Your Diabestie.

Cyborg, She/her, Type 1 Diabetic, Educator, Wife, Writer, Queer, Schmidt Syndrome, Grave's Disease, ADHD/Dyslexia, UU, willing to listen & learn.

[dandelionwyn-o]

[spacecosmican]

more of a reminder to us but we thought other beings might need a reminder as well :-)

it's OKAY if you do nothing all day.

it's OKAY if you contribute nothing to society.

it's OKAY if you are unproductive.

it's OKAY if you don't reach your goals you had for that day.

it's OKAY to rest even though you'd been resting for weeks / months / or even years.

it's OKAY to... just be.

we're happy you're here.

[st4rryb0y]

to my t1d moots what do you want to see in my character. Like what would make you feel more represented cause obviously I’ve done research with blood sugar the reactions pumps and all that but some scientific study doesnt compare to a real person’s experience

Basic info, she has t1d and OCD, and is in turned homebound for school, she’s very caring and tends to put others above herself, and feels like a burden because of her disability. In a post-apocalyptic world it’s certainly hard to cope and figure out how to keep getting the care she needs. So, whatcha wanna see?

There’ll likely be representations of both pumps and shots since she uses what she can get her hands on, frustration when like she’s hungry but her blood sugar’s too high and she doesn’t want to risk it, etc etc…. So literally anything you have, whatever little things happen with your experience lmk cause I want her to FEEL real like real representation, but since I’m not t1d i need others to tell me her experience yk. Im still on the outline but when i draft a scene with her I’ll probably show you guys

@gaycakeee @beetheporcupine (and if you have other moots who are also t1d you can invite them to add on ^^)

[beetheporcupine]

T1D CHARACTER! T1D CHARACTER! T1D CHARACTER!

I've also felt a lot like a burden due to my disabilities(T1d+audhd,). I'll share some of my experiences with that, specifically T1D, since that seems to be a large part of their character.

When I was first diagnosed and up until recently I started pushing anyone away who could tell that I struggled with my disabilities. If someone could see that I was struggling at all, that was means for me to push them away because that felt scary. The reason behind this , I'm not sure. I've only been diabetic for about 7-9 months, so maybe this was me being in denial? It could also be just my own pre-existing issue with letting people see I'm struggling.

I feel a lot of guilt over tiredness, brain fog, and needing accommodations. I could see someone in a world that is post apocalypse ignore their needs both physically and mentally that aren't life threatening. Especially if they have people pleasing tendencies like she does.

Things that would be cool to see represenation wise, with no thoughts of the plot and/or characters.

diabetes bags. I feel out of place if I'm not wearing my diabetes bag in public.

Just checking blood sugar, giving insulin, correcting lows and stuff is super cool to see. Theres not much T1D rep so I don't have much of a baseline, but I think maybe giving this a lot less attention too on the day to day would be more accurate. Often it becomes so ingrained into our life, you don't really give it a second thought. Also though, I do feel like sometimes there is a lot of mental fatigue of having to deal with these small things no matter how often you do it. (could probably word this better, but Im too tired. Feel free to ask for more clarification here.)

Most of us have TONS of bruises. Bruises can change too based on the way someone is giving them selves insulin. When I was on MDI, my bruises where more yellow colored, while on my pump (Im on the t-slim) you can see where my canual was and are more of an off version of my skin tone.

Low blood sugars can often be visable. People can often tell I'm low by looking at me because I will be obviously paler and shaky.

[dandelionwyn-o]

If she's t1d and has any kind of sensory issues, you really need to mention how much the equipment and its adhesives can often itch. Certain brands more than others on certain people and it can change with seasons and what products you use on your skin. For instance, for me, Dexcom adhesive and Epsom salt make an excruciating itch that requires so much flushing with water and continues to itch in a more manageable way until I can change the sensor out. It's not super complicated to research, because it's just contact dermititis, but know that many of us are dealing not only with healing pump site infections, and chronic dehydration, with dysautonomic features that mimic conditions like POTS or chronic fatigue related conditions, but we are also, often, VERY VERY itchy and trying hard to ignore and manage it.

