If your having a hard time coping:

[PatKn_07]

If your having a hard time coping with the fact that you have diabetes, find a someone you know who has it too and joke about with them. I have this friend in my school and we joke about stabbing ourselves with our novolog flex-pens and testing out blood sugar. We laugh so much about it. It really takes the stress off! So next time you feel down, pissed, or whatever, talk to a friend who has it and laugh it off!

[shockme]

thaty's why i'm here....i have no diabetics in my life i can relate to. trish

[dodo]

I like that idea, but in my case it seems like an impossible thing to do! There are abolutely nobody in my entourage who has diabetes. Not even a type 2 person! I guess that is why it was so hard for me to cope with the disease for the last 4 years! I just started using diabetes forums and it helps a lot! I read a lot of stories that make me laugh! So, people, keep posting funny stories!:D

[BriOnH]

Absolutely Pat.

Being around others that understand what having diabetes means and being able to joke about it is a huge stress reliever.

They(us?) should put us all on an island. How about we take over Hawaii? If any non D's come we take their pancreases.

[PatKn_07]

Brian, why arent you a comedian? That has got to be the funniest thing i've heard in while!

[little_john]

i have no diabetics in my life i can relate to.

I don't think I've seen a peer with diabetes since high school and then we were never really "close" friends.... For the most part diabetics have always been too disciplined for my liking. Is that weird?

[ClaireElaine]

I agree too. I don't know anyone of my friends, or even anyone my age that has diabetes. I like being on this forum and reading, it is like talking about it without even having to really talk, you know? But sometimes I feel like I am not discliplined enough and get down on myself for not "doing something else or better."
But what does help me sometimes is my best friend (who isnt diabetic) "pretends" she is to keep us both motivated to stay on our diet and exercies (which we are both doing anyways and it works out well that I really should watch it all now, ha) So it helps me stay on a good track and not feel like I am really missing out on a lot. Where do you think I could go or find local young adults that have diabetes in my city? A diabetes club or something?

[little_john]

Where do you think I could go or find local young adults that have diabetes in my city? A diabetes club or something?

We should just start giving everyone in our cities diabetes so we're not alone... How would one do that? Hold hands? Make out? Punch them in the pancreas? That would have to be a very well placed shot.

[BriOnH]

Brian, why arent you a comedian? That has got to be the funniest thing i've heard in while!

lol imagine a non D reading our jokes. Just proving your point ;).

For those that don't have In Real Life Friend diabetics, I highly recommend getting out there and finding some. I know that's so, SO, much easier said then done, but I gotta tell ya, when hanging out with other diabetics (the bigger the group the better imo) it just takes so much of the burden of diabetes off of you. It's like you get to release the top off of a bottle of shaken up soda then enjoy like it's a regular Coke lol.

That is the reason I am working for the diabetic youth foundation. The pay sucks, but being able to be around a company (a non profit, but none-the-less) with diabetics is pretty darn cool.

I know how tough it is to meet other diabetics too. When I lived in San Diego for a couple of years I didn't know any diabetics there. So I went to support groups and it was just a bunch of really old people who didn't look like they enjoyed life at all.

[dazzy34]

Its posts and threads like these that inspire people, it inspired me when i was wallowing in my self pity!

[Wolff]

I'm lucky in the fact that I have3 close friends, one of whom is my boss who i've worked with for the last 6years so he was really a big help when I was dx'd. even gave me a bg tester and enough humalog for 5 months

[rocky]

Although I don't have any friends with D the friends I do have pretty well make fun of it all they want... mostly about my 'no show' pancreas. But I do think it would be pretty sweet to have someone who knows what you go through day in and day out.

[Injecto]

That's half the point of using this website IMO.

[ctskierguy]

It's why I'm here.

Mike

[kidvid]

...and laugh it off!

I was at the dentist the other day. The Dental Assistant looks at my medical alert bracelet. She says "Oh, that's neat! Do you have to wear that all the time?" I say "No, only on the days I'm diabetic." Except it comes out "Mmmphh onnnyyy awwwnnnn ooommm eckkkk."

Joe

[shockme]

good one!!!:D trish

[cheryl]

I have met a couple of people with type 1 diabetes, but they are very involved in there own lives, I can tell it's not who they are even though they wear a pump....I talk to ton's of type 2 diabetics.....a load of them, I have people writing stuff down of the no no ingredients they should be not eating LOL.....I have my regulars now at work... who often come to me for a ton of advice and when I am not there, my boss is like ummmm Cheryl....this isn't a free clinic....she is joking....

I come on here and other forums because it is the best support, but I noticed though, I had become so withdrawn from all of the rest of the world, I don't come on as much, because non diabetics are people too, who do need me just as much as I need them.....I had to learn about balance again I am doing well.....with trying to balance now....

Cheryl

[deansreef]

I know the feeling about not knowing any D's. i have one person I know but do not see him often. wish there were more people around in my age group with the D. I am 39 and been diabetic for 20 years.

Dean

[silverfrost]

thaty's why i'm here....i have no diabetics in my life i can relate to. trish

Same!

It does help to talk to non-diabetics that understand what you're going through, though. My boyfriend's been with me through all of it, and he knows nearly as much about Diabetes now as I do. He's very supportive.

However, I don't find knowledgable, understanding people too often... :/ So, I come here.

[Starbuck]

thaty's why i'm here....i have no diabetics in my life i can relate to. trish

Me too. The only other D I know is my father-in-law and he's T2. The closest I've come is when my best friend had gestational D. I'm really glad I found this forum. I'd love to chat but I'm actually going low...need to eat.

[octoberlily]

I have that problem have been diabetic 35 years next month, and don't know another diabetic. Could really do with someone to chat to now with all the problems i'm having. Thing is i'v lost all my confidence over these past months and even find it difficult posting on here. I have recently joined a group Diabetes uk and attend my first meeting on weds 21st nov so i'm really hoping this helps.

I'm also due to start pumping, my funding has come through, and now waiting for it to be delivered to hospital.

Julie

[marked]

Julie,
I have 38 years in. Do you have an endo that you can trust with your confidence and be there for you until you can reclaim it? I found that helped me a lot.
Mark

[Mich]

Yep. I certainly agree with all of you. You are my diabetic friends. Even after 48 years, I've only met enough others in real life to count on one hand. Only one other type 1 and she lives two states away. My husband of 27 years is an honorary diabetic by now, bless his heart.

One day in a restaurant, a guy went by me with tubing hanging out of his pocket and I got so excited just to understand what it was. (Too bad he was in a huge hurry.)

I've learned so much here and felt so much empathy for you and from you. I'm so thankful you are all here. :flowers: Mich

[shiftzor]

Well here i sit alone, with this disease, really there is no one i know that can help me other than my diabetic clinic. i dont even use them properly, ive almost cut my self off and cope on my own. i have good friends and family, but they dont understand, what chance do they stand when i dont even understand everything myself.

This place is a mind information and i am very greatfull for all advice i get here. Its a sad world out there, i should take my head out of my **** and smell the fresh air ;) and start using the help that is available. Its so easy to be me me me and worry about my diabetes, sometimes you forget that you are not alone.

[octoberlily]

Marked,

Yes my diabetes consultant is good, my diabetes nurse is brilliant and my G.P is fantastic he has helped me a great deal over the past months. He also hoping my confidence returns once i can resume work and i feel confident in going out alone and the anxiety stops.

I will now see how this group works out for me tomorrow, but thank you for that.

Julie

Type 1 diagnosed 6.12.1974