Hobbies and interests

[JoeJOns]

Hi guys,

Just looking to hear some good type 1 diabetes stories! What are your hobbies and interests? What are the fun interesting things you like to do and how does diabetes affect or not affect those interests?

Kind regards.

 

[Uller]

Well, I’ve been a keen toxophilist for a good few years now, both before and after diagnosis (3 and a bit years ago). I started as a target archer (the kind you see at the Olympics), but found that a bit dull. I just felt it was shooting at the same known distances in a big flat field. For the past few years I have been involved in field archery. This is where you shoot in the woods, uphill and downhill, through trees, sometimes at unknown distances and it can be a bit more physical. Once I had been out a few times I know now what to expect.
The Libre is priceless for this. No more poking holes in the end of my fingers I need for holding the bowstring!
D hasn’t stopped my from continuing with my archery journey. I still regularly attend national competitions, organise competitions, win some medals, chair my local club, and we now have our own field course on land made available to us by a very kind farmer.
So, all that, as well as keeping the strength and fitness up with a rowing machine at home trying to do 3 or 4Km 4 or 5 times a week.
Strangely enough I am probably fitter and healthier than I was before diagnosis, so D has not held me back from continuing to do what I enjoy and I have tried to turn it into an advantage rather than an adversity.
What about you JoeJOns? What do you enjoy doing? Has D affected the things you enjoy doing?

 

[JoeJOns]

Well, I’ve been a keen toxophilist for a good few years now, both before and after diagnosis (3 and a bit years ago). I started as a target archer (the kind you see at the Olympics), but found that a bit dull. I just felt it was shooting at the same known distances in a big flat field. For the past few years I have been involved in field archery. This is where you shoot in the woods, uphill and downhill, through trees, sometimes at unknown distances and it can be a bit more physical. Once I had been out a few times I know now what to expect.
The Libre is priceless for this. No more poking holes in the end of my fingers I need for holding the bowstring!
D hasn’t stopped my from continuing with my archery journey. I still regularly attend national competitions, organise competitions, win some medals, chair my local club, and we now have our own field course on land made available to us by a very kind farmer.
So, all that, as well as keeping the strength and fitness up with a rowing machine at home trying to do 3 or 4Km 4 or 5 times a week.
Strangely enough I am probably fitter and healthier than I was before diagnosis, so D has not held me back from continuing to do what I enjoy and I have tried to turn it into an advantage rather than an adversity.
What about you JoeJOns? What do you enjoy doing? Has D affected the things you enjoy doing?
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Hi Uller,

That is by far one of the more impressive things I have heard! It sounds very interesting. How did you get started in Toxophily?
It's great that your diabetes hasn't held you back from doing what you want to do. I was diagnosed about a month ago and I'm slowly but surely getting to grips with things! I'm looking to develop some hobbies and working my diabetes around them.

 

[Uller]

Hi Uller,

That is by far one of the more impressive things I have heard! It sounds very interesting. How did you get started in Toxophily?
It's great that your diabetes hasn't held you back from doing what you want to do. I was diagnosed about a month ago and I'm slowly but surely getting to grips with things! I'm looking to develop some hobbies and working my diabetes around them.

Do you already have a notion for taking up something new or are you looking for some inspiration from the thread here?
Making your diabetes fit around your new hobbies is the best way to think about getting used to your new diagnosis! Well done!

Uller

 

[khskel]

I've just got back into music after a few years off playing sax and keyboards. Had a trip to Hamburg a few months ago playing an underground festival.

The D didn't get in the way at all. Having a libre sensor helped cope with the irregular hours.

 

[Robin]

I ride. (you’d never have guessed from my avatar, that was taken on a recent beach riding holiday). I've never had a problem with glucose levels while on horseback, I carry some fruit pastilles in my pocket, in case I go low, and I test before and after. Sometimes if I’ve been doing some jumping, or the horse has been a bit lively, the adrenaline gets going, and is find my levels rise a bit more than I'd expect, so I do a quick correction afterwards. The Libre has been a game changer for me too, because I can swipe the sensor while I'm riding, and get an instant picture of what my blood glucose is doing ( I’ve managed not to drop it in a muddy puddle so far). You can’t do a fingerprick test and keep one hand on the reins! I rode before I developed Diabetes, but it never occurred to me not to carry on, so I just worked out a way to make sure my levels stayed reasonable while I was doing it.
View attachment 12434

 

[TheClockworkDodo]

I garden when I'm well enough (I'm juggling other conditions with my diabetes, the diabetes wouldn't stop me doing anything, but the other conditions do), and I only have to be outside for five minutes for my blood sugar to start dropping - I don't even have to be doing anything strenuous, just deadheading a few flowers could have me heading into hypo territory, and as for lugging around a watering can ... 😱
I always eat a biscuit now before I go out! A Libre is useful when gardening too, you can't do finger-prick tests when your fingers are muddy.

