Type 1 Diabetes

12 articles

At the age of 24 I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. From one day to the next, I went from being a healthy young woman to having a chronic illness. But one thing didn’t change: my determination to make the best of it, for myself, but also for others. That’s why I write about my life with type 1 diabetes and everything that goes with it. Both the ups and the downs.

The impact of living together with someone who has diabetes

It is often difficult for a healthy person to imagine what it is like to live with type one diabetes. You might hear something about a sensor, an insulin pump, a sugar low or similar things. But you don’t really have enough exposure to fully understand what it’s all about. This becomes different the moment you spend more time with someone who has type one diabetes. It could be  your brother, mother, child, partner or someone else with whom you have an intimate living relationship. In that case you will still find yourself on the sidelines, but you will get a lot more exposure to what it is like to live with type one diabetes.

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Flying back to the Netherlands for my diabetes supplies

A boyfriend in Spain, a pandemic and having a chronic illness can lead to very interesting situations. When I was with my boyfriend in January, I noticed that I had reached a point where I was done with it. Not with him or our relationship, but with all the stress and difficulties of being in a long-distance relationship in times of corona. The trip to Spain hadn’t been too easy and I noticed that I wasn’t really looking forward to the return trip either. I would have preferred to stay a while, without flying back to the Netherlands. And if I could have, I would have. But I had to go back to get my diabetes supplies…

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How I as a person with diabetes deal with the coronavirus

Over a year ago, it became clear that the coronavirus is more than just a simple flu. News headlines such as ‘mysterious lung disease’ and ‘deadly pneumonia’ frightened me. As the virus slowly began to take over the world and seemed to get more serious by the day, I found myself becoming more anxious. What does this mean for me, as a person in my late twenties who at the time was still smoking and had type 1 diabetes? This was not the best combination anyway, I know. But what if I also get the coronavirus in a condition like that?

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Three things about diabetes that I discovered quite late

At some moment in time, you expect to know all there is to know. Especially after several years of living with type 1 diabetes. In the end, you live with it 24/7, so you tend to think you know everything about it. But it turns out there’s always something new to learn. Even when you’ re chronically ill. There are a number of things about diabetes that I didn’t discover until quite late. It could have helped me if I had realised those things earlier. But better late than never, I suppose. Maybe it could help you too.

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Renewing your driver’s license when having diabetes

Applying for or renewing your driver’s license can be more difficult if you have diabetes. I deliberately say ‘can’, because it doesn’t always have to be that way. For example, I renewed my driver’s license without any problems and it wasn’t too bad. I was even a bit disappointed afterwards because I had wasted four months of validity by doing it so early.

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This is how you make running with diabetes less stressful

Before I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, over five years ago, running was part of my weekly routine. After the diagnosis, things suddenly changed. I found running difficult in combination with having diabetes. Impossible, even. But luckily, it all worked out and I managed to find a way to make running with diabetes less stressful.

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Books about diabetes that I would like to read

When I moved house a few months ago, I did some serious maintenance in my bookcase. The books I love moved to the ‘hall of fame’ and the less nice ones I put on sale or gave away. This means that there is now room on the bookshelf in my new house for some new books! So since I found myself a good excuse to buy new books, I started looking for books on diabetes. And I found some very interesting books that I would like to share with you!

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Five hundred days after the diagnosis of type 1 diabetes

Yesterday it was five hundred days since my diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes. At times it feels like I’ve had diabetes for years, but at the same time it feels like yesterday. A few days ago I looked back at the first article I wrote about diabetes. I scrolled through it a bit but didn’t feel the need to read what I had written then. That’s crazy, isn’t it? Not much later the penny dropped. This was typical ostrich behaviour. Not wanting to feel again what I felt back then.

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The emotions involved in having diabetes

In the month of November, extra attention is asked for diabetes. There is a collection in November and the media also ask for extra attention. Today, Saturday November 14, it is World Diabetes Day. It feels strange, but it does feel like we’re all connected all over the world. I’d also like to ask for some extra attention, not because I’m looking for more understanding or kind words, but because the disease, especially type 1 diabetes, is still unknown to some or is very much underestimated. Therefore I would like to share my emotions, which I experience or have experienced in the past seven months since my diagnosis.

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Acceptance of diabetes; one month after the diagnosis

In the past few weeks, I have received many heart-warming messages. Both online and offline. Only less than eight hours after being admitted to the hospital, my friend Irenka was standing in front of me with a balloon. When I got back home I received a number of cards, e-mails and comments on my articles, even though it was sometimes difficult to find the right words. Thank you all so much again, I really appreciate it so much! Often I was told that I am so brave, that I am doing so well and that I am dealing with it in such a positive way and people were a bit shocked when I told them that I was already back at work again.

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