life Archives - Page 2 of 26 - Diabetes Counselling Online

Guest Blog: There’s never enough hours in a day, days in a week.

February 10, 2015 by Helen-Edwards Leave a Comment

Guest post from Georgia

Working full time and running a Partnered Small Business, things get a bit hectic – trying to squeeze life in in between

I’ve been trying to do the early morning thing – getting to work earlier & leaving a little earlier, and so far it has done wonders, that extra hour gives me so much time to smash out all what I need to do. However I want to try and wake up earlier so I have morning time too, which leaves my weekends free for fun!

What I have noticed is with working and being so tired by the end of the week, I rarely get any time to just chill – by myself. I think it’s important to have some time to think and for me I love being creative, so what I have done is put some time in my diary every now and then to do what I want, whether it’s shopping, writing, exploring and taking photos- just a little time every now and then to re-centre myself.

Life can be so rushed, I am at fault of this too – I always rush through things so I can see results, but recently I’ve learnt to live in the moment (which has caught my attention a lot lately). I recently went to Melbourne to see one of my favourite bands, ‘The 1975’, who were flawless and exceeded all my expectations. Not only was their music and stage presence captivating – the lead singer told the audience (which consisted of mostly under 18s) to put their phones away and live in the moment, instead of longing for the time when they can post their photos and videos and hashtag until their hearts’ content.

Unfortunately, some people disrespected his request and kept snapping away – to which he had to address the audience again and told them to ‘please’ put their phones away.

This made me think of how much we depend on broadcasting our moments rather than enjoying them. To convince people we’re having fun instead of actually letting go and having fun. Don’t get me wrong I am all for social media, it’s one of the fundamentals in my business, but when it comes to my personal life, although I love sharing great moments, the share can wait but the moment can’t so enjoy it and post about it later.

Life goes too fast as it is, but I believe if we walk slower and look up from our phones to take in what is around us, you’ll get to experience the real quality of life.

Adjö,

Georgia

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Diabetes Rant!

February 6, 2015 by Helen-Edwards 2 Comments

Hi guys
do you get frustrated with all the messages about how easy it is to get healthy? How simply quitting sugar will make everything better, and that exercise is a simple thing to do?

I am having a diabetes rant over on DiabetesTV! Come join the diabetes conversation
xx
Helen

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Case Study 1: George Mellows (1)

January 21, 2015 by Imagine_David Leave a Comment

Some things you can Control. Diabetes you can manage.

"Enjoying a good quality of life is my goal" George — “Enjoying a good quality of life is my goal”

George Mellows is aged 55. He lives with his wife and his two teenage children, aged 15 and 19.

George works Monday to Friday 8.30 am until 4.30 pm . He works at a desk in a sedentary role, getting minimal activity in his working day. George has not played any sport for some time, but he does enjoy playing lawn bowls.

4 weeks ago George was:

feeling excessively thirsty
was peeing more than normal
was feeling tired and lethargic
and was always feeling hungry

So, George went to visit his doctor. He described the symptoms, and his doctor sent him for a glucose tolerance test to test for diabetes. The results of this test confirmed a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes .

George was a little shocked as he has nobody in the family with diabetes, only a history of heart disease.

Until this diagnosis of type 2 diabetes George had no identified health problems.

Since his doctor discovered diabetes George has had some further blood work and had been found to have high cholesterol.

Measuring the Blood Glucose Level

George decided to start measuring his blood glucose levels as he was still feeling some symptoms, despite the doctor commencing George on Metformin 500mg in the evening with dinner. Table 1 below shows George’s blood glucose level test results.

George has yet to see a diabetes educator, dietitian, exercise physiologist or podiatrist.

Since starting the blood glucose level measurement George identifies, that despite commencing on Metformin, his blood glucose levels are above target.

Below is a table from the RACGP (Royal Australian College of General Practitioners) identifying the target blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetes. *Note: target blood glucose levels need to be individualised.

Targets for self-monitored glycaemic control in type 2 diabetes *

FBG (mmol/L)	Pre-prandial blood glucose (mmol/L)	Postprandial blood glucose (mmol/L)	Comment
6.0–8.0	6.0–8.0	6.0–10.0	NHMRC values

Based on his blood glucose levels after meal, George is concerned. He thought that taking his Metformin would be all that he needed to do. Now, he feels like he has failed.

George joined several groups of people living with diabetes on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/diabetes.counselling ) to see if he could glean some further understanding of diabetes self management.

“Self-management means having a daily management plan, setting goals, solving problems and taking responsibility. But it certainly does not mean you are on your own. Mutual trust and respect between yourself and your doctor and other members of the health care team, as well as regular communication with them, are vital to effective self-management.

