Who’s on my team?

No, no, I’m not talking sports here.  I have a whole other blog for that.  (Whoops, some shameless self-promotion…let’s move on, shall we?)

I’m talking about the team behind my chronic conditions (type 2 diabetes, hypothyroidism, and mental health issues) and more recently, some wild stuff that went on with my lady bits and appendix.  The next Chronic Babe carnival theme is “Who’s on Your Team?” and I shall explore this in two realms – my medical team and my personal team.

MEDICAL TEAM

Endocrinologist. Upon being diagnosed with both type 2 diabetes and a thyroid disorder, I sought out an endocrinologist whose emphasis was on the thyroid.  I knew from a college level physiology course that the thyroid controls so much of our bodily processes and that undiagnosed hypothyroidism was likely a contributing factor in the weight gain that led to my insulin resistance.   Still, this endo knows enough about the latest treatments for both T1 and T2 diabetes to provide expertise in handling that condition along with the more easily managed thyroid condition.

Psychiatrist. I found THE ONE last summer.  A mental health professional who listens, who didn’t automatically throw pills at me and who didn’t want to dissect my entire life to figure out my anxiety issues.   Yes, she is a M.D., though I get so much more out of visiting with her than a prescription.  She knows I am in tune with my body’s monthly cycle and the blood glucose fluctuations that can result from said cycle.  From there, she can assist in finding how those patterns fit in with frequency of panic attacks or episodes of depression.

Gynecologist. Yeah, it totally sucks I needed a second surgery to clean up what was left behind from the first surgery for an unexplained pelvic abscess.  If I had to have a second surgery, I am so lucky to have found a gynecologist who listened – both to me and a consulting radiologist – to discover I needed more done to get well.  Who believed I was still experiencing pain from a seemingly unrelated ovarian cyst.

PERSONAL TEAM

The online diabetes community. If you didn’t know, this group of bloggers and tweeters and podcasters are quite the powerful bunch, especially if you get a group of us in a room with a big name medical device manufacturer or the American Diabetes Association. Yet, we support each other through highs and lows, both literally in the form of hyper- and hypoglycemia and in the emotional sense as we navigate our daily lives with diabetes.

ChronicBabe. It isn’t just about the website, though finding the site was an important milestone in getting through my first year after being diagnosed with the diabetes and thyroid condition.  Meeting Jenni Prokopy last year came in between two significant changes in my life – finding THE psychiatrist and the ordeal of an acute illness followed by two major abdominal surgeries.  All three of these experiences led to a less anxious, less serious, less negative me.  (Yes, even that seemingly negative experience of two hospitalizations took me for a positive turn.)  Jenni truly warms the spirit of those around her and I couldn’t help to be influenced by her positivity.

(To those I didn’t mention but who support my healthy habits or who pick me up when I’m feeling down and out, thank you for being you.)