[foreverindecisivelol]

In honor of disability pride month, I have a book I’d like to recommend to help better understand the disabled experience: Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes.

It was published in 1959 and has been the sole piece of media that I have seen (so far) that has handled the disabled experience with ableist rhetoric almost impossibly well.

If you decide to read it, bear this in mind.

It’s more than just the tragedy it’s known as—it really is revolutionary for disabled representation, if only it got the credit it deserves.

[destroyed-and-betrayed-323]

There needs to be more Type 1 Diabetes representation in media.

I want to see characters with insulin pumps. Characters who do shots. Characters who have sensors. Characters who test their blood sugar manually.

I want to see characters dosing before a meal or snack. I want to see characters checking their blood sugar. I want to see characters deal with high or low blood sugar.

I want to see characters with type one diabetes in a variety of settings. The diabetic ruler or monarch. The diabetic detective. The diabetic magician or mage. The diabetic spaceship pilot.

There needs to be more Type 1 Diabetes representation in media.

[It’s okay if you don’t reblog! I don’t want anyone to feel pressured to reblog this. Again, it’s totally okay to not reblog this! /gen]

[satellites-halo]

eating sugar is not a primary cause of diabetes. eating junk food is not a primary cause of diabetes. when you make jokes about "getting diabetes" over sugary, junk filled food, you are enforcing stereotypes that end with diabetics developing deadly eating disorders or experiencing medical abuse and neglect. Yes, it is that deep. Stop making diabetes jokes, you look like an uneducated bigot

[thetweaker2000]

Gonna ask my mother if being a type one diabetic is a disability bc based on her track record I have a bad feeling she’s gonna say no. So wtf do I say to prove her otherwise ??

[dandelionwyn-o]

Just skip it. If she doesn't already know, you won't convince her. Protect your peace.

[neutralchangling]

I've been trying to design characters for disability pride month but with the rate in which things are going I'll probably be done with them in August, or worse—September

[dandelionwyn-o]

Oh man, but you do realize I will still need pride later though right?

[b4tteryacidboy]

guy who invented glucose tabs

[chillyfeetsteak]

there should be more options than suffering via employment and suffering via unemployment

[dandelionwyn-o]

You forgot die.

[ryrolie]

bead neuron!

[dandelionwyn-o]

Hey!! I know it’s been awhile again.. Thought I’d give you and the folks who’ve seen me here another update after so long on how things are going..

I got my gallbladder removed just over a week ago, pathology results came back and they were.. Nasty to say the least but it looks benign overall so that’s a plus!

At the same surgical appointment, I had a cyst on the back of my ear removed as well. About the size of a pinhead at time of removal.. They ended up stitching like half of my ear back together from frontside too. That’s turned out to become infected either way with Klebsiella Pneumoniae, which is a form of necrotizing fasciitis that is commonly contracted from hospital settings and improper tool sterilization.. :/

So needless to say I have a hole through my ear rn and am on a good dose of Keflex. Good news is I can’t feel the ear so there’s no pain. It also hasn’t gone septic yet, I just checked with the ER today.

Other than that.. My sugars are improving! I’ve lost like 10 pounds in the last month or so as well, but my Average Glucose reading has gone down significantly! I have an appointment with my diabetes specialist next week for another follow up.

So certainly having a wild ride, but I guess that’s just what being in your early 20s as a diabetic is like lol. I hope you and the people on the blog have been doing well yourselves! I’m always free for a little small talk if anyone would like!

Have a good rest of y’alls day!

Good LORD that's a lot to deal with all at once. I'm really glad you are on the mend and aren't in unreasonable pain. I imagine you are being tough though. Please take care of yourself.

I'm available to chat for about a week. I start my new job MONDAY!!! I'm always around though if you can be patient with a t1d in her mid 40s, dyslexia, a sinking suspicion I have entered menopause, and her possibly delayed replies.

