Attention: Type-One Diabetics Everywhere!!
My name is Michael Park and I’m a composer who just happens to have type-one diabetes. After years of seeing the hands-on work done by my fellow diabetics (working as nurses, dieticians, and endocrinologists; blogging about diabetes; and advocating for diabetics on the local, national, and international levels), I’ve finally found my project:
I am going to write an opera about type-one diabetes!
The only problem is… I need a story. And that’s where you come in:
I know that the Diabetes Online Community has enough material for an opera that is entertaining, realistic, and inspiring, but there’s just more material than one man can read! I need your help finding the cream of the crop.
I would love it if you could help me by sending me experiences and writings that I can pull together into a compelling opera story!
Topics I want to deal with, based on characters I have in mind:
–childhood diagnosis (age 5-10ish)
– (Young-ish) Adulthood and striving for perfection
– Aging with diabetes, particularly the complications and wisdom that come with a lifetime of experience
– Dining-Out/Restaurant experiences (any age)
– Experiences at the Endo’s office and with your diabetes care team, even experiences in the waiting room! (any age)
Whether you’ve read it, or wrote it yourself, please send me stories or links to anything that fits the above, or anything else you think would make for a great story. On my end, I need to get permission to use it in the opera, so if you know the fastest way to contact the blog owner, send that info as well! And bloggers, don’t be shy… even if you can’t think of a specific post, if you grant me permission, I’ll be happy to scour through your archives myself!
Please email submissions, questions, and comments to:
michaeljpark@gmail.com
Best wishes,
Michael Park
www.michaelpark.ca
A PDF version of this letter, suitable for printing and distribution, can be found HERE.
I emailed you my ztory. I have spandex (running) pants if you need some costume ideas!
Thanks!
DUDE!!! Total win on the man-tights!!! I go out running/rowing every morning in mine!!!
When I turn the bow of “Der Fliegende Hollander” into the wind, I do not need a sail!
Back, to the topic. Have you considered using reverb or perhaps phase to explore hypoglycemia? I play (grungy) guitar and have noticed definite aural distortions/ hallucinations when I’ve try to play or, horrifically, tune a guitar when my bg is low? I’m not sure how well that would work with an orchestra but I’ve heard a few things like Kronos Quartet or Victoire where they combine electronic sounds with classical instrumentation that might be interesting to explore for a piece like this?
shudders
Michael Park …welcome back 
…your request tickled my fancy !! You plan to write an opera …are you still in BC ??
I am sure you get your " story " …best wishes to you too .
See my home page for the basic diagnosis story. My son was much younger than you specify but still…
Thanks Nel! Yes, I’m still in Vancouver.
Danny,
Sounds fascinating! I’m particularly interested in how conversations went with you and your Endo around that time… but I’m excited to read whatever you have to send me!
Thanks Elizabeth!
I like to suggest to visit my page …the interview on the radio and the making of the DVD , November 2009 maybe helpful ?.
And my latest " blame the aging "story ( I am over 70 , ha, ha ) : I received my upgrade Veo pump ; have been playing a bit with the entering of basal , etc. etc.numbers before my training by pump Nurse , this Thursday .Both pumps in close vicinity and I keep on hearing alarms intermittently …cannot figure this out , after checking the 522 as I think the alarm sound comes from the 522. Decided to call the pump’s Help Line …the kindest, having lots of patience helper I get to speak to …it was the Veo pump …do I feel " unsmart, dumb, foolish " …YES …and I got over it and am here to tell the story
Thank you to everyone who posted links/stories/feedback/encouragement! The project is still in the works, but making some good strides, and I wanted to give you all an update on how things are going.
I have a page on my website that’s dedicated to this project which I’ll be keeping as up-to-date as possible. Recently I posted a big update with a ‘virtual tour’ of the opera - giving a glimpse of what the final project will look like, using sound samples recorded at a workshop.
CLICK HERE TO GO ON THE VIRTUAL TOUR
Again, thanks for your early input! I’ll be posting that link on here as a discussion thread so I can get feedback from the TuDiabetes community and I’d love to hear anything more you guys might have to say!