Connections

So remember how I mentioned having the best primary care doc.  Well what I didn't mention is that she also has great relatives. My PCP was nice enough to ask her cousin, who is similiar in age and who also only recently was diagnosed with T1D, to speak with me about all that going on. 

We were able to touch base by email this morning and this evening I got the chance to talk with her for about an hour about all that's going on.  I was a little unsure at first how quickly I might try to reach out to others in my situation.  To be honest, I probably only did it this quickly as I had a follow-up with my PCP this morning and I wanted to be able to say I followed up with her cousin since she was nice enough to arrange this. 

I'm really glad I did.

It was comforting to talk to someone who isn't just being sympathetic but truly understands and has lived what I have and what I will.  To hear that things will get better. To hear that things are super shitty right now and that I can be mad and upset and everything I'm trying so hard to keep under wraps.  To get recommendations about future care and other sources of information. To hear someone else's story and also hear my own.  

One wall that I've been coming up against is finding resources (be it websites/etc.) that are specific to my case. late twenties with late onset type 1 diabetes.  The divide seems to be either young kids/youth or skewing more towards the older end of the age spectrum. Aside from age, the late onset is probably the harder subset to locate. Although I'm certain I can learn from those that have had T1D since childhood, having grown up with the disease is undoutedly very different than getting it late in life. Beyond that, it would be nice to find folks who are local.

If you happen to know people that fit the listed demographics, send them my way. Perhaps we can start our own group. My to-do list is getting really long.