Things to do for your friend with Type 1 Diabetes:

1. Do your research
The most amazing thing my friends do for me is when they show me a big interest in learning about my disease. This goes for any disease, but Type 1 diabetes is especially misunderstood in today's culture because of it's confusion with Type 2. Here are a couple of links to learn about what it is and the difference between Type 1 and Type 2: 
Quick Explanation: http://www.webmd.com/diabetes/features/type-1-diabetes-misconceptions 
Chart : http://www.diabetes.ie/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/diff-btwn-t1-and-t2-DAtable.jpg

2. Understand our restrictions.
As Type 1 diabetics, we can't always eat at any time we want. Some of us have restrictions due to the the insulin we're taking, or the way our body reacts to food. Friends may jokingly say "Have a cookie, it won't kill you",  but if our blood sugar is high, we're better off not making it worse and could use your support. If you're going out for dinner, ask your diabetic friend if there's a certain time they'd like to eat at. It can be really helpful to those on a tight schedule with their insulin and food. Understand that we can't always walk there even though 'it's just a couple of blocks' because our blood sugar is low and we can pass out and end up in the hospital if we don't treat it properly.

3. Try to make us comfortable.
A lot of diabetics feel out of place at times. This is either because there's food around and everyone else is eating without worrying about how much insulin they need to give themselves for whatever they eat, or maybe it's because our blood sugar is low and we have to take out some sugar tablets or a juice box at awkward times. The best thing a friend can do is to just stick with them during these things. If we're taking injections and need to go to the bathroom to give our insulin, ask if we want company. Some of us may be taking multiple daily injections, and some of us may be on an insulin pump. If our blood sugar goes low and we need some juice, help us figure out where to get some but don't make too big a deal out of it.

4. Help us out.
Best friends of a diabetic should know what to do in case of an emergency. Let's say you're on a walk and when you're halfway to your destination, your friend's blood sugar goes low. They might be extremely shaky, dizzy and their minds will be foggy. Hopefully they have sugar tablets or juice (whatever their treatment of choice is), but if they don't, help them figure out the closest place to get something that will act fast, like juice. I myself am very forgetful, partially because of my Lyme brain, and sometimes need reminding to give my insulin. Sometimes my friends will notice that I never gave my insulin and they'll remind me and I'll be so thankful. They saved me from a high blood sugar!

5. Sometimes this disease gets hard.
Type 1 diabetes' onset is usually as a child, pre-teen, or sometimes teenager. I'm not saying that any time is ideal to be diagnosed with diabetes, but these times are especially unfortunate. Children shouldn't have to worry about things like this, pre-teens are completely thrown off of the process of figuring out who they are, and teenagers pulled away from all the fun times they should be having to deal with this awful disease. It's not the easiest to understand how it feels to have a disease when you're healthy, but if your friend seems stressed or distraught, show you care. Send them a picture of their favourite celebrity or animal to cheer them up. Tell them that you're there for them. It's very easy to forget, and sometimes we all need reminding! This doesn't only go for diabetics, by the way ;)

xo,
Michelle

Feeling inadequate?

Are you chronically ill and all your friends are moving forward with their lives while you're just stuck there in one spot? I find that one of the many hard things to deal with when you're living with a chronic illness. There are a lot of restrictions that come along with the territory, and healthy people may not understand that. Some people by miracle are able to hold jobs or be in school full time, but others aren't able to. Maybe they don't have the stamina, maybe they're bed bound, or maybe they just feel too horrible. It's not a matter of 'pushing through', and unless you are the person who's struggling, you have no right judge. There is enough guilt that comes along with being sick. The important thing is that we're not giving up. There are some days where it feels like the world is closing in, and your body hurts so much that you feel like screaming, but we still wake up the next day. We're fighters. It might make you feel like crap when someone tells you that they wish they could lay in bed all day, but what they don't realize is that the real luxury is being able to go out all day and live life. So next time you see someone you haven't seen in a long time and they ask what you're doing with your life, tell them that you are busy being a bad ass. Because you are. Not just anybody would be able to take all this pain and suffering and still be standing. You're that amazing of a fighter.

xo,
Michelle