Adults | YOU CAN DO THIS PROJECT

Archive for the ‘Adults’ Category

“We Can Do This”: Vol. 3

This is the third episode of “We Can Do This” – a series of group videos where people with diabetes come together around a common topic and share their diagnosis stories, lessons learned, and advice for others. Launched in 2012, the first video showcased five people who were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as adults, while the second featured three people who live with diabetes-related anxiety.

Something that many people living with diabetes (of any type) face is the persistence of stereotypes and stigmas. You may have faced some of these inaccurate, and sometimes offensive, comments yourself – that people with diabetes “can’t eat candy”; that all you have to do is just take your medication and it all just works out; that type 1 only happens to kids (and they somehow magically will outgrow it); that type 2 diabetes is somehow “earned” due to obesity or laziness.

The truth is that type 2 diabetes exists on a large spectrum, and there is still much to learn about why and how it occurs, and in whom. Not every person diagnosed with type 2 diabetes fits the stereotypes, and we’d like to introduce you to a few: Phyllisa, Rachel, Joe, and Sue.

Category:

Adults, Athletes, Daily Living, Diagnosed as an Adult, Diagnosis Stories, Encouragement, Group Videos, Guilt, Mental Health, Type 2, Videos, We Can Do This video series

Video: Cherise

Contributor: Cherise; @SweeterCherise/@DiabetesSocMed

Connection: Adult with LADA/type 1 diabetes

Quote: “No matter what anyone says; no matter what a number may read: you are better than diabetes. Do not let diabetes steal your joy.”

Category:

Adults, Daily Living, Diagnosed as an Adult, Encouragement, Importance of Community, Type 1, Videos

Video: Emily

Contributor: Emily; http://aimingforaverage-a1c.blogspot.com/

Connection: Adult with type 1 diabetes

Quote: “A lot of people sympathize with me when they hear that I have to inject myself with a huge needle every three days when I change my infusion site. I guess it’s easy for non-diabetics to sympathize with the physical pain, because that’s something they can understand or have experienced themselves, but what they can’t understand is the other kinds of pain that come with this disease: the loneliness of feeling like you’re the only one having to deal with it, the anger and self-pity that comes when you’re wondering, ‘Why me?’, and the frustration and disappointment when your A1C comes back too high.”

Category:

Adults, Burnout, Daily Living, Diagnosed as a Child, Insulin Pumps and CGMs, Mental Health, No One Gets It, Type 1, Videos

“We Can Do This”: Vol. 2

(For those who live with anxiety, even talking or reading about anxiety can be a trigger, so please proceed with caution before watching the video below.)

You may remember the “We Can Do This” video from this past April, in which five people who were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as adults shared their diagnosis stories, lessons learned and advice for others who may be going through the same thing.

Keeping in line with that format, Vol. 2 gives a glimpse into the life of people who live with both anxiety and diabetes (or care for someone with diabetes). People already living with diabetes are about 20 percent more likely than those without diabetes to have an anxiety condition at some point in their lifetime, and it’s a topic that many are uncomfortable talking about.

And because the You Can Do This Project centers around the idea of opening up about the tough stuff – that’s exactly what Kate, Alexis, and Hallie did.

To connect with others with diabetes and anxiety, check out the new community “Anxious You Anxious Me” on Facebook and Twitter. You may also email Alexis directly at Anxietyyouanxietyme@gmail.com.

Category:

Adults, Daily Living, Encouragement, Group Videos, Importance of Community, Mental Health, Parents, Type 1, Videos, We Can Do This video series

Blog: Colleen

Contributor: Colleen; http://dmeanderings.wordpress.com

Connection: Person with type 1/LADA diabetes

Blog post: http://dmeanderings.wordpress.com/2011/06/15/you-can-do-this/

“Finding out you have Type 1 (LADA) Diabetes at the [...] age of 54 (one month before the 55th b’day) really, really stunk. Yes, I cried. Then I cried again at the grocery store trying to read those teeny, tiny nutrition labels. Then I cried again when I tried to eat some awful, cardboardy, “low carb” bread.

It’s been one hell of a struggle. It’s been a whole lot of learning.

But I am doing this because I can do this.

And yes, I still cry sometimes, just not as often…”

Category:

Adults, Blog Posts, Cure, Diagnosed as an Adult, Importance of Community, Type 1

Video: Bill

Contributor: Bill; www.1HappyDiabetic.com

Connection: Person with type 1 diabetes

Standout Quote: ”The real challenge about diabetes is living with it; trying to put diabetes in your front view, not have it in your back view. Who wants to think about their diabetes all day long? Maybe a simple way to do it is to think about it at specific times, so we’re making our management more predictable.”

Category:

Adults, Daily Living, Encouragement, Humor, Type 1, Videos

Blog: Crystal

Contributor: Crystal, http://randomlycapitalized.wordpress.com

Connection: Person with type 1 diabetes

Blog post: http://randomlycapitalized.wordpress.com/2011/06/14/you-can-do-this/

“Mostly what I learned, because it’s in my face way too often, is how Hard it is to receive “assistance” for a single, white female, 30s, educated, employed. Heck, add in the unemployed and it still doesn’t matter. Again, no advice needed, I’ve been there, read it, looked it up, looked into it.

If any Any of you have questions about either unemployment, looking for work or living withOut insurance, never hesitate to ask, comment, tweet or email me. Never. I am an open book. If I can help, I will. That is a promise.

I, a pre-existing chronic of twenty six years, educated and unemployed, uninsured and lacking self confidence, lonely, depressed, scared at times single thirty two year old female, Can Do This because I have. And so can you.”

Category:

"Veteran" PWDs (20+ years), Adults, Blog Posts, Daily Living, Diagnosed as a Child, Type 1

Video: Shannon

Contributor: Shannon; @lifewithtype1

Connection: Person with type 1 diabetes

Standout Quote: “Diabetes doesn’t always pick [the people] with the best support systems [...] if you’ve dealt with the lack of family support, or the job frustration [because you needed health insurance], come talk to me.”

Category:

"Veteran" PWDs (20+ years), Adults, Daily Living, Diagnosed as a Child, Diagnosis Stories, Importance of Community, No One Gets It, Type 1, Videos, Work and Diabetes

Video: Kerri

Contributor: Kerri; www.sixuntilme.com

Connection: Person with type 1 diabetes

Standout Quote: “We can do this; I know that we can. We can master this monster; we can draft up a plan. Or just fumble through days we’re unsure how to weather; the point is – we’re in this, and we’re in this together.”

Category:

"Veteran" PWDs (20+ years), Adults, Diagnosed as a Child, Encouragement, Humor, Importance of Community, Inspiration, Type 1, Videos

Video: Vic

Contributor: Vic Kinnunen; insulindependence.org

Connection: Adult with type 1 diabetes

Quote: “For about 30 years, I lived in a situation where I really didn’t know any other diabetics. I didn’t want to know any other diabetics, or acknowledge the fact that I had diabetes. But, in the last five years I’ve found that there’s a huge community of diabetics, and it’s a resource that you can definitely leverage.”

Category:

"Veteran" PWDs (20+ years), Adults, Athletes, Importance of Community, Type 1, Videos