Dealing with Divabetics: A friendly guide

Deary me. They say ‘time flies when you’re having fun’, but how about ‘time flies when you have a 9-5 job, a social life to schedule and calories to burn off at the gym’. I can’t actually believe how long it has been since I made my last blog entry.

Don’t go thinking I’ve forgotten about it. Because I haven’t, and have a genuine reason for my lack of posts. Want to hear it? Unfortunately, my new flat doesn’t have an internet connection. No, really, it hasn’t. Unless you count the 1 bar of signal that occasionally props up from the man who rents the flat below me. But I don’t think he would be too happy about me stealing his internet. And I’ve already tried and the connection was rubbish. 

So here I am, with an hour to kill and an internet connection! With 5 full bars which I am perfectly entitled to I might add. Hoorah, this is blog bliss.

Yes, I'm still alive!

So, back to diabetes. That ol’ chesnut. It’s still here. In case you’ve forgotten, diabetes is a long-term disease which isn’t going to have a holiday any time soon. You can read my earlier blog posts and pages to understand more about the disease and how I deal with it.

My last blog post was about when you should (and shouldn’t) tell people you are diabetic. This is a big part of my life right now as I just recently moved to the Big Smoke and started a new career, so I am meeting a lot of new people all the time.

I am dedicating this post to all the non-diabetics out there, who might be unsure how to react to somebody telling them ‘I’m diabetic’. What should your reaction be? Will you have to treat this person differently? Fear not, the answers are all here.

1. It’s OK to ask questions

Whenever I tell people I am diabetic for the first time, I can see a battle play out in their minds. One half of them is curious and wants to ask questions, the other half of them is thinking it would be rude to delve into any details and end the conversation there. Personally, I don’t mind people asking questions, when the timing is right. For example, if I’m busy or having a bit of a crap day, the last thing I want to talk about is the disease that probably put me in this grumpy mood. But, if I’m relaxed and have time on my hands, I could natter about it till the cows came home. So my advice would be this: Use your instinct and common sense to determine whether a diabetic is open to talking about their condition. Ask a couple of general questions to test the water, and judging from the response you get, you will know if it is OK to ask more.

2. Don’t judge

One thing I hate, I mean REALLY HATE (take notes people) is when people tell me what I should and shouldn’t be eating. There is nothing worse when somebody I hardly know eyes up my chocolate brownie and says ‘Are you sure you should be eating that if you’re diabetic?’. Yes, of course I’m bloody sure or I wouldn’t be eating it. I’m the diabetic here not you, so let me be and trust that I can make these decisions for myself.

3. Be supportive

Being diabetic isn’t easy, and it’s really important that we have a close network of friends and family to support us through the down days. There have been times when my diabetes has stopped me from going on a night out, or on a shopping trip. If my blood sugars have been playing up and I’m feeling the after-effects, the last thing I want to do is go out drinking or on a full day shopping bender. If we cancel plans at the last minute, I always feel better knowing that my friends or work colleagues understand that it isn’t me; it’s diabetes making the rules that day.

In a perfect world, diabetics would like to think that they are not treated differently to people with a perfectly working pancreas. But in reality, it actually makes relationships easier when people you know are aware of your diabetes, and how they should respond to it. So the next time your daughter, or your friend, or your work colleague has to cancel plans last minute after a diabetes nightmare, remember that they are entitled to comfort eat with cake. 

Something to declare

First off, I'm sorry.

It has been a while since my last post, and whilst I never ever forget about my diabetes, my blog has been neglected over the last couple of weeks. This is due to a recent move to the Big Smoke, and I'm still in the process of finding my feet and settling into my new life.

View from the office...

My new job and move has inspired this particular blog post. I have met a lot of new people in the last fortnight, and at some point the little voice inside my head pipes up, 'Should you tell them you are diabetic?'.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not ashamed by my diabetes or my insulin pump by any means. I welcome any opportunity to get out my new toy and show it off to anyone who is foolish enough to ask questions. But it is always a little awkward and daunting bringing it up with new people.

So, when should you tell people you are diabetic?

