Your Diabetes Hub is an archive of blog posts, articles & information, going back to 2001 when Helen Edwards founded the then Diabetes Counselling Online services and forums.
We no longer provide services, but you can find our articles and information here. Thank you to everyone who was involved with our work, and the wonderful community xx Helen Edwards and Helen Wilde
Dear Diabetes
Dear Diabetes I have not written to you before and thought it was probably time that I did, seeing as we have been living in the same body for 33 years now. I am the one you screw around. The one you make your slave. The one you watch prick my fingers 15 times a…
In Celebration of Mum
Mother’s Day has never been big in our house. In fact we see it more as a commercial “Hallmark” kinda thing. We do believe firmly in treasuring the mother’s in our family each and every day however. And I do get my Mum some flowers, as does my hubby for me. I must say it…
Reality or?
I love reality shows. I mean I really love them. Well some of them. I am a total sucker for anything relating to singing such as the latest installment “The Voice”. I have been a dedicated Idol fan and have even ventured into the X-factor and others. This stems from my unmet desire to spend…
One Plus One Does Not Always Equal Two
I have come to the conclusion after living with type 1 diabetes for so many years, and more than a decade speaking with and listening to the stories of hundreds and hundreds of people living with diabetes in all its forms, that in diabetes, 1+1 does not always = 2. If you listen to the…
Do you need to walk a mile in their shoes?
I was at a diabetes event put on by myself and my partner with our Diabetes Wellbeing Services the other day and had a realisation – It does not matter how much you think a health care professional understands, no matter how caring they are, how well you know them, how wonderful they are in…
Don’t dry those tears
I remember when I started my Narrative Therapy therapy training and we talked about “tears” as a language all their own, a way to communicate that can be so vast, so complex. That tears can be something to linger in, to focus on. That rather than making assumptions about why someone is crying and trying to…
Why is it so hard to choose sometimes?
“Never cut a tree down in the wintertime. Never make a negative decision in the low time. Never make your most important decisions when you are in your worst moods. Wait. Be patient. The storm will pass. The spring will come.” Robert H. Schuller Good advice and very lovely Robert and in many cases I…
Cure or Remedy?
The following may offend some people. But I am going to say it anyway, because it is what I think and believe and hopefully may help some people to feel better, more peaceful and accepting of their lives with diabetes. When I was diagnosed in 1979 we were told there would be a cure for…
Life is a Process
I was thinking the other day about life simply being a process we go through. We all go through the same process,yet is is different. So really, life is a dichotomy – it is the same, but it is different. That is sort of cool and a little bit confusing. What is exactly the same,…
Diabetes and Your Wellbeing
Did you know diabetes affects your wellbeing and mental health? People with diabetes have a higher risk of depression and many people experience diabetes related distress and diabetes burn out. Having good mental health requires you to focus just as much on looking after your emotional, psychological and social health, as your physical health. You need to do things that increase mental health and wellbeing – after all, wellbeing and health go hand-in-hand. Talking about how you are feeling is an important first step. Support is vital. You are not alone. Head here for our pages on diabetes and wellbeing.
Dealing with Diabetes
When you are diagnosed with diabetes, it is like starting a journey on a road that is new and unfamiliar to you. At diagnosis you can experience, shock, denial, fear, grief, anger, worry, hopelessness, and many other things. Family members can also experience these things too. These are normal experiences and feelings. You will work through them in time and become more comfortable with your diabetes. Talking about how you are feeling, getting as much information as possible, at a pace that is right for you, and taking time to care for your physical and mental health, are all very important at this time. These things continue to be important as you get on with life with diabetes.