Joe's blog

I was messaged by Joe a couple of days ago and he let me know about his blog that he recently set up about his Type 1 Diabetes and he asked me if I would be able to share it for him, so of course I said yes. So, here is Joe's blog: http://www.vouchercodespro.co.uk/diabetes

Joe is 26 and was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when he was 18. He says that starting a blog has been "really eye opening how big and brilliant the DOC is" and he wishes that he'd "known about it a lot sooner" and wants to show everyone with diabetes that we aren't alone and wants "everyone to know how much support is out there" and that's basically the intention I have for my blog, and I definitely agree with the DOC being brilliant! I think Joe's blog is really good, and I enjoyed reading it, so I would definitely recommend it and I'm sure it will go far and be a hit with the Diabetes Online Community. It's one to add to the list of fab diabetes blogs. To be honest, any blog about life with diabetes is fab because it's tough to live with diabetes and it takes dedication keep up a blog!

I would be able to write more about Joe's blog, however, my blood sugar is 3.1 as of about a second ago and unfortunately the need for treating my low blood sugar has taken over!

Anyway, I think Joe's blog is really good because it's funny and witty and captures really well just what it's like to live with Type 1.Thanks to Joe for contributing to all of the wonderful diabetes blogs that exist within the Diabetes Online Community, every diabetes blog out there is so helpful, and interesting and informative and everything that's good! (Apart from the ones that try and advertise cinnamon cures, those ones aren't so good...) And they're all a way of raising awareness and they are a lovely reminder that those of us with diabetes aren't alone in any aspect of it.

-Ellie

Keep It To Yourself #DBlogWeek

The topic for today's post of Diabetes Blog Week 2015 is #KeepItToYourself.

"Many of us share aspects of our diabetes lives online for the world to see. What are some of the aspects of diabetes that you choose to keep private from the internet? Or from your family and friends? Why is it important to keep it to yourself? (This is not an attempt to get you out of your comfort zone. There is no need to elaborate or tell personal stories related to these aspects. Simply let us know what kinds of stories we will never hear you tell, and why you won't tell them.)" 

I have a lot of posts on this blog that I've drafted up, but never posted. They stay on my list of posts as a draft, and I've never posted them, and I'm never going to! They're my thoughts, some of my deepest darkest thoughts that I've typed up when I was having a bad day with diabetes. I really think that there are certain things that just don't need to be said, or shared, with the internet! I like to keep them to myself, and I don't think I would like people to know; not because these drafted posts are anything sinister or disturbing or whatever, but just that they're my feelings- I've poured my heart out in a lot of them! I don't like the idea of someone reading them because I don't like the way that I might "look"...I do my best to keep my blog as positive as possible and yes, I do share the negatives because I feel like they have to be said but some things might make me look a little "too negative"! I also sometimes feel like maybe I'll look "weak" if I share my most vulnerable moments...the aim of my blog isn't to make people feel sorry for me, it's to show that diabetes isn't easy but I'm okay! And some of my drafted posts really don't reflect that message when I'm feeling down about it.

I also know that within the Online Diabetes Community that, like any group of people, there are a lot of different opinions and sometimes I feel like some things are better left unsaid. Basically there are certain topics that people would prefer not to talk about, and there are certain feelings towards diabetes that perhaps some people who also have diabetes don't feel and sometimes it can cause a little bit of controversy when people try to justify the way they're feeling. Sometimes I feel like diabetes is terrible, but there's always someone who will tell you it isn't, but when you're having a bad day with it you are so convinced that it is. But of course, not everyone responds with a backlash, in fact almost everyone on the #DOC is fabulous, it's just some people that I've seen on Facebook posts just make people irritated...

So yeah, I don't want to make people depressed with my posts! But I always say that I'm never going to sugar coat any aspect of diabetes that I choose to talk about.

One more thing!