I also do some photography, mostly of plants, and I make greeting cards to sell for charity, but neither of those effect or are effected by my diabetes in any way!

 

[eggyg]

I love to travel, currently on week four of a five week Grand Tour of the continent, in Italy for the moment and spent 12 days in France previous to that, off to Switzerland on Friday. Whilst there I hope to do some walking, no crampons or ropes, just fairly simple hill climbing with poles. Diabetes doesn’t stop me trying anything, I might be rubbish at it but I’ll have a good. I live close to the Lake District and because I’m retired myself and Mr Eggy take ourselves off there quite often and are presently trying to tackle the Wainwright’s, 214 fells, haven’t even got to double figures yet but it’s fun ( sometimes) trying! Nothing is spontaneous obviously and I have to make sure I have all my D kit plus hypo remedies, I also use the Libre on occasions but I have one sitting in the car at the moment and haven’t been using one at all these holidays. I may attach it for Switzerland as it will be the most strenuous place we will have visited. Good luck.

 

[Schrodinger]

T1 has never really stopped me from doing anything as for hobbies, many things, Military interests, planes, photography, art being a pain and I am a fairly big gamer (although not as much as I used to be) it does get rather embarrassing and funny when you are involved in a six person squad doing something on line and a hypo sneaks up on you and you realise that your character is spinning around and your head is full of people calling your name because basically you are completely out of it.

Saying that I have great bunch of online friends that do look out for each other guess and it all ended well 🙂

 

[Sprogladite]

Another horse rider over here. For some reason it makes my levels spike, but various testing has told me i need to bolus 0.3 of a unit with my pump when I get on, and run a 20% temp basal for 2 hours from the minute I get on the horse to keep things under control. I also use a libre which has made things so much easier to hone down - don't think I could have done it so precisely without it!

I'll be buying a couple of horses in the spring so no doubt will be a lot more testing to see how that works out in regards to all the manual work like mucking out! 🙂

 

[rebrascora]

@Robin and @Sprogladite do you think we should start our own horsey thread? I have 4 of my own and my partner also has 4. We both ride and carriage drive single and multiples. I am currently having a go at Western riding and I have also tried Side Saddle which I loved but haven't found the funds to pursue that. My interest is purely for pleasure.... I'm not a great fan of competing. I have had a few hypos at the yard .... the manual work in the stables and on the land has a tendency to bring my BG down similar to gardening I suppose, but never riding so far. I have a saddle bag to carry my diabetic gear in. Love the photo Robin!
I am also a bee keeper and I have to remember not to lick my fingers when extracting honey (a very sticky job) and sadly can no longer enjoy the fruits of my bees labour but other than that, it hasn't had an impact.
Really interesting to read of other people's interests/hobbies so thanks for starting the thread @JoeJOns

 

[Sprogladite]

@Robin and @Sprogladite do you think we should start our own horsey thread? I have 4 of my own and my partner also has 4. We both ride and carriage drive single and multiples. I am currently having a go at Western riding and I have also tried Side Saddle which I loved but haven't found the funds to pursue that. My interest is purely for pleasure.... I'm not a great fan of competing. I have had a few hypos at the yard .... the manual work in the stables and on the land has a tendency to bring my BG down similar to gardening I suppose, but never riding so far. I have a saddle bag to carry my diabetic gear in
I am also a bee keeper and I have to remember not to lick my fingers when extracting honey (a very sticky job) and sadly can no longer enjoy the fruits of my bees labour but other than that, it hasn't had an impact.
Really interesting to read of other people's interests/hobbies so thanks for starting the thread @JoeJOns

Yes we could do, I have always historically found it quite difficult to find anything re horse riding and diabetes together other than 'it's exercise so may lower BGs' - which was never that helpful for me, considering it does the exact opposite in my case!