• If you are working with them

It's always a good idea to tell employers and colleagues that there is a legitimate excuse for the four bottles of lucozade labelled 'Don't touch!' on your desk. You aren't greedy, you are diabetic and cautious. They should know what to do if anything goes wrong, and who to contact.

Hands off. Photo from here

• If you live with them

In my 'dream world', I share a penthouse suite with my best friends who understand my diabetes better than I do, and know what to do or what I need if I go hypo(low blood sugar) or hyper(high blood sugar). In reality, I live in a pokey little flat with strangers, who know nothing about diabetes and thinking going 'hyper' is something kids do when they drink five bottles of coke simultaneously. These people live with you, they should know! And pop their head round your door if they haven't heard from you in a couple of days. That's important.

• If you like them

In my experience, people don't run away when I tell them I am diabetic. Not often anyway. If you meet someone who you think is 'boyfriend/girlfriend' material, or a group of people who have potential to be long-term friends, then tell them! Diabetes is a part of your life, like it or not, and opening up will help them to understand you better.

So in what cases shouldn't you tell people you are diabetic?

• When you are drunk

On one very rare evening when I was feeling particularly intoxicated, I told security bouncers outside a nightclub I was diabetic, in hope that it would change their minds about letting me into the club. For some absurd reason, they thought that me falling over onto their feet, was proof that I was 'too drunk' to even think about coming in. I proceeded to tell the bouncers that I wasn't drunk, I was diabetic.



"Do I look like I care about your blood sugars?" Photo from here



Surprisingly, this didn't work. Neither did slurring 'You are being diabetic-ist!!!' (discrimination towards diabetics). The moral of this story is, don't tell people you are diabetic when you are drunk. People don't care, and you don't make sense. At this point, alarm bells should be ringing and you should promptly return home, hanging your head in shame.

• At a job interview

There is no need to tell people about your condition at an interview. It's only relevant to tell employers once you actually have the job and you will be working with them. Whilst it is illegal for companies to discriminate against people with any disability, it still happens. Sad, but true.

So now you have my take on when diabetes should be kept under wraps, and when it should be shouted from the rooftops (not literally).

My next blog post, which I promise will be very soon, will be a take on how to react to this information, as a non-diabetic.

Stay tuned, and keep reading.

A Pumping Pinocchio

This week saw me doing some weird and wonderful things whilst out and about on my new internship. 

One of these new experiences involved a fish pedicure. Yes, you read that right, a fish pedicure. What does a fish pedicure entail, well I'll show you. 

They were loving it.

That is a picture of me, having my feet eaten my some adorable fishies. I say eaten, it was actually more like gentle nibbling. And it felt as weird as it looks. Not least because I hadn't shaved my legs, my feet smelt and I had about twenty people staring at my tootsies. 

You've probably seen this new phenomenon on the telly. Garra rufa fish, imported from Turkey, are supposed to enjoy eating away at your dead skin cells, leaving you with baby soft feet. It can cost anywhere between £10 and £50, and you leave your feet in the water for about half an hour.

I was lucky enough to have mine for free though, just as well cause I'm not sure if I would pay actual money for fish to eat my feet. So there I was, preparing myself for this new experience when the owner of the fish asked me to fill out a health and safety form. 

Uh oh. I knew what was coming. Sure enough, under name, age, address etc was the dreaded:

'Any pre-existing medical conditions, such as diabetes?'

'Um yes, but I'm not going to tell you that!'. I don't know why, but the rebel inside me never ticks that box on a health form. 

Its the same when I fill out a job application. Do you consider yourself to be disabled? 'Well no, but I've received disability living allowance until I was 18, so technically....'

I think it all stems back from when I was 16, and newly diagnosed. I was finding my feet as a 'divabetic', and wasn't sure of the boundaries I could push with new condition. 

I was desperate to get the top part of my ear pierced, and went into Claire's Accessories one weekend with my friend. I hadn't told my mum, and planned on giving her a big surprise when I returned home. I'm a lovely daughter like that.