Not everyone keeps certain things to themselves...and I feel like maybe they should, because their opinion is not quite what everyone wants to hear. The biggest example being people who have these mad ideas for a cure that do not exist. Maybe they should learn to keep more to themselves.

-Ellie

I can #DBlogWeek

This year I have decided that I will attempt to blog every day this week for DBlog Week. Diabetes Blog Week is kicking off with positivity and the topic for the first blog post of Diabetes Blog Week 2015 is #ICan.

"In the UK, there was a diabetes blog theme of "I can..." that participants found wonderfully empowering. So lets kick things off this year by looking at the positive side of our lives with diabetes. What have you or your loved one accomplished, despite having diabetes, that you weren't sure you could? Or what have you done that you've been particularly proud of? Or what good thing has diabetes brought into your life?" 

I can do anything despite having Type 1 Diabetes, it just takes a little extra planning.

I can live my life just as my twin sister and my friends and other people my age do and Type 1 Diabetes can't take that from me.

I can overcome the challenges Type 1 Diabetes presents me with.

I can and have achieved a HbA1c of under 10% in just 3 months, even if I told my psychologist I aimed to achieve this in a year.

I can get up for school in the morning (Sometimes!) even after a tough night with my blood sugars.

I can prove to my consultant that one of these days I really will "get there", for a long time I didn't even know where that was, let alone when I would get there.

I can and have sat my GCSE exams and passed with an abundance of A's and B's.

I can complete a 5k race without Type 1 Diabetes getting in the way...the only thing getting in my way is my lack of stamina!

I can ride rollercoasters over and over again without being bothered by my blood sugar.

I can and have mastered the art of devouring a slice of bread in a few seconds- low blood sugar teaches you all about being speedy...

I can drink a bottle of water in record speed!

I can tell you about some of the positive things that having Type 1 Diabetes has brought into my life.

I can tell you about the time that I went to Parliament with Diabetes UK and spoke in the House of Commons to support their campaign for better healthcare for Children and Teenagers with Type 1 Diabetes.

I can tell you about the time that I went to Parliament with JDRF, was Co-Chair and did a speech for the event- Type 1 Parliament.

I can tell you about the time that I completed my Bronze Duke of Edinburgh award and made it out alive! Despite Type 1 Diabetes making attempts to ruin my fun.

I can tell you about when I first started this blog, and I can also tell you that I never thought it would have nearly 50,000 views two years later.

I can eat whatever I want and be totally fine afterwards with no major blood sugar mishaps.

I can be thankful for some of what Type 1 Diabetes has done for me.

I can be thankful for the wonderful friends that I have met through having Type 1 Diabetes, such as Holly, Paris, Chloe, Lydia and Ellyse to name a few.

I can be thankful for the #DOC, for the brilliant people that I talk to on Twitter and on Instagram who give me lots of support and advice.

I can still see the beauty in life and in this world despite having Type 1 Diabetes.

I can still smile and laugh even after a rough day/week/month (however long a rough patch with Type 1 could possibly last!) with Type 1 Diabetes.

I can use my experiences with Type 1 Diabetes to help others that are going through it too.

I can understand what it is like to feel like the moment you're diagnosed your world turns upside down, but be here six years later with my feet still planted firmly on the ground!

I can tell you that I may only be 17 years old but Type 1 Diabetes has made me mature faster than any of my friends and even my twin sister; and that's not exactly a bad thing.

I can say that although Type 1 Diabetes is hard and it has it's ups and downs and I would much rather not have it; it has given my life even more value.

I can appreciate and be even more grateful for life and live it to the full.

I can be healthy and happy and do everything that other people can do despite living with Type 1 Diabetes!
(...apart from things like scaling buildings and other scary things...I'm a bit of a wimp)

And I can still aspire to do great things in life and I can and will always have hope for a cure.

...I can do a lot of other things that I forgot to mention in this blog post, or just didn't mention for the purpose of not making this blog post too long!

-Ellie