This post has nothing to do with diabetes, but I think this video deserves to be mentioned in as many places as possible.
While I’ve never dealt with bullying first-hand, I know it’s something that can’t be taken lightly. I encourage all of you, my eager-readers, to spend the next few minutes watching this.
“This is a social media site for people with type 1 diabetes and disordered eating, food & body concerns, and eating disorders to interact and submit creative self-expression (art, writing, anything original that reflects the experience of having diabetes and food and body issues). Please help promote it. My research depends on people registering and participating. All user-submitted content will become my data, shedding light on the experience of people with diabetes and disordered eating, and how creative expression and social media might help them.” -Lee Ann Thill
If you’re reading this and you’re in the Des Moines area, I hope you’re planning on hanging out at the You Can Do This Project booth at TCOYD this Saturday. Kim has done incredible things with the You Can Do This Project and the stories I heard and told at Friends For Life this summer are a testament to the value of support when it comes to diabetes health and overall happiness.
For those of you counting, and I sincerely hope you aren’t, this is post number one thousand. I really don’t know what else to say.
“It’s always interesting to meet adults with diabetes because they look like a window into what my daughter’s life will be one day. And to see you guys all living so well with it, it’s not just hopeful, it’s heart-warming.” -Scott Benner (@ArdensDay), from Just Talking #147
Even more than two weeks after I first recorded this little portion of the podcast at Roche’s Social Media Summit, Scott’s comment is still rumbling around in my head.
I do my part to promote the power of support within the diabetes community. Finding those blogs three years ago and coming out of my shell to share my experiences on Twitter has done wonders for me. Knowing that this family of strangers is here for me if and when I need the extra support is a comfort I never knew I needed until I found it.
This community is incredible.
Still don’t believe me? Here’s another example.
A year ago the super-awesome Kim posted a video that kicked off the You Can Do This Project. Her video is below. My thoughts shall follow.
Over the past few days I’ve had multiple, unique conversations about the impact of social media and shared interests that all came back to the same point: I am not alone. Many people go about their business living their life in an isolated bubble, thinking that they are unique snowflakes with their own story to tell. But the truth is we don’t live in bubbles independent of our peers. Our lives are impacted and influenced by the people we meet and the stories we share. It’s through these shared experiences that we learn the truth – that we are not alone.
“Let’s end our week on a high note and blog about our “Diabetes Hero”. It can be anyone you’d like to recognize or admire, someone you know personally or not, someone with diabetes or maybe a Type 3. It might be a fabulous endo or CDE. It could be a d-celebrity or role-model. It could be another DOC member. It’s up to you – who is your Diabetes Hero??”
I thought about this one for a decent amount of time (relative to the normal, “just wing it” approach I typically take to these blog posts). I suppose I could have written a brief tribute to Kerri, who I credit as my first “discovery” into the diabetes online community. Most of my social media presence (this blog, the podcast, the twitters) can be blamed on her. Kind of. I’ve certainly branched out from the early years, but it all started because I found her blog.
“Living with diabetes (or caring for someone who lives with it) sure does take a lot of work, and it’s easy to be hard on ourselves if we aren’t “perfect”. But today it’s time to give ourselves some much deserved credit. Tell us about just one diabetes thing you (or your loved one) does spectacularly! Fasting blood sugar checks, oral meds sorted and ready, something always on hand to treat a low, or anything that you do for diabetes. Nothing is too big or too small to celebrate doing well!”
There are a number of ways to approach this one, as I am a person living with diabetes and I care for a person living with diabetes. Hi Dayle!
