We needed information on diabetes for our whole family. However, in the thousands of articles and posts in internet searches, I could not find a site designed to be simplistic enough for my daughter and complex enough for me. In the overwhelm of dealing with diabetes, I had no brain cells left to translate articles for well-meaning family members as well as a child, a teenager, adults, grandparents, and the family dog. In fact, I wanted to send them all to one place that we could share and understand in the same way.
Table of Contents
Information on diabetes designed for…
Action
I also wanted a plan of specific action to start immediately. With our background as educators, we knew there had to be a way to adapt our lifestyle and home to assist our child who now had specific special needs. But, we were SOOOO sleep deprived and stressed. In our dreams, there was a place to go and find checklists and ideas with information on diabetes as well as encouragement and explanations all in one. So, we built it!
Advice
Instead of searching through literally thousands of posts or hoping Great-Aunt Sarah finds legitimate information, Sweet T1D can serve as a hub and a place of refuge for families. Having one site with specific language and definitions simplifies the search, and hopefully we can help your diabetic support tribe understand a bit more about actually living with diabetes. Reading and hearing actual words explaining similar circumstances that are common to all diabetic families creates awareness of the complexities in diabetic life.
Simplifying
Sometimes even deciding what to eat or how to organize a supply closet for all those supplies can be daunting, especially if highs or lows have created a sleep deficit the size of the Grand Canyon. When dealing with a complex condition like diabetes, making the routine tasks more automatic can save your sanity and time. Whether newly diagnosed or years into diabetic life, simple steps in a new direction create new habits. New habits create simplicity, and simplicity lessens stress. Leaving even a little bit of stress out of the equation is worth it in the long run!
Guidance
Please check with your medical team before implementing any of the strategies or tips we use! However, remember that there are multiple ways to solve a problem. What works for one person may be different for you, but hopefully we can provide some food for thought so that you discover new possibilities for management through thinking differently about certain aspects of diabetes. Discovering options and new questions to discuss with your medical team can help as you learn about the way diabetes effects you or your child specifically.
Support
We want to be soft place to land in a day/week/month that is hard. Everybody has bad days or times when you just need to know that you are not alone. It is very easy to feel misunderstood or alone. Guess what? You are not alone. While some days diabetes rarely rears its head into our daily life, other days even breathing can cause BG to drop or rise. The only thing certain about diabetes is the uncertainty. But, there is comfort in knowing that those discrepancies don’t just happen at your house. They occur regularly at ours as well. We gotcha!
YOU!
The goal of SweetT1D is to provide education, help and encouragement for families and individuals of all ages living with diabetes. In a world where things can be so hard, we hope to be a soft place for you to land and find a sympathetic ear and some inspiration!
4 Interesting Ways We Help Diabetic Families
5 Easy Hacks for Diabetic Supplies
5 First Things to Accomplish after a T1D Diagnosis
Blog: Helpful Tips for Diabetic Life (and beyond!)
To stay in the loop on research, check out JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) for additional information.
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