Election Ireland 2016 - Have some Fun with our Candidates

The Irish General Election campaign has just over one week to go and I think it's time to have a bit of fun with our election hopefuls on our doorsteps (evil, yet some-what cheeky grin). This is #GE2016 Diabetes Ireland have been posting suggestions for questions to put to your local election candidate in relation to diabetes health care on their Facebook page and Twitter feed. They have been very useful and very specific to each region, which is great!

I have had 4 candidates knock on my door since I got these question suggestions. And it's been great fun! The candidate knocks on my door, I open it, they introduce themselves and ask would I consider them come election day on the 26th February. And then I say "Wait there 10 seconds I need to get my list". The look of their faces is priceless.

They get so nervous - it's really worth it;-)

I know most of us really don't want to engage with these guys and just want to go back inside out of the cold. But, this is a very valuable opportunity for each and every one of us to know what we will be needing from them, the why and the who we are. We are putting human faces on type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes.

These are are just a few questions that you could ask along with other questions or issues you may have in relation to your diabetes management.

Ask Your Local Election Candidate

Limerick/Galway area. 

Type 1 Diabetes To implement the Paediatric Model of Care, recently launched by the Minister for Health, to meet demand in both Limerick and Galway, our children with type 1 diabetes need;

• 3 consultant paediatric endocrinologists,
• 4 Diabetes Nurse Specialists and
• 3 Dietitians. 

What will you do to provide these resources to care for our children?    Type 2 Diabetes To support GPs in delivering quality care under the Type 2 Diabetes Cycle of Care scheme, more podiatrists and community diabetes nurse specialists are required.

What will you do to provide a podiatrist and diabetes nurse to support GPs in my area?

Sligo, Donegal and Mayo area

Type 1 Diabetes To implement the Paediatric Model of Care recently launched by the Minister for Health, to meet demand in Sligo, Donegal and Mayo, our children with type 1 diabetes need;

• 1 consultant paediatric endocrinologist,
• 2 Diabetes Nurse Specialists and
• 1 Dietitian

What will you do to provide these resources to care for our children?

Cork and Kerry area

Type 1 Diabetes  To implement the Paediatric Model of Care, recently launched by the Minister for Health, to meet demand in Cork & Kerry our children with type 1 diabetes need;

• 1 consultant paediatric endocrinologist,
• 3 Diabetes Nurse Specialists and
• 1 Dietitian.

What will you do to provide these resources to care for our children?

Type 2 Diabetes Do you know 66,000 people with Type 2 diabetes have registered for the Type 2 Diabetes Cycle of Care scheme. All of these have a medical card or GP Visit card.

But what about the 100,000 Type 2 diabetes population who do not qualify for the scheme. When will they get access to the Cycle of Care scheme and get equity of care?

HSE North East and Dublin North area

Type 1 Diabetes To implement the Paediatric Model of Care, recently launched by the Minister for Health, to meet demand in the HSE North East area and Dublin North our children with type 1 diabetes need;

• 3 consultant paediatric endocrinologists,
• 3 Diabetes Nurse Specialists and
• 2 Dietitians.

What will you do to provide these resources to care for our children?

Dublin, Kilkenny and Wexford areas.

Type 1 Diabetes To implement the Paediatric Model of Care recently launched by the Minister for Health and to meet demand in the Our Lady’s Hospital, Crumlin, Wexford General Hospital and St Luke’s Hospital, Kilkenny, our children with type 1 diabetes need;

• 4 consultant paediatric endocrinologists,
• 3 Diabetes Nurse Specialists and
• 3 Dietitians.

What will you do to provide these resources to care for our children?

Dublin and Midlands areas.

Type 1 Diabetes To implement the Paediatric Model of Care recently launched by the Minister for Health and to meet demand in AMNCH, Tallaght and the Midlands Regional Hospitals, our children with type 1 diabetes need;

• 3 consultant paediatric endocrinologists,
• 3 Diabetes Nurse Specialists and
• 2 Dietitians

What will you do to provide these resources to care for our children?

Go on give it a go! Brave the cold outdoors... even if it's just for the entertaining reaction you get ;-)

Rosemary's Story; 30 years Pumping

I met so many people at Thriveabetes 2015 last October and I’ve been reaching out to people that I had contact information for just to see how they are doing. It’s been so nice catching up with them. One such lady is Rosemary Boylan, who agreed to allow us to share her diabetes story with you. Thank you so much Rosemary.

I met so many people in the hallway of The Glenroyal Hotel that day and the names and stories have been “mashed up”. I would encourage anyone who wants to share their story or to reconnect with people they met. to send me an email to info@thriveabetes.ie and I promise to do my best to connect you. Grainne.

Insulin Pumping for 30 years.

