Just a fun question here. Who makes up your “health care team”? Formal or informal. Your pastor? Your cat? We can compare and contrast (and not criticize). Keep it short and to the point if you can.
Mine:
My wife. For obvious reasons.
My bike mechanics. They keep me cycling thousands of miles per year. And sane.
My yoga instructor. Because she cuts no slack for somebody with diabetes.
My very awesome CDE/PA. Because she lets me control the game.
Notably not on the team:
An endo. Never seen one, hope I never do.
A psychologist or other counselor. See bike mechanic above.
I have a team of medical professionals I see on a regular basis
Endo
GP
Opthamologist
Dentist
Periodontist
I have a team that I have seen that are “on call”
Neurologist
CDE/RN/RD
My wife is at times a good cheerleader, but she is primarily an interested observer in my health care.
I long ago decided I was on my own with diabetes. My health care team is often helpful, but sometimes they are simply another difficulty to be navigated.
husband, also for obvious reasons
my best friend Meg, she always says the right thing when I’m feeling not so great
my endo, finally found a good, kind one 4x year
my PCP, I’m going to hate it next year when he retires, 4x year
my dentist, also retiring soon 2x year
periodontist hopefully not again this year
eye doctor, 4x year
retina doctor, 1x year
GP and Endo are about it. I like the “convenient care” place by my house when I blow up and have learned some things (Voltaren!!) from my favorite doc there but they seem to take care of things.
I am going to get a massage today as I am still quite a wreck.
I just see a PCP. I saw an endo one time who confirmed my Type 1 diagnosis that I had figured out on my own (with help from TuD). I also see a gastroenterologist and a cardiologist on an irregular basis.
For non-medical parts of my “team”: TuD and my Type 1 Women’s Group are what get me through, make it fun and make it interesting, as well as reduce the burden by making it shared. Oh, yeah, and my cat Lula who gives me cuddles and kisses and no longer sits on my infusion sets now that I don’t use my stomach anymore. Nature is also a big source of peace and serenity to me which is why I’m in the process of planning a move from the city to the mountain area in Northern California where I lived 4 years ago.
She might be! It was a big improvement and I’ll be ablet to get up and down the stairs much more easily now! She seems to have fixed some crunchies in my back and shoulder too. I could see how getting on the regular program (which, of course, they were selling…) could benefit one after a long and regularly painful training season?
My team consists of hubby #1 supporter
Endo who helped extend my life by referring me to my CDE (those 2 have helped extend my life)
Optamologist and a Retina specialist
Podiatrist
Kidney specialist
Internist
and since I’ve lived to be a senior citizen I now have Spinal Stenosis so I also have a pain doctor
These are the people who keep me going before the 1990s I had one doctor who would refer me to specialist for any occasional problems that I would have, he was a GP. I wish the information that I’ve learned in the last 15 years was available when I was dxed in the 1950s was available I would not have to see some of these doctors…but I’m grateful that they have helped me to somewhat corral this beast I have lived with most of my life.
2x year