyone is cold when it is so hot?”

As I asked the question I suddenly realized I was having a low blood sugar episode. My hypoglycemia symptoms were completely masked by my excitement.

A bottle of Orangina and crepe Nutella later I felt, as cold as everyone else, my scarf and jacket were back on and Paris, for that day was our oyster.

That day is my most memorable diabetes day. Today’s prompt is Memories –

“Today we’re going to share our most memorable diabetes day. You can take this anywhere…. your or your loved one’s diagnosis, a bad low, a bad high, a big success, any day that you’d like to share. (Thanks to Jasmine of Silver-Lined for this topic suggestion.)”

We, The Undersigned – Diabetes Blog Week 2013

Adjoa Pearlsa — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:47:24 +0000

We, The Undersigned is today’s prompt.

“Recently various petitions have been circulating the Diabetes Online Community, so today let’s pretend to write our own. Tell us who you would write the petition to – a person, an organization, even an object (animate or inanimate) – get creative!! What are you trying to change and what have you experienced that makes you want this change?”

All individuals need the hormone, insulin to live. For people living with type 1 diabetes, our insulin needs to be injected.

I believe all people living with type 1 diabetes should have access to insulin sans prescription.

To:
WHO (World Health Organization)
Health Canada
EMEA (European Medicines Agency)
US-FDA

World citizen, World citizen health and Medical issues
World citizen access, Medical access

Allow people with type 1 diabetes to get all types of insulin without a prescription.

The only treatment option for type 1 diabetes is insulin; once a diagnosis is made people living with type 1 diabetes, worldwide should have access to insulin without prescription, until there is a cure.

Sincerely,
We, the Undersigned

I do not know about you but for me this makes perfect sense, insulin will still be dispensed by a pharmacist with proof of diagnosis.

Share and Don’t Share

Adjoa Pearlsa — Mon, 13 May 2013 13:05:29 +0000

My current endocrinologist and endocrine team are highly educated and knowledgeable, which is great.

However, they deal in absolutes.

Unfortunately, my body and my diabetes never read the diabetes textbooks, thus they do not behave as black and white, as it is written.

I wish my medical team will see me as an individual who is more, much more than just diabetes and acknowledge that I have other issues that affect the business of controlling my blood sugar.

The hemoglobin A1C (A1C) test can be unreliable for monitoring diabetes in people with inherited hemoglobin variants, also called hemoglobinopathies.

It is frustrating to repeatedly have my diabetes treatment and targets be based on results that are unreliable for me.

It is even more frustrating when my team nods to the fact that the results are unreliable but offer no other options.

I am participating in the 4th Annual Diabetes Blog Week, today’s prompt is share and don’t share –

Often our health care team only sees us for about 15 minutes several times a year, and they might not have a sense of what our lives are really like. Today, let’s pretend our medical team is reading our blogs. What do you wish they could see about your and/or your loved one’s daily life with diabetes? On the other hand, what do you hope they don’t see?”

The prompt alerted me to what I have known for a while now.

I need to breakup with my diabetes medical team.

If you live in the Greater Vancouver Area and have or know of a great endocrinologist, please email me or leave me a message.

It is about time I start dating a few good endos.