Diabetes People

We were very fortunate to find a parent support group shortly after my daughter's diabetes diagnosis. People in that group were also involved with the local JDRF chapter and I got involved there too. Once we got our heads above water with the help and support of both of those organizations I found myself able to turn around and help others. I encouraged the next round of newly-diagnosed families at the support group meetings. I got involved in planning and running a local JDRF walk. In the three years after diagnosis, personal contact with other 'diabetes people' was a big part of my life.

Then, because of a lay-off and a subsequent job opportunity, we moved back to the area where I grew up. We continued to participate in JDRF walks, and I did help with walks at the elementary school, but my contact with our local chapter was minimal. There was not a parent support group in the area. We were fortunate to know a couple of nearby families with T1D and so had, and continue to have, an informal network of information and support. I found the diabetes online community, and there found both personal support and a way to be supportive of others by starting this blog. For a while that was enough.

Now, though, I'm feeling a pull.

I'm still incredibly grateful for those moms and dads I met during the first months after diagnosis. Having those conversations provided a framework for how we still live with diabetes today. There's nothing like sharing stories, laughs, information or tears with people who have faced the same challenges.

In lieu of New Years Resolutions, I tend to think of something I'd like give some extra energy to over the course of the year.  Some years it's practical, like learning new recipes or starting a vegetable garden. Some years it's more social, like sending thank-you notes for even the littlest of gestures. This year?

I'll be looking for ways to spend more time with other 'diabetes people.'