Since I am in Florida for two AADE meetings and instead of
flying back and forth across the country decided to stay in Jacksonville to
visit my very dear friend, who happens to have diabetes. She is definitely an
example of an engaged patient that uses peer support! Since I was coming she
decided to organize a diabetes weekend for her friends with diabetes, some of
whom are members of her Diabetes Sister’s group that she started. The first night we went to a JDRF evening
social where I not only met many people with diabetes, I also met the chair of
the Jacksonville AADE LNG, (they were having a meeting across the parking lot
in a different restaurant). It was a great opportunity to talk about the
upcoming AADE annual meeting in Orlando in August.
The following day was a “pampering day at the spa” where a
few of us spent time relaxing, rejuvenating, and also exercising! In our busy
lives it is so infrequent that we really take time out for ourselves and do
something that really falls into the AADE7 category of “Healthy Coping.” We all thought the day was just what we
needed to re-energize ourselves.
The diabetes weekend ended with a speaker on Health Eating
and sampled a few healthy recipes for lunch! We ate Kale chips and Kale salad
along with a spicy black bean vegetarian chili topped with Greek yogurt and
avocado. (I will try to upload a photo of the recipe, it was delicious!) I also
had the opportunity to talk with the group of women, all with type 1 diabetes,
about the role of a diabetes educator and to provide some information about
type 2 diabetes. It was interesting to
me that most of the women saw a diabetes educator when they were first
diagnosed, but none of them were actively engaged with an educator now. The women relied on their support group and
social media including a Facebook Tandem pump uses page, Diabetes Mine and
several others etc. when they needed information and support.
The weekend did a couple of things for me. 1) Although I
already appreciate this fact, it reminded me how challenging it is to live with
type 1 diabetes on an hour to hour basis. 2) It reinforced the power of support
groups both in person and online. 3) Reminded me that many people with diabetes
do not have an ongoing relationship with a diabetes educator.
From this weekend and previous discussions I have had with
people with type 1, there is a sense that often diabetes educators have their own
educational agenda and it might not fit with the lifestyle of the person with
diabetes. We need to continuously remind
ourselves that we need to help people solve problems, connect them with support
and develop partnerships to help improve quality of life……… and leave our
personal agendas at the door!
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