As a child I used to attend diabetic camps, and when I was an undergrad in college I had a diabetic roommate for four years. Now that we’ve graduated and she’s moved away, I’m trying to figure out how to meet with diabetics in my area. I really only feel like I can totally relax and be myself around fellow diabetics (as I’m sure you all know). Any suggestions?
Hey! You meet check out your local jdrf office and see if they have support groups in your area. Also check out local hospitals they probally have support groups.Or not sure if you guys have one but Diabeties education center. Good luck let me know how you make out. take care bye
Carly, also check out the Local ADA office they be able to help you get in contact with other diabetics. If you go to a support group and you are not happy with it try another one. I went to my first support group meeting in the early 90s after being diabetic trying to find ways to help with control all I got was how bad life was with D and I never went back til did not need that. I am now a part of a group in Plano TX that is very up beat and informative don’t give up.
You’re lucky to have had anything past camp. Once I was done with camp as a teenager, I’ve never been able to find any RL friends with 'betes.
I got involved with my local JDRF chapter 3 years ago. They didn’t have anything for adults with T1, so I volunteered to start something, but there was never any interest. My local chapter just seems to attract parents with T1 kids, not adults, so that’s been a disappointment, and I gave up on it.
I did get linked with an informal group of moms with T1 kids who occasionally meet for lunch or coffee. It doesn’t exactly meet my needs, but it’s been better than nothing, and some of them with teenage girls have warmed up to me and picked my brain since they’ve been frustrated with some non-compliance issues with their kids. I think some of the moms are hesitant to engage with me though because they don’t want to hear about my complications and the issues I had growing up. I try to respect their need to not hear how awful this disease can be.
Some pump manufacturers sponsor support groups so that might be worth investigating. I’ve been to one, and it was OK, but it didn’t really meet my needs (for various reasons), and since I haven’t received info about that particular group in at least a year I don’t think that group meets anymore.
There’s one pump group run by a CDE that’s a bit of an annoying drive for me, but I saw the CDE individually 10 years ago, and it was a really traumatic experience. I was having a lot of difficulties trying to find motivation, and he treated me like s***. I left his office crying hysterically. I generally don’t hold grudges, but that knocked me down in about the worst way, and it still infuriates me.
It seems like there’s tons of stuff in my area for T2’s, but the few things that exist for T1’s are for kids or their parents, and it’s been a source of frustration for me for many years now. I live right outside of Philly too, so it’s not like I’m in the middle of nowhere.
I would love to find fellow T1’S…all the support groups seem to be for T2’s trying to make healthy lifestyle changes. I guess that’s what we’re all doing here.
Thanks for the suggestions. I guess at least there is this group, right?