 

[rebrascora]

@Sprogladite Are you quite relaxed in the saddle? Being anxious or excited will certainly raise the BG levels..... it happens to me when I ride one of my daft lads or I am doing something new.... like travelling to a clinic.
Will these be your first horses and what are you looking for? Have you got your own land or looking at livery? My GGs are getting on now. I have my old lady who is 27 and then 3 of her offspring, 22, 21 and the youngest 9

 

[Sprogladite]

@Sprogladite Are you quite relaxed in the saddle? Being anxious or excited will certainly raise the BG levels..... it happens to me when I ride one of my daft lads or I am doing something new.... like travelling to a clinic.
Will these be your first horses and what are you looking for? Have you got your own land or looking at livery? My GGs are getting on now. I have my old lady who is 27 and then 3 of her offspring, 22, 21 and the youngest 9

I have sent you a message @rebrascora so we can keep the thread on topic 🙂 x

 

[JoeJOns]

Do you already have a notion for taking up something new or are you looking for some inspiration from the thread here?
Making your diabetes fit around your new hobbies is the best way to think about getting used to your new diagnosis! Well done!

Uller

I'm looking for some inspiration here in a way! How did you get involved in toxophily in the beginning? Was it before or after you were diagnosed with Diabetes?

 

[JoeJOns]

I've just got back into music after a few years off playing sax and keyboards. Had a trip to Hamburg a few months ago playing an underground festival.

The D didn't get in the way at all. Having a libre sensor helped cope with the irregular hours.

That sounds really fun, I would say it is a good way to get your mind off things related to diabetes!

 

[JoeJOns]

I garden when I'm well enough (I'm juggling other conditions with my diabetes, the diabetes wouldn't stop me doing anything, but the other conditions do), and I only have to be outside for five minutes for my blood sugar to start dropping - I don't even have to be doing anything strenuous, just deadheading a few flowers could have me heading into hypo territory, and as for lugging around a watering can ... 😱
I always eat a biscuit now before I go out! A Libre is useful when gardening too, you can't do finger-prick tests when your fingers are muddy.

I also do some photography, mostly of plants, and I make greeting cards to sell for charity, but neither of those effect or are effected by my diabetes in any way!

I would say it can be difficult juggling other conditions along with the diabetes! I find when I'm out walking for any more than 15-20 minutes my blood sugars slowly but surely start to drop down. Although I still manage to spend days out! I just have some glucose tabs with me just in case. They sound like interesting hobbies! I would love to be able to do some photography but I don't have a great camera at the moment unfortunately😎

 

[JoeJOns]

I love to travel, currently on week four of a five week Grand Tour of the continent, in Italy for the moment and spent 12 days in France previous to that, off to Switzerland on Friday. Whilst there I hope to do some walking, no crampons or ropes, just fairly simple hill climbing with poles. Diabetes doesn’t stop me trying anything, I might be rubbish at it but I’ll have a good. I live close to the Lake District and because I’m retired myself and Mr Eggy take ourselves off there quite often and are presently trying to tackle the Wainwright’s, 214 fells, haven’t even got to double figures yet but it’s fun ( sometimes) trying! Nothing is spontaneous obviously and I have to make sure I have all my D kit plus hypo remedies, I also use the Libre on occasions but I have one sitting in the car at the moment and haven’t been using one at all these holidays. I may attach it for Switzerland as it will be the most strenuous place we will have visited. Good luck.

Travel is something I would love to do a bit more of when I have my diabetes in order. Something I have heard a lot of people talking about is the libre, how do you go about getting one? I have heard they are very useful for monotoring your blood sugars overnight and they will beep if you are going into a hypo? I might be wrong but I read that online a while back! If that is the case I can see why they would be very useful for travelling, working, sleeping, sport and everything in between! It's fantastic you are able and happy enough to do so much travelling and live your life happily. It's inspirational!

 

[JoeJOns]

T1 has never really stopped me from doing anything as for hobbies, many things, Military interests, planes, photography, art being a pain and I am a fairly big gamer (although not as much as I used to be) it does get rather embarrassing and funny when you are involved in a six person squad doing something on line and a hypo sneaks up on you and you realise that your character is spinning around and your head is full of people calling your name because basically you are completely out of it.

Saying that I have great bunch of online friends that do look out for each other guess and it all ended well 🙂

Hi,

What games do you play? I used to be into games quite a bit as well! I still play games like Assassins Creed and COD on occasion. Glad you are doing well with everything !

 

[JoeJOns]

Another horse rider over here. For some reason it makes my levels spike, but various testing has told me i need to bolus 0.3 of a unit with my pump when I get on, and run a 20% temp basal for 2 hours from the minute I get on the horse to keep things under control. I also use a libre which has made things so much easier to hone down - don't think I could have done it so precisely without it!

I'll be buying a couple of horses in the spring so no doubt will be a lot more testing to see how that works out in regards to all the manual work like mucking out! 🙂

Thats really cool! One of the things I notice about a lot of type 1 diabetics is they are actually extremely active as a rule! I aim to be exactly the same in the short term and into the future.