Yesterday was a big day out for diabetics, Type 1, 2 & 3, in Cairns. Diabetes Queensland hosted 'EXPOSing Diabetes', a one day event with specific programs for Type 1s and Type 2s (and their carers/supporters). So along Fiance and I went.Topics for Type 1s included Exercise, Mental Health, Travel, Sick Days, Current Management, Carb Counting, Pumping and info about DAQ's services. As much as all the educational stuff sounded interesting, I was most looking forward to seeing which companies had come to set up stalls as well as meeting new fellow T1Ds and their families. Well there wasn't many stalls and the day was so jam packed with presentations that there wasn't much time get to know new people unfortunately!
I have to thank Diabetes Queensland for bringing the event to Cairns though, and I hope that it can grow and develop into an annual or bi-annual date claimer. This might be stating the obvious, but I enjoyed the presentation on exercise the most. The presenter, Allan Bolton was engaging and positive about living well with diabetes through exercise, AND he was a Type 1 himself! If you're interested in making exercise work better for your life with Type 1, I recommend checking out his website: www.ext1d.com.au.
An area which in my opinion could have been discussed much better, was mental health and diabetes. Unfortunately the presenter almost made me feel as though I should be more down about having diabetes and I don't think she spent enough time on how to actually be happier. Some quick everyday tips for better mental health would have been a good starting point.
On a fantastic upside though, I LOVE a freebie and a new free diabetic product is actually pretty exciting to me lol so when Accu-chek gave me their Multiclix lancing device yesterday it quiet simply just about made my day! I'm sure I'll be updating you on my thoughts soon and thank you to everyone who shared their experiences with it on facebook last night. A horrible pricker that feels as though its just shot through the other side of my finger and which at the same time seems to resound through my whole body all the while set on just 1 or 2 sets me off into a right ol' cranky mood of hating diabetes and swearing like a trooper. I'd rather take to my finger manually with a lancet! I've heard only good things about this one so far.
The pumping sesh was also good because, guess what?!?... I'm seriously considering crossing over and have even booked in for my first real education session (this week!)... the first step before making the change...
All in all a great opportunity with plenty of room to grow. I'm looking forward to next time!
 | |
| Annnnd just to finish my post off... my WTF moment this morning... |
Still racking my brain as to how I woke up to this! Doesn't diabetes just love keeping everyone on their toes!
I love the Multiclix, hopefully you will too! Most of the time I dont even feel it. Although I do feel it more with a fresh lancet....so very badly I dont change the lancet very often.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your new toy!
Feeling the same so far Ashleigh! The Accu-chek rep said soemthing to me about only using the lancet once, and its stressed alot on the packet... I almost couldn't hold my giggling back though... us diabetics and our lancets! - I can't remember the last time I ever used a lancet just once unfortunately!
DeleteI too love the Multiclix - those other lancets are horrid - and realy who only uses those things once! pah
ReplyDeleteooo how exciting that your thinking about pumping - i just changed over in April - its been a bit of a rollercoaster - keep in mind that getting all the basals right can take awhile (and its really frustrating) but hang in there - its worth it.
'Ain't nobody got time for that!' (thats what I think of EVERY time the mention of using lancets once comes up!) lol
DeleteI missed my pump session this week because of being sick... dragging my germs into the diabetes centre would not be very kind of me! Hopefully I can reschedule soon. Good to know you're a newbie, I can check you out for some advice maybe!