Good luck to us both and a very good day to you too. Remember that self care is a holy ceremony and be faithful to yourself and devoted to your healing. You know how to doctor yourself. Be good to you.

[moreclaypigeons]

Having type one diabetes is like what if god punished you for having a sandwich

[gaycakeee]

what if he punished you for THINKING about food...

[beetheporcupine]

I'm pretty sure that's actually a thing that happens. (key words here 'pretty sure') I don't know why it happens or what it's called but it happens to a lot of my fellow diabetic friends!

[st4rryb0y]

Cephalic Phase Insulin Response (CPIR). This is when the brain prepares the body for digestion by releasing a spike of insulin just from seeing, smelling, or THINKING about food. even before any sugar has entered the bloodstream. It happens when anyone strongly anticipates a meal, but for type one diabetic folk (especially with pumps) that extra insulin can clear out remaining glucose in their bloodstream

Please note that CPIR can only really affect type 1 diabetic folk when it hasn’t destroyed all the beta cells in the pancreas, usually during the ‘honeymoon phase’, which is the months or years immediately following a T1D diagnosis where there are still functioning cells producing insulin, just not enough to maintain proper blood sugar levels.

[beetheporcupine]

Damn, bodies are so cool when they work properly... /lh

Also thank you for the response!!! Your so awesome, Markus. /gen

[dandelionwyn-o]

I HAVE gone low from thinking about food even with my pancreas fully dead just as a note though. Anything that makes me happy too fast after I've been stressed, smelling food that I want, getting a back rub, etc. will unbond enough adrenaline and push me down from the reduced insulin resistance to the insulin I have 'on board' (free floating in my blood).

I often have to treat (up and down) for emotions. That's why, for the longest time, I thought a "rage bolus" was the insulin you have to give yourself when you get mad.

[the-belldam]

This is late but I've been thinking about the discourse around a possible cure for type 1 diabetes "ending" the insulin industry and I want to inform everyone that type 2 diabetics will still need insulin

T1D is when your pancreas doesn't produce insulin and T2D is when your body is resistant to insulin. so you can't cure them the same way.

and I truly do hope we cure T1D, I know many people with T1D that this would be revolutionary for, but it doesn't mean an end to the need for insulin.

but T2D is the "your fault" diabetes bc it's the "fat people" diabetes so if demand declines because people with T1D don't need it, it will be even further out of reach for T2D people, who are already subjected to multiple levels of first line treatments that deny our autonomy, are difficult to adhere to, and have various negative side effects.

like my mom had to go through years of meds that made her sick and restrictive diets and her A1C got up to ELEVEN (that's not good!) before the doctor was like "....well I GUESS you could take insulin." doctors were essentially coercing my mentally ill T2D clients who got food from food banks on diet plans by framing insulin injections as punishment . I take ozempic and I worry about the long-term effects of it since we just don't know what they are and I developed diabetes 20 years earlier than I expected...when like....I COULD just be taking the hormone my body needs and make?? except that I'd have to fight my doctor for it and I'm worried about cost and insurance coverage.

so what I'm saying is. even if we come to an advancement where type one diabetics are no longer insulin dependent, don't stop fighting for free and low cost insulin.

[imgoincdayzee]

Any other type one diabetics in the chat. My blood sugars been low for 49 minutes and I’m TIRED. i want to go to BED. Let me sleep. MY BODY WONT LET ME. Yaoi save me. People save me with Yaoi.

[beetheporcupine]

Yaoi save US.

[gaycakeee]

Yuri save us

[st4rryb0y]

T4t save us

[beetheporcupine]

Best of all worlds by having bigender characters together. Then its yaoi, yuri, AND t4t.

[w1nt3r-cr3sc3nt]

I do not "count my carbs." I do not think CARB CONSCIOUS. I don't even monitor my TYPE of carb intake. I GUESS my carbs, and if I go hyperglycemic, I RAGE BOLUS AND I KILL MYSELF.

[toastydagayboi]

Happy disability pride month!