Well officially this is my first ever blog, ever, on anything - fingers crossed then, here goes....
A colleague of mine and I yesterday were discussing something interesting, to organise for a group of 13 yr olds with diabetes (both types), then today i saw a blog regarding diabetes vacation - the two just happen to be similar.
Have you seen 'secret postcards'?? A man got people from all over the place to write a secret postcard, send it to him and BANG - he made a book (and prob a heap of money) out of them all. All of these postcodes were real interesting, some funny, some serious, some very bizzare, but none of them were traceable. People could shout something out to the world, be heard, and yet be completely anonymous. One may feel the benefit of an emotional release without ever feeling like anyone would or even could possibly judge.
Here's the idea. We planned to get this group of 13 yr olds to open up a little about thier condition, but kids this age dont fancy putting their hand up and saying - "yeah this diabetes thing blows" - they just dont. So secret postcards, thank you very much!
The kids are given two post cards, one addressed to their diabetes, the second to the world. The kids are then imaginarily (if thats a word) on holiday from their diabetes for a week. No rules other than they must direct their postcard to either, their diabetes or the world. So for example, dear diabetes, i just want to let you know that becasue i cant join the army, i feel like i let my father, and his traditions, down. Or... dear world, sometimes i tell my teacher i am having a hypo so i can get out of cross country runs... and so on.
Go one then.... if you could holiday (vacation for your stateside folk) from your diabetes what would you do... i dont feel my diabetes ever prohibits me from doing things and thats not the point, but we all must agree its a hastle, it gets in the way. I'd like to just book a flight somewhere maybe a weekend to sydney, leaving tonight, or sooner, just rock up to the airport and go, not worry about getting supplies, getting travel letters etc....get the point....
This idea may totally go on its behind, 13 yr olds may turn around and say, "well we cant so whats the point" or they may embrace this way of venting thier emotions, take the idea home to thier quarelling parents and save their loveless marriage!!