Once the Claire's lady verified I was old enough, she got me to fill in a health and safety form. It was the first time I had come across the dreaded 'pre-existing condition' question, and I was petrified that if she knew I was diabetic, she wouldn't give me my much sought after piercing. 

This will be me one day...Pic from here





So I lied. And I haven't been able to come clean since. I know its bad, and these precautions are only in my best interest. 

I have since learned that the reason health professionals ask you this question is because diabetics take longer to heal from cuts and open wounds, and are more prone to catching infections. 

There are certain guidelines you are advised to follow when it comes to diabetes and piercing's, or tattoos, or anything invasive really. Click here for more information. 

Of course no diabetic wants to feel like they can't go get a piercing or a fish pedicure when they feel like it, and if you are anything like me, you like to feel invincible against diabetes. 

Like some sort of superhero, I like to challenge my diabetes and test the boundaries. By having my ears pierced, getting a tattoo, and wearing skyscraper heels I feel as if I am saying take that diabetes - try and stop me!

The battle continues... 

Sixth Sense

I think I have a sixth sense. But unlike the creepy kid from that Bruce Willis film, my 6th sense isn't in the slightest bit interesting. 

Photo from here

 Unless you're diabetic that is. Because I'm pretty sure I have a 6th sense for predicting hypos.

Let me explain.

So you may or may not be aware that I moved to London last weekend. For some bizarre, unexplained reason it has sent my blood sugars AWOL.

Maybe it is the slight temperature change. Maybe it is all the extra walking I'm doing. Maybe it is tube stress. Maybe it is the lack of funds for food. 

Whatever the reason, my blood sugars are going L-O-W. A lot. And its annoying.

I had my pump levels all sorted out, but this recent lifestyle change has cocked it all up.

BUT I can see(or rather feel) it coming. Thanks to my 6th sense.

You see, when you have a hypo, there are the classic symptoms. Shakiness, sweatiness, paleness and a racing heart are sure signs that your blood sugar level is dropping below 4. If you want to be all technical, click here. If you don't know that when your blood sugar level hits 4, you're probably going to end up on the floor. 

Explaining hypoglycemia to non-diabetics is a challenge, but this YouTube video goes through it pretty well. 

But a few times this week I have been going about my business and suddenly felt 'weird'. I can't explain it, but there is this feeling inside me like something is just wrong. 

Yet when I test my blood sugar, the levels seem OK (between 7 and 9). So obviously I'm not alarmed and carry on with what I'm doing. But sure enough, an hour or so later, that familiar 'hypo' feeling hits me and my levels have dropped way below 4. 

Oh crap



I've had some trouble contacting my nurse about this. Not about my 6th sense(don't think she would take that too seriously), but the fact that my blood sugars are going hypo a lot more frequently in this new routine. Since I am working 10-6, and baring in mind I leave the house at 8.45am to fight my way on to the tubes, I am not physically able to call up my diabetes centre.

Perhaps tomorrow I will sacrifice some of my precious lunch break in the hope that I will get through to someone. 

Until then, I will use my diabetic superpowers to try and prevent some of these hypos from becoming too nasty.

Pump On Tour

Carrying on from my previous blog, I had some slight worries about taking my new pump away with me abroad. 

On true form my blood sugars were extremely high just before I was about to leave the house to make my way to the airport early Thursday morning.

I see a pattern here; the same thing happened to me a couple of weeks ago and I missed my train because of it. I knew everything was OK with the pump and infusion site, so I put it down to the take-away food I’d eaten the night before and gave myself a correction. It came down eventually, but over the next couple of days I continued to get high readings as I woke up.

High blood sugars aka hyperglycaemia are in some ways worse than lows. You feel really hung-over when you have one, like groggy and blurry eyed. But there is no fantastic night out to explain these high’s, you aren’t drunk or hung-over, it is just your blood sugar messing about.

I decided to take matters into my own hands and adjust the amount of basal insulin (basal = throughout the day and night, regardless of food intake) I was getting during the night. My diabetes nurses were a bit anxious about giving too much insulin whilst I am asleep, and advised me to only adjust it slightly. But I’m a bit of a rebel, and rarely do as I’m told when it comes to diabetes. (Hence being a divabetic).

