Post 1 for Diabetes Blog Week
A diabetic friend. I have to confess, I have always wanted one. Someone who would understand why I get so anxious about ordering food at restaurants. Someone to lend me some test strips when I wait too long to renew my prescriptions. Someone to talk me down when I'm standing in front of a tray of free donuts. And someone who will be angry along with me when my blood sugars spike for no reason (instead of trying to tell me everything will be fine and it's no big deal).
Unfortunately (big sigh), I have no PWD friends. The only other person in my family that has T1D was my mom's cousin (you can bet my diagnosis came as a bit of a shocker). No coworkers. Not even friends of friends. My great uncle (who I have met twice) has type 2. The hour I spent talking with him the last time he came to town was one of the greatest hours ever. He spoke my language! Well... almost.
I have no real diabetes friends. So I blog (virtual friends can be just as good). And I read blogs. I bitch with others about the trials and tribulations of this disease through the written word. I celebrate with them through links and pictures and comments.
One of my favorite blogs (and the one that really pushed me to start my own) is Kerri Morrone Sparling's Six Until Me. I read her posts and fantasize about being that involved in the D community. I wish I could talk face to face with others going through this. I wish I could fly to Europe to learn about new research and products. I wish I had a pump. (This is my absolute favorite blog from SUM. It still makes me laugh!) After all the envy has faded, I go and write my own very different blog about going at it alone. About searching for the natural remedy that will lower my insulin needs to an affordable level. And about the adventures that spring from that kind of independent mind set.
But in the end, this blog is (as they all really are) about finding a friend.
Have you looked into support groups in your area? If there aren't any, maybe you can start one?
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