Diabetes Blog – Happy-Medium.net

Many things about living with diabetes can be difficult. One of the hardest things is when we start to feel alone in our walk with this condition.

It can be when we’re at our best, when we’ve had a good day and we post something about our blood sugar playing nice. On those days, maybe we just want to ask, “Will it last?”.

Other days, nothing seems to go right, and we need a place to share our frustrations and our deepest fears.

As part of her Doctorate research, The Chronic Scholar, Heather Walker convened an action group that came away with a campaign to promote listening and support among those living with and affected by diabetes. We’re rolling it out as a group today, August 1st, using the hashtag #IHearYou.

I hope you’ll join us as we stop and take the time, first to listen, and then say, #IHearYou.

What are we trying to do with this? It’s an affirmation of what the Diabetes Online Community has been doing so well for so long.

You are not alone. Every day is not perfect, or even like any other, and it’s okay to reach out for support when you need it. It’s important that all of us recognize your contributions.

In fact, there’s an entire community made up of people with diabetes, our loved ones, health care professionals, researchers, non-profits, writers and podcasters and many others who believe in the power of sharing your story, free from judgement and stigma, with absolutely no conditions.

Yet I’ve been guilty of it myself sometimes. I keep going, with my nose to the grindstone, grinding along, and suddenly I realize I haven’t been listening the way I should.

This campaign is about that too. Taking the time to listen and acknowledge, as much as possible, everyone’s successes and triumphs, as well as your fears and frustrations.

I hope you’ll join me and the rest of the DOC and reply using the hashtag #IHearYou when someone in the community posts something meaningful, or even when someone just reaches out to you one on one to share something personal.

It’s about spreading the support and recognition that each of us works hard every day to live our best lives, with diabetes along for the ride.

We all need a safe place to share what we’re going through. We need a sounding board. We need an ear to listen. More than ever, I’m here to say to you: #IHearYou
 
 
Special thanks to Heather Walker for including me in her action group, which also included the late, great, one and only Kim Hislop
and

Christopher Snider
Mike Lawson
and
Bill Woods