My name is Rosemary and I live in Co. Meath. In December 2016, I shall be 40 years into my journey living with Type 1 Diabetes.

It was Autumn 1976 when I became unwell.  I had the symptoms of a cold, which developed into a flu. They persisted for some time, worsening daily. Several visits to my GP and numerous amounts of antibiotics later, no improvement was gained.  I was tired, lacked energy, extremely thirsty, drinking anything I could get my hands on. I drank favoured minerals because it had a little bite in it, not knowing the added damage I was doing. It was like pouring water into the desert.

I was nauseous and beginning to be intolerant of eating anything and keeping it down. Using the bathroom became a horrendous experience due to the buildup of acid. I had lost a considerable amount of weight.

A final visit to the GP, who was browned off looking at me by now, said to wrap me up warm and send me back to school. Horrendous. considering any one of these symptoms would now cause concern and be sooner picked up on.

My Mum was concerned but as he was the professional she took him at his word. Luck would have it that my Mum was having an annual check up at Navan Hospital and she took me along. She voiced her concerns with one of the nurse's who looked at me and sent me immediately to A and E. I was rushed to Our Lady of Lourde's Hospital, Drogheda where I was finally diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.

I spent three weeks in Intensive Care and had to adjust to the shock of having to be on injections for the rest of my life. Two days before Christmas I was discharged, it is a Christmas that shall stay in my memory, especially the song 'Mull of Kintyre' by Paul McCartney, they played it on what must have been on a loop in Intensive Care I don't view Tartan in the same way (ha, ha).  The Consultant said that if I hadn't  been with my Mum that day that two more days and it would have been fatal.

I initially found it hard to adjust to my one injection a day. My Mum and my brother took it in turns to administer the injection but after a week or so I knuckled down and did it myself. Needles back then were not as micro as they are today, if you had seen them, the word 'horse' would spring to mind (ha, ha). I eventually had to go onto twice daily injections.

At 18 years, my then Consultant Professor Devlin suggested I go on an Insulin Infusion Pump as my blood sugar control left a lot to be desired. That was 1984, I was one of only a few (patients) treating their diabetes in this form.

30 years on an insulin pump and 6 pumps later, the advancements have been incredible. I don't claim to know everything about insulin pumping but I know exactly what I need to know to meet my specific needs. I have no complications, so far. It hasn't been an easy journey and some trials have been harder than others. Diabetes has not yet held me back in anything I wanted to do with the exception of a Skydive for charity.

People regard diabetes as something that is less significant than other diseases but let me tell you when you live every waking moment of every single day of your life with this disease it is a trial, it is hard, it is difficult and sometimes cruel.There is a whole physiological side to it. Our own health is in our own hands. Having support and understanding in doing this is enormous. Unfortunately I didn't have either.

I attended the first Thriveabetes held in Maynooth in 2015 and found it inspirational as many others did. I am so looking forward to 2016's.

So guy's keep your chin up and let's be the best that we can be with this damn thing!!!! 

Regards, Rosemary

Note: People with type 1 diabetes are not prohibited from participating in a Sky Dive. The circumstances where Rosemary was prevented from doing hers are unique.

Have you had any political canvassers?

Election 2016 is right around the corner and we have had political candidates treading the pavements to our doors.

I answered the door to my very first canvasser last week and I got so lucky-it was the election candidate himself.

Unfortunately I was not prepared. But I was not about to miss this opportunity.

After he introduced himself, I introduced myself; telling him that I was the face behind the emails about the newly published model of care for children with type 1 diabetes. See more about the HSE's Paediatric Model of Care here. And that if elected I would be following up with him on what he can do to ensure these recommendations are implemented.

I also told him that when the Model of Care document was published for Adults in June 2016 with diabetes I would doing the same.

We had a good conversation - more than he bargained I think? I hope you guys do better than I did?

If you are not sure what questions you want to ask your election candidates; Diabetes Ireland published some suggestions for you in their most recent members' magazine with some more information. I have edited them a little.

Questions for your Election 2016 hopeful.

Model of Care for Paediatric Diabetes;

1. What will you do to make sure the HSE's Paediatric Model of Care recommendations are implemented in my area?
2. What will you do to ensure that my child's local diabetes team if fully resourced with all the healthcare professional they require to help my child thrive with type 1 diabetes?
3. This one is very important; What can I do to help you do all of this?

Model of Care for Adult Diabetes;

1. The HSE's Model of Care for Adults with Type 1 & Type 2 Diabetes is due for publication in June 2016; what will you do to make sure this happens?
2. What will you do to make sure the HSE's Model of Care for me, an adult living with diabetes, recommendations are implemented in my area?
3. What will you do to ensure that my local diabetes team if fully resourced with all the healthcare professional they require to help my child thrive with type 1 diabetes?
4. This one is very important; What can I do to help you do all of this?