What does living with T1D mean to you?

It means a lot of things to me. Both positive and negative. 

Sometimes, positive > negative, sometimes negative > positive.

Attended a conference, and I had the chance to share my personal feeling on what diabetes means to me, where do I get my support from, how I wish other people would have treated me, what are the struggles that I encounter...

The moment they screened this out. I was like: Wah biggest selfie in my life haha!

If you ask me to describe life with diabetes with a word, I am afraid I can't do so. I hardly describe T1D in a word. It's like my life, I live with it, I adapt to it, I cope with it, I overcome it, also I dislike it.

With two other patients and the awesome organizing committee :)

I think it's really nice to have this sharing session to let all health professions to actually come closer and learn with us together, learn what we are going through, and of course help us through all the life stages involving diabetes, every single health professions count! (instead of teaching us to do the RIGHT things and not to do the WRONG things only).

It has been a long time since I last reflashed back the time when I was diagnosed

One question being pointed out was: What keeps you going in managing diabetes?

For me is to avoid all the nasty complications. Though, hypoglycemia is one of the complications that I strive hard to control. 

One doctor during his presentation, mentioned that he organized group activities for his diabetic patients. One of the activities which I personally think it's very useful in conveying the message of complications to patients. The game name is Blind As Bat. Blind folds the patients in group and let them imagine how is it like to live if diabetes complications were to take their sights away. How is it like to carry out daily activities in a total darkness. 

And guess what? The other T1D speaker actually done this before! He asked his landlord whom was a newly diagnosed T2D that time, to perform this "blind as bat". He told his landlord to shut his eyes close with him together, and asked him to imagine if he is blind due to diabetes complications. And that time this speaker was only about 12 years old! How amazing, touching education delivered by a young boy :)

Every diabetics can be an educator.

Be patience in educating your patient. your diabetic family member. your diabetic friend. 

Do not judge them. But, understand them. Because nobody wants to live with diabetes. 

Strive hard and gentle in making them understand that we know this very well...

Diabetes management is not easy, but we're never alone :)