I knew through vigorous testing at 3am that my blood sugars were far too high during the night, so I raised it by a bit. You can’t really blame me though. This had been happening for a week or so and I didn’t want to wake up feeling ‘falsely hung-over’ on my holiday. I couldn’t call and check with my nurse, so it was up to me to make the change. And it paid off! That extra bit of night time insulin has really helped my morning levels.

Although, I do advise if you can to check with a nurse of doctor before you start making drastic alterations. I plan on ringing my nurse first thing tomorrow and informing her of my changes... promise.



Czech us out...

Another pump concern of mine was all the yummy, fatty food I knew I would be munching on abroad. It is so much easier now I have the pump to dine out or eat on the go. For me, that is its greatest asset. When I’m out at a restaurant I can simply tap in the amount of carbs I’ve gorged on and the pump works its magic with no mess, and no fuss. A couple of years ago I would have been too embarrassed to inject in public and probably wouldn’t have bothered. Bad, I know!

As you can tell from my previous posts, I’ve become a bit of a pro at disguising my pump. I’m still a bit wary about digging into my bra in the middle of a restaraunt, but as far as I can tell so far nobody seems to notice.

Until my holiday. On our first night out we found this gorgeous pub which was serving traditional Czech food. Before I tucked into my Czech pancakes, I fished out my pump and gave myself a heap load of insulin. A few mouthfuls in and I realised that my family were staring at me. Instinctively I wiped my hand on my chin to check I hadn’t slopped.  Let’s just say, I’m not the most lady-like eater.

But I was OK. My pancakes had not strayed from mouth. “What are you staring at?” I defensively grilled my family.

“Err Kim, you’re glowing.”

I looked down and sure enough, because I’d given myself so much insulin to tackle the pancakes, my pump screen was brightly glowing through my white top as it was delivering the doses.

Embarrassing to say the least. So next time I am planning a mammoth meal, where my pump might be active for a while, I will have to either wear black or not stuff it down my bra. Lesson learned.

All in all, I had a wonderful time on my trip abroad and had a fantastic 21^st birthday. Having the pump enabled me to eat all the lovely and yummy foods that would normally mess up my blood sugars. Definitely worth an airport frisking and a glowing bra.

Don’t believe me? Just check out these Prague treats below. 

Pumps on a Plane

No, this isn't a blog about some sort of trashy sequel to Snakes on a Plane. I am back after a weekend in Prague celebrating my 21st birthday. I have had my insulin pump for over 3 weeks now and this was our first adventure abroad together. To say the least, I was a little apprehensive about the whole thing. I had a few worries and played out horrific ‘what if’ scenes in my head in the run up to my trip.

Having volunteered myself as a human guinea pig, I can now inform and advise fellow pump users, or people thinking about pumps, to the do’s and don'ts of pumping on a plane.

At the Airport

DO prepare yourself for a frisking. Airport security was one of my main concerns in pump travel. We’ve all been there. You remove your jewellery, your hat, your shoes and even your belt. But still as you walk through the airport detector (holding your trousers up so they don’t end up around your ankles), you beep. So what chance did I have with a metal, liquid machine attached to me? None!

I'm not taking my shoes off...you might steal them!

DO carry medical proof. Like I mentioned in my previous blog, it is really important to have a letter from your consultant handy should anyone question your pump. Even if you aren’t planning on flying, you should still really carry something around with you just in case. As soon as I beeped, I thrust my doctor’s note in front of the security lady’s face. She didn’t seem fazed by it at all and probably sees them all the time. Nonetheless, she had to ‘swab’ my pump screen and give me the once over. Apparently the ‘swab’ is to test for chemicals, according to Google.

