Diabetes Support on Instagram
Jenna Feely was a recent guest on my podcast where she talked about being diagnosed at thirteen years old, her adolescences with type 1 and her outlook on her life with the disease. About halfway through the conversation I asked Jenna about her advocacy online and she told me about her Instagram page (She has nearly 5,000 followers!), later I asked her if she would write a guest post for Arden's Day about her experience with type 1 advocacy and how she uses her Instagram page to help people. I hope you enjoy her post and take time to listen to her episode, 'Eighteen and Already Amazing'! - Best, Scott
When I am not feeling my best, I seek support. When I am feeling positive, I try to give support.
When I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, I was 13 years old and I had no idea what type 1 diabetes was. I also didn’t know that social media could have really helped me in that moment. It took me a couple of years to realize that social media could be a huge outlet to connect with others going through the same daily monitoring to take care of themselves.
It can be easy to feel isolated when living with type 1 diabetes.
We have to take care of ourselves, and monitor our health in ways that most will never have to. Whether you prefer Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or other sites that provide support, you can voice your concerns, your worries, your progress, or just have a good laugh!
Jenna is in Instagram @DiabetesTips - Search in your app or click on this image to check her out and follow.
Social media has provided an outlet for me that helps me relate to others, and hopefully help others with type 1 diabetes. I love being able to support others who may be having a tough day, and talking to others who are dealing with the same bumps that I am. It can be very easy to feel different, or cut off from the world when you are living with a chronic disease. However, diabetes has actually helped me in many ways that, as a society I feel we tend to ignore. Yes, I have had sleepless nights, scary lows, scary highs…..but through all that pain I have also learned to move on, and to get on with life. Diabetes has taught me to be more patient with others as well as myself. I have also learned to forgive others as well as myself. As you all probably know, if you don’t forgive yourself for those little mistakes, you will go crazy!
When you know how it feels to have a chronic illness, you can empathize with others who are also going through something similar, even if it is not type 1.
We can learn from each other through social media.
We can all share tips, and tricks that we may have found over the years whether they relate to physical or emotional wellness in our management. Social media also helps me stay inspired in my management. When I am not feeling my best, I seek support. When I am feeling positive, I try to give support. We can all give and take from each other. Through social media, we can help others forgive themselves, support each other through sleepless nights, and also add a little humor to type 1!
You can find Jenna on Instagram @DiabetesTips and I am on Instagram @ArdensDay. Jenna's episode of the Juicebox Podcast can be found here, listened to below, on iTunes or where ever you get your podcast fix.
5 most popular Arden's Day Instagram pics of 2013
Its fun to look back... But I love looking forward.
Excited for the New Year to arrive!
Day Of Diabetes: World Diabetes Day Edition
Six years ago I began this blog with the intention of sharing every diabetes related moment that happen to us over a twenty-four hour period. I planned to share our day with diabetes with my friends and family but didn't have one idea about what I was going to do after that day ended. I had never read a blog, didn't know another family who lived with type I diabetes and only ever saw two message boards in the Internet. I had no idea what my sharing would introduce me to or what meeting all of you would one day mean to me. So many diabetes related events happened in the first few hours of August 16, 2007, that I had to stop before the day was over - but that was on my first day.
Today, I think I can make it for twenty-four straight hours... One full day of sharing to help bring awareness to the the world of type I diabetes. Every moment of our World Diabetes Day that is touched by type I diabetes, I will share as an update here on Arden's Day and other social media portals that lend themselves to the moment. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr
If you want to follow along or share the posts, I'll be hashtaging them with #DayOfDiabetes - Many other DOC members will be doing something similar today, please support them as much as you can. Here we go!
#DayOfDiabetes - Just 39 minutes in and diabetes is already making noise.
#NDAM #WorldDiabetesDay
3hrs 30min since snack time insulin. Going to wait up a little longer. Tonight may just go well. #dayofdiabetes
1:33 am. Arden's BG is drifting lower. Temp basal, off for 30 mins. I'll listen to some music and check again in 30 mins. Eyes starting to hurt.
BG is steady at 95. One last temp basal, off to sleep. now. getting up in 4hr 45min. #DayofDiabetes
I overslept. Sometimes staying up until after 2 am can do that to me. Was woken finally by Arden's DexCom. Not only did her BG slowly drift to 196 by 8am but it wanted me to know that the sensor needs to be replaced in four hours. Thing is, we use that sensor to get through the school day. Going to have to reset it and set timers for extra testing.
Arden couldn't take her chewable vitamin this morning because her BG was 200 and they are 6 carbs, would require .45 units of insulin and hinder the bolus that is working for the elevated BG - vitamins. #DayOfDiabetes
Currently trying to decide what caused morning rise.#dayofdiabetes
The popcorn Arden ate before bed resolved almost perfectly. I set a decreased temp basal at 1am that seemed to work (Happy enough with the 150 range). Guessing the AM rise was not due to temp basal at 1am. If I hadn't overslept I could have boluses it just as it began and I think the 8 am number would have been around 140ish.
Timer just sounded. Arden will be testing in class and sending me a number in a moment. #DayOfDiabetes
Working on high BG from AM & getting ready for snack.#dayofdiabetes
On the phone with DexCom to deal with transmitter battery message. #DayOfDiabetes 10:28am
Arden just texted, CGM is ready to calibrate. She is testing now. #DayofDiabetes
I’ll have a #Dblog up in 20 mins about the last 1/2 hour. edit: Here it is LINK
#DayofDiabetes
Arden is at lunch, CGM is back and new DexCom transmitter has been ordered. This looks like a safe time for me to take a shower. #DayofDiabetes
Post Gym CGM check 97. #DayofDiabetes
I just entered Arden’s post gym BGs in the #BigBlueTest #DayOfDiabetes
Arden is on her way to the bus port. Just sent her CGM, we made an adjustment/bolus and she will be home soon. #DayofDiabetes
CGMnow 90 mins after Chinese food, 84. Small snack going in. #DayOfDiabetes
Arden is in bed, had to bolus again for an elevated BG. I’ll check on her in a little bit. #DayodDiabetes
Good morning from Chincoteague Island, VA
Good morning from Chincoteague Island, VA, we are are more then half way through our family vacation and i thought today would be a good time to check in with all of you and say hello. This morning around five Arden's DexCom CGM woke me when her BG dropped just below 90. I set a temp basal for an hour and snuck outside to take some pictures of the beautiful sunrise that the island enjoys.
We are having a great week and I hope you are too! Lots of relaxing, fishing (we don't catch much), beach bumming and enjoying downtime together. I'm mixing in the last bit of writing I have before handing in my book, 'Life is Short, Laundry is Eternal' that is due to the publisher in a few days.
Here are a few pictures from my sunrise photo walk that I just shared on Instagram... I guess that we'll be back to life before we know it, the kids just received their school schedules so they are beginning to countdown the days.
Be well, I'll be back (too) soon.Wordless (Instagram) Wednesday
Let's not mince words (especially since it's wordless Wednesday)... If you dig these pics, find me on Instagram.
@ArdensDay on Instagram (and Pinterest too)... see you there! For background info about these pictures head over to the 'Visual Record'.