type1grace

On World Diabetes Day, I thought it would be appropriate to share this piece of my heart with you. In collaboration with fellow type 1 diabetics, I finally finished the post I've been working on since 2016. 14 November 2018 The hardest part about having an invisible illness is that it’s invisible. From the outside, nothing seems to be wrong. Being able to see and visualize something makes it so much easier to understand. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want your pitty or sorry’s. Explaining an invisible chronic illness to someone is similar to explaining colour to a colourblind person. In a way, you can image or guess what it’s like, but you can’t possibly fully comprehend it. The reality is that an invisible illness is something you don’t “get”, until you get it. What you see, is an ordinary woman or man, girl or boy, living alongside you. Doing what you do, liking what you like and talking like you talk. What you see, are tired eyes and some bruises; which go by...

Losing hope; finding hope; keeping hope Since the start of Lent, I often thought about the pain and suffering Jesus Christ went through in order for us to be saved. Easter is my favourite holiday, since we celebrate our death and our birth: our eternal life. 14.04.2017, Easter weekend Lady Grey, South Africa As a chronically ill millennial, who believes in Jesus Christ, pressure and demands from the world and within, is on the rise. Losing hope and faith became inevitable to me during dark times. But I kept on walking on the route I knew, and discovered that I was indeed never truly alone. “Why doesn't your God heal you? I thought he could do anything ? How can your "father" punish you like that, and then you still believe in him..?" I hear this so often. After my diagnosis of type 1 diabetes among others back in 2010, I kept on asking God why me ? I’m not an angel, but I’m surely not the worst person alive. I don’t deserve to be this ...

@type1grace on Instagram What it's like not being normal , and not what it's like being abnormal . The constant comparisons between you and others, by yourself or by others.   Today has been a little overwhelming. To say the least. Ever had a day where everything just went south from the moment you opened your eyes? Well, today is one of those days. Having GAD (generalized anxiety disorder), a day with an emergency doctor’s appointment ordered by my doctor, is very stressful. I kind of anticipated what he was going to tell me. I knew that he will give me good and bad news. I also knew to which extent the "bad news" would be. It's my body I live in, so I know that it's broken. And unfixable to a certain extend. The day took it's own path. After two hours passed at the doctor's office, I got to my residence where I live. Just taking a break from the stressful day, I took my position on my bed, and watched a YouTube video, just like...

Mind over matter, or matter over mind? Dealing with life can be tough for the emotionally strongest, healthy people. Having to deal with the shock of a chronic illness, like type 1 diabetes, changes the ball game completely... Depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain. It's a mood disorder that causes a continues feeling of sadness and total loss of interest in events that previously excited a person. It affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. Being positive is hard, and thoughts of suicide is likely to cross the persons mind. Depression is not something that can simply be "snapped out" of. Usually, depression is oppressed by medication and psychological counselling. Some people can be "cured" from depression, while others might always have a slight or major depression.* I had a lot of personal conflict after my diagnosis. I was in complete denial that something like this would just hit ...

Explaining what's going on and how to go on. After a coma and 3 weeks in ICU 2016, Stellenbosch, South Africa About me: My name is Ané. I'm 20 years old, and I live in South Africa. My parents lives in Bloemfontein, and my brother and I are studying in Stellenbosch. I have decided to start writing about being a type 1 diabetic, depression and anxiety, a young lady, university student, want-to-be-mother in the future, etc. All rotating around my useless pancreas. I want to share my story with you, so that you can learn from my mistakes without making them yourself. I want to speak for both small children and for their caregivers, giving advice (I'm not a doctor, but boy, I have experience) helping both cope with the stress involving diabetes. As a child, I've been the healthiest girl there could be. Years went by that I never went to the doctor, not even for a fever or flu. I was always skinny, although I have a huge bone structure. I started swi...