DO take some hypo treatment with you. Hypos are nasty and a pain at the best of times, but more so when you are just about to board a plane or checking your bags in. Because airport security is so strict these days, you aren’t allowed to take any liquids on board over 100 ml. Well, not if you’re diabetic! You are entitled to take some gluca-gel or a little can of fizzy pop on board a plane to treat a hypo. Of course the security guards will examine the cans and poke around in your bag, but once you wave your medical letter in their face, it is A-OK. I can’t stress enough how important a medical necessity letter is for a smooth and stress-free journey. I just wish mine said:

Kim is Type 1 diabetic, and as a result suffers from poor blood circulation. This means she will require a foot massage every 60 minutes.

Don’t cause a scene. Yes, it is embarrassing being beeped and searched at the airport but it happens to a lot of people, not just diabetic pump users. Try not to be rude to the security guards; they are just doing their jobs at the end of the day. I for one am thankful that security is as rigorous as it. We would be the first to complain if it wasn’t and something went wrong.

Don’t take off your pump. It won’t be any easier disconnecting the insulin pump going through security. They will still have to search your bags and it will probably look a bit weird if you’re not wearing something that is so vital it can’t be stored in your case. Don’t be ashamed of the pump. It is your right to wear it and nobody can make you take it off. All hell would break loose if they did.

Photo from here

Don’t forget to change the time on your pump if you are in a different time zone. Always stick to local time when it comes to going abroad. Things will get complicated if you try and stick to ‘home’ time.

I have quite a lot to blog about this week following my trip away, so I have decided to break down my posts into smaller chunks so it is easier to digest. I wish I had this mentality when it came to eating birthday cake. 

Come back tomorrow for my blogs on foreign food (mmm!) and how I found the insulin pump on my travels once I made it to the other side. 

Beautiful Prague

 If you would like to know more about planes, airports and insulin pump therapy, check out this website for more info.

Pumps, Planes and Prague

I need a break. And so does my pump. Life is whizzing past me at a ridiculous rate and a need a couple of days away with my family. I am moving to London on my own to start life as a grown-up in less than 2 weeks. As I am leaving soon, and it is officially my 21^st birthday this Saturday, my parents agreed to take me away to Prague for a long weekend after weeks of nagging.

I’m really excited for this trip, but where I go, the pump follows.  It’s a bit like having a cat. Occasionally I have to pay the pump some attention and load it up with more food (insulin), but most of the time it likes to be left alone and doesn’t cause me too much trouble (this week anyway).

Leaving the country is a different story. It is like I have gone into panic mode and think the world will be out to get us.  Here is a list of my main concerns:

1.  Airport Security

Photo from here

This is a headache and a half. I’m positive that the pump will set off alarms as I walk through security, and I will get frisked, causing my pump to fall off and shatter into a million pieces. Or worse, they will rip out the tube and I will be left standing in a pool of my own blood, insulin-less. OK so this is a slight over-reaction, but you know what airport security is like these days and I don’t know how they will react to it.  I know at the end of the day the security people are doing their job, and I am thankful for it. But I’m carrying a little machine full of liquid onto an aeroplane for crying out loud; this is a recipe for disaster. Thankfully I have my trusty letter from the Doctor explaining everything, and I am prepared to waft it in the face of anyone who questions me.

2.   It breaks 

Play nice...

If you have been following my previous posts, then you will know that my pump hasn’t exactly been playing nice. The last time I tried to catch a train the tube was faulty and I had to change my infusion site. I missed my train and had a bit of a tantrum. So in terms of tubing and cannulas I am armed with a spare, a spare for the spare, and a spare for the spare’s spare. Is my carry-on luggage over the weight limit yet?? Don't make me chose between my pump and my shoes.

3.   Food

Photo from here

I plan on eating. A lot. What!?- it’s my birthday I’m allowed a piece of cake or 3. Trouble is I doubt my meals will come with a handy carbohydrate count and sugar content label, and even if it did I wouldn’t understand a word it was saying.

So these are my worries right now. Pumps and planes, do they mix? I don’t know. Stay tuned to find out how I get on, I plan on writing a lengthy post preparing future pump users for plane travel. I'll be your guinea pig, thank me later. I should be back from my trip Monday, so if you don’t hear from me….I’m giving you permission to panic. 

Wish me luck, and a Happy Birthday :)