Thursday’s topic is entitled ‘Changes’
Today let’s talk about changes, in one of two ways. Either tell us what you’d most like to see change about diabetes, in any way. This can be management tools, devices, medications, people’s perceptions, your own feelings – anything at all that you feel could use changing. OR reflect back on some changes you or your loved one has seen or been through since being diagnosed with diabetes. Were they expected or did they surprise you?
Ch-ch-ch-changes
(You’ve got that song in your head now eh? Feel free to hum it whilst reading)
Changes are happening at such a pace in the world of Diabetes and this gives me great hope for Amy’s future. I feel if I can help her get through the next decade unscathed by complications, burnout and other things then medicine and medical equipment will have improved a lot to make things a little easier for the then 24 year old.
Anything and everything
As a parent I understand that Amy won’t be free of Type 1 for some time so I just want her life to be easier to manage and enjoy. I’d be happy to see her use anything and everything to achieve this.
Of all the things I’ve read about I’m more interested in SmartInsulin, Stem Cells and Afrezza than I am of anything wrongly termed as an artificial pancreas, but hey if an ‘AP’ was offered to her I’d encourage her to take it.
Why wait for change? – Continuous Glucose Monitoring
We could wait for these new things to become available or we could initiate change ourselves.
That’s why we’ve been using CGM to get Amy’s basal profile as good as can be. Yes I know us UK residents see it as expensive but when I see the Type 1 medication/equipment bills my Texan friend gets I wonder how I could ever think self-funding CGM is expensive. I know I’m privileged to live in the UK and be able to afford CGM. I’m also privileged that Amy receives (for now) Disability Living Allowance and all this money has been used for CGM.
Why wait for change? – Exercise
A couple of years ago Amy enjoyed exercise, now not so much. It’s the one thing I’d like to see us as a family get back on track.
Unfortunately over the last couple of years I’ve got into cycling and now the maximum distances Amy would be happy to do hardly seem worth getting changed for and this is something I want to change. I used to love our like MTB rides which are now saved for holidays only but I plan to change this.
Why wait for change? – Diet
I’ve already ‘outed’ myself in Tuesday’s blog about how lowering Amy’s carbohydrate consumption even a bit has seriously improved her levels and I hope one day Amy will choose this path for herself. To help I will prepare meals and bake cakes low in carbs; I will experiment and I will find things she is happy to eat; I won’t force things on her; I won’t stop her from eating treats but I will encourage them to be treats, not everyday food.