If first things are first, what happens if you don’t know where to begin? Information overload is par for the course the first few days after a Type 1 diagnosis. Chances are good that you spent time in a hospital room in complete shock while undergoing intense, jam-packed information sessions. Then they sent you home…with a newborn T1D!
When first things have to come second
We came home at midnight with a birthday slumber party scheduled for sixteen hours later. The doctors at the hospital prescribed the party as part of our treatment plan. Like it or not, life did not stop. Hours and waves of emotion pushed us forward into the unknown.
At four o’clock that afternoon, we had a house full of teenagers for a Sweet Sixteen birthday party for our eldest daughter that we pulled together with the help of family and friends.
However, even with all the excitement, I needed something to physically do about diabetes. I needed immediate steps to make life seem livable in the midst of the chaos in my house and my mind. So, I made this list, crossed it off and took a few baby steps into a new way of life.
If you need action, I hope these five, simple “first things” help you to feel hope in a world that quickly spins for the first few weeks or days or hours. Take charge of a few things when you can’t control the big changes.
New T1Ds mean baby steps for the whole family.
Hold hands and toddle forward!
First things after T1D diagnosis with actionable steps
- Hold, snuggle, or spend some quality time without mentioning Type 1 Diabetes for at least 5 minutes. If it comes up, then keep trying until you have at least 5 minutes without the weight of diagnosis. If a question comes up, answer it honestly and start again. Child first, diabetes second – especially when life is drastically changing!
- Write the carb count per serving ONLY (not the number of insulin units needed) on 5 foods that you use each day. Zeros count, too! The carb to insulin ratios will change on a regular basis, so don’t write the insulin or dosage info. Units may change, but the amount of carb in the food won’t.
- Make a checklist of things you will now need each time you leave the house and stick it where you can see it. This list will evolve as well, but start with these basic items and adapt as needed: alcohol wipes, syringe or needle tips, insulin bottles or pens, glucometer with test strips and lancets, treatment for lows with carb counts on them (juicebox, gluco-tabs, peanut butter crackers.)
- Designate a lunchbox or insulated cooler/cooler cup for easy access. Short car trips or walks now require additional planning. Pre-stock it with alcohol wipes, syringes, needles and bandages. Then, you only have to add insulin before leaving the house, and you can quickly be on the way!
- Create a place for initial supplies and paperwork. A shelf or a storage cube with a file folder for paper work works well. You will need easy access to the information from diagnosis for insurance issues, etc. that may arise. Having one place for everything makes it easy to find what you need as soon as you need it. More complex organization can wait.
Preparations can ease your mind and make some of the normal things in life still seem normal especially after a T1D diagnosis.
There will be time later to delve into more involved strategies, but these simple “first things” can literally help you get out of the door and on with living.
Check to this resource to assist you as you begin a new chapter!
Find a T1D penpal at Beyond Type 1’s Snail Mail Program
Leave a comment and let us know what other questions you have about a T1D diagnosis. We’ll be glad to address them in future posts.
Hang in there! You CAN do this, and we’ll be happy to assist along the way!
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