MAMMA MIA!

The view out of the studio

DXStockholm - Day 2 and 3

Just over a month ago I wrote about the first day in Stockholm but in pictures. We learnt whilst in Stockholm that Twitter images receive 18% more clicks, 150% more retweets and 89% more likes than twitter statuses. So it got me wondering if blogging in pictures would reach a wider audience. It did by 30%. A PLOG (picture blog).

The first thing I learnt.

The second is that I will never be able to frown as well as the Grumpy Pumper. 

I literally cannot frown!

The third. I was surrounded by some fantastic people.

Day 2 in Stockholm started in a quirky building where we had talks from lots of different creators.

I mean how tumblr! (love love love!)

The day started with a synchronised bg test from Pippa and myself - it was some spooky diabetes voodoo magic!

Same line for 12 hours!

We had many different talks from Marie Ennis- O’Connor who spoke about her powerful journey through breast cancer and her journey as a digital health advocate to Rudy de Waele who predicts the future of technology!

The Snapchat class taught us how to engage with a different type of audience with Geeohsnap, showing us the creative content he creates to a massive following. The session on Snapchat, which I already use, was a really fun and engaging session testing out the snapchat filters and it was amazing to hear how Geeohsnaps snaps create a positive platform which inspires lots of people. 

And of course we had to try out all the filters!

But seriously Grumpy - how is it still possible to frown with a flower crown?! ;P 

We had to have a snapchat picture on snapchat! - Geeohsnap

In the technology and body hacking session we met Hannes Sjoblad, where we learnt how to make our own DNA, we wore bunny ears that moved depending on our concentration and used Visual Reality - showing just how quickