BIG Thank You!!

[Lady Willpower]

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone on this site. After feeling like I am the only diabetic on earth for the past 46 years (and yes I knew there were others cos I'd seen them at the Christmas party in Brum and Diabetic Camp at 13) I come on here after a chance remark by my sister and here you all are! I hate to sound like a big wussie but I have cried when I have read the other posts as I finally realise that I certainly am not the only one that has ever suffered a hypo, or suffered the symptoms that I do, or had trouble with injection 'fat', or had doctors and nurses that don't listen, or had to carry around sugar, hypostop, penguin (my fave hypo stopper), glucose of various types and assorted 'sucky' sweets to stave off a hypo. If I have to have my bag checked they always look at my weight and I can see them think 'well if you stopped scoffing this c**p you would loose weight' and millions of other Diabetic only foibles that we all share. I think what makes me love you all so much is that I can tell you how I feel when I have a hypo or hyper and you understand exactly what I mean and I love the fact that, even after having diabetes all this time, I am learning a lot and for once I can give my own advice. This is only the second time in my life that I feel that I belong anywhere and I have fitted into something. Thank you all so much xxxx

 

[Northerner]

You are very welcome, what a lovely post 🙂 It's just such a shame that places like this weren't around all those years ago, but glad to hear that you find it so uplifting 🙂

 

[Robster65]

That's exactly the same experience for many of us LadyW. 🙂

It's strange how we could have spent all those years coping, developing our own strategies and not learning about the latest developments. Like you, I knew there were plenty out there but didn't actually bump into any except through organised events, which I tended to avoid.

It's one of the problems with an invisible condition such as we have. There are no outward signs to tell us apart from the crowd. Maybe we should have a secret handshake or a club tie.

Rob

 

[Ellie Jones]

The problem with us diabetics is that we do a darn good job camouflaging ourselves in with the 'normal' people🙄 Even though I find it very abnormal when people eat with out stabbing themselves, how on earth can one remain sane if you don't know what your BG is😱

Stabbling one self is quite normal in my household, as my husband is also T1 diabetic....

Welcome to a the forum

 

[Blythespirit]

Aw, bless you Lady W. What a lovely post and I'm sure many of us are nodding in total agreement as we read it. I too have cried at threads on here many times. Often because my heart goes out to the poster and I want to put my arms around them and make it all go away. I can't of course but this lovely lot come into their own and surround the person with love and support. That makes me cry again! (I blame my hormones!) XXXXX

 

[Caroline]

This is a great place to be and it is reassuring to know we are not alone. We share our ups and downs (as well as the hypers and hypos) and it is nice to know there are so many people who understand and will give help support and friendship.

I am glad we are able to help so many people in some way.

 

[spiritfree]

Welcome LadyW. This really is a great place to belong to. Everyone has been through the same things and can give lots of help and support. If someone doesn't know an answer then someone else will come along with just the answer you need.

 

[elaine1969]

I'm almost crying reading this thread, I cannot tell you how much it helps us parents too. I feel in just a short few weeks that I have gained so much knowledge and a much better understaning of how Kate must feel and the sorts of issues she is likely to face in the future. I really hope when she is older she will join a forum like this one to make wonderful friends and gain such support. (though I would obviously have to stop on here myself if it was this one as that would absolutely not be cool for a teenager to be on the same forum as her mum)

 

[FM001]

Lovely post LW, I echo your sentiments about there being some kind helpful people on here.

 

[Robster65]

I think it also reflects the lack of official support and information once you've been diagnosed.

If we were all supported better by 'the system', we wouldn't necessarily need to educate and support each other. But this seems to work far better since we can empathise and pass on the little tips that the nurses either wouldn't know about or would disapprove of.

And don't forget, the newly diagnosed may well know a lot more about new methods than us oldies, so don't feel shy about passing on what you've been told (if anything 🙄) since it may be something we've not heard of.🙂

Rob

 

[FM001]

The system can only educate to a certain point Rob, nothing beats first-hand experience and that is why it is good to chat and ask for advice from fellow diabetics living with the same condition.