Previously, traditional care was based on doctors and health professionals being seen as the experts responsible for the diagnosis and management of care. It was accepted that people’s lives should be fitted around their diabetes with goals set by the health professionals.

But this approach is not effective. Diabetes requires daily management. Doctors are not available every day, leaving responsibility for day-to-day care on the patient and the family.

In addition, good results are difficult to achieve if the person involved is not an active participant or does not understand the reasons behind management decisions.

Patient Empowerment takes a new approach. It moves the focus from the doctor to the patient. It involves fitting diabetes into your lifestyle with you making the choices and taking charge of your management and the consequences.” Diabetes Australia

Georges Plan:

Research diabetes and prepare questions for doctor, diabetes educator, dietitian.
Meet with diabetes educator:
“Diabetes educators are healthcare professionals who focus on helping people with and at risk for diabetes and related conditions achieve behavior change goals which, in turn, lead to better clinical outcomes and improved health status. Diabetes educators apply in-depth knowledge and skills in the biological and social sciences, communication, counseling, and education to provide self-management education/self- management training.” American Diabetes Association

“Diabetes educators specialise in the provision of diabetes self-management education for people with diabetes.

They provide support for people with diabetes, including gestational diabetes, integrating clinical care, self-management education, skills training and disease specific information to motivate patients to:
- Understand diabetes and make informed lifestyle and treatment choices
- Incorporate physical activity into daily life
- Use their medicines effectively and safely
- Monitor and interpret their blood glucose patterns” Allied Health Professions Australia
Meet with dietitian: appointment booked
Meet with doctor: appointment booked

George plans to ask about different treatment options.

Here are some questions George has prepared for his team:

Is this the best medication for me?

If I get any side effects what do I do? If this medication does not work, what’s next?

Do you mean ….. ? Is there anything I should not be doing?

How soon should treatment start ?

Can the treatment start next month when I am back from holidays?

Can I stop the treatment when I can’t afford it?

How much will the treatment cost?

What can I do to prevent further problems?

What can I do to keep my condition from getting worse?

How will making a change to my habits help me?

Are there support groups or community services that might help me?

Which other HCP’s will be able to help me manage this health issue?

Hand in hand with your health care professionals you van achieve a good quality of life with diabetes — Hand in hand with your health care professionals you can achieve a good quality of life when living with diabetes

Over to You

What advice would you give to George?

What was your experiences of being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes ?

How did you access your diabetes educator, dietitian, counsellor etc?

**** Added January 26: Part 2 HERE *****

Next time we visit George, we shall see how he is progressing with his diabetes self care plan http://www.diabetescounselling.com.au/choices-in-diabetes-management/

In the meantime, healthy days to you.

Kind Regards,

David, Diabetes Educator @ Diabetes Counselling Online

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Guest post from Georgia: Fresh as a daisy!

January 19, 2015 by Helen-Edwards Leave a Comment

Sharing a guest blog from Georgia today

Helen

I have got motivated this week, it is 2015 – a fresh start, my fresh start. After a long (needed) break it was go time, 2015 hit me with full force of determination; I was going to make this year mine.
I started with the compulsory booking of appointments, at first hair & nails, then the medical side of things: Endocrinologist (a new one, for a new start); Podiatrist (my annual care plan appointment); Eye test (my biannually care plan appointment); blood test for my 3 monthly Hba1c and an appointment with my GP to get my referral for my new Endo.

I have a feeling, after a messy 2014 this year is going to deliver the goods, a year to achieve and work towards my goals and get my Fashion Blog well and truly off the ground and get everything (diabetes wise) in the best shape possible.

Not that it is in a bad place at the moment, I feel great but there’s always room for improvement, like my quote of the week “Always be a work in progress”, you can never stop bettering yourself.

A new Endo means a chance to have someone understand me more and to hear my side of things before looking at levels, a new set of eyes to provide me with help and support. It took a while for me to agree to find a new Endo, I was adamant that I could handle everything myself (I’m still confident I could), but it doesn’t hurt and who knows my stubborn self may learn a thing or two. I am going in to this with no qualms what so ever. After my last experience I hold no expectations to my new doctor, but hope that this time round it doesn’t end in guilty tears.

On another note, I am all about challenges – I get stressed when I have so much to do, but I never feel satisfied until my diary is full of commitments. I like being busy and I love challenging myself and investing myself in new tasks.

This year I am focusing on:
1. Getting fitter than ever
2. Having more adventures
3. Possibly undertaking an external course
4. Doing a first Aid Course
5. Expanding my/our Fashion Blog.

I advise you all to make this year your year! I turn 22 this year and I read this great article saying how your 20’s are your selfish years and your 30’s are your years to plan for the rest of your life, me being me I want to make my 20’s both of those things.

But most importantly, I am focusing on me, investing my time on those who I truly care about and who truly care about me. High school was years ago and I am feeling myself grow up and change from the person I was 3 years ago – I am still the same child who dances to One Direction around my room, and my values haven’t changed, but I have and so has my attitude – all for the better of course.

2015 baby!

Au Revoir
Georgia.

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How to stand up to the fear of diabetes

January 16, 2015 by Helen-Edwards 2 Comments

http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photo-fear-concept-choice-acronym-bravery-life-image44534735

I was thinking the other day that if someone could just come up with a way to check blood glucose that does not require turning your fingers into blackened stubs, where multiple areas bleed when you squeeze for one blood test, and they could eliminate hypos, I would be ok with having diabetes.

There are many parts of it I dislike, but these are two of my most hated. In fact the hypos thing is probably the biggest fear for me. And that is the bottom line toughest part of life with diabetes when we break it all down isn’t it, the fear.

It is not that you have to eat healthy, be active, get your rest, plenty of sunshine, check your feet, visit more doctors than usual and reduce your stress. These are all good for you. It is not that you have to take medications or have multiple daily injections or lived attached to a machine, even though that is annoying and sometimes frustrating. It is not even the fact you have a chronic disease that can’t be cured. It is the cold hard fear.

It’s waking up in the morning with a high blood glucose level and having to decide whether to eat breakfast or wait, worrying about whether you are going to end up higher and feel like crap, or dive into a hypo from your correction dose of insulin, and feel like crap….It is sitting up late at night when everyone else is in bed, waiting to see if your levels are going to settle as they have been too high or too low. It’s managing the swings and ups and downs, often alone and not knowing when it will stop.

It is going out on a run, to the gym, dancing, drinking, on holidays, hiking, skiing, having sex, even a walk around the block – and not knowing if you might end up low or high. It is the fear of the unknown. And the fear of the known. The fear that gets drilled into you when you get diagnosed and reminded to you every time you look at a national diabetes week, or world diabetes day poster. It’s sleeping, waking, eating, fasting, sitting, standing, lying, existing – with FEAR.

It’s exhaustion. Which makes fear worse.

It’s all those things that can go wrong, break, stop working, fall off or be chopped off. It is blindness and dialysis and horrible feet. It’s not having babies, or having babies and then trying not to breathe the entire time you are pregnant in case it messes up your blood sugar and harms your precious baby.

It’s working hard in your career and your life dreams and not knowing if your diabetes will cause a problem you don’t want your colleagues to find out about. It’s failing exams because your levels were so high you couldn’t think straight. The stress of losing your license when your job is driving trucks. Losing your ability to make love. Losing your partner. Losing your grip.

Yes indeed, diabetes is a whole lot about fear and a whole lot less about the mechanics of it all, a whole lot less about the actual act of caring for your diabetes. People will tell you that you are “non compliant”, not managing well, not getting it. That is bullshit. You are probably scared. You are probably confused. You are probably exhausted.

Fear creeps up on you, takes hold of you, hangs around in dark corners, jumps out at you from under the bed.

Fear is a bitch.

And if someone could only take away that fear for me, I would be pretty ok with having diabetes, it is not the worst thing to have. The truth is, nobody is going to do that for you but YOU. If you are like me, and fear has a grip on your life with diabetes at times, the only way we can stand up to that fear is together, and alone.

We must take time to notice these fears, to pull them out from under the covers. We must take time to shine a light on them, share them – please don’t suffer fear in silence. Learn how to be more mindful, how to manage fears, how to be more centered, more peaceful. You don’t need to learn how to be more brave – people with diabetes are some of the bravest people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing – and trust me over 15 years working in diabetes I have known many thousands.

By sharing these fears we reduce them. We feel safer, as there is safety in numbers. Fear will always be part of life with diabetes. It is scary. But we can reduce how much it impacts on our daily lives by setting up networks of support, help when we need it, talking about it and facing it head on. And in those moments when you are scared shitless, just remember we are all here holding your hand. We have your back and you CAN do it.

What do you fear most about life with diabetes – please share and get these things out into the spotlight

Helen

Helen Edwards has lived with type 1 diabetes since 1979. She is Mum to 3 sons, the founder of Diabetes Counselling Online, a diabetes educator, social worker and PhD Candidate studying diabetes distress in pregnancy for women with type 1 diabetes. She is also a successful Interiors Blogger and Stylist at www.recycledinteriors.org and runs creative workshops, an online store and studio in Adelaide – just for a life outside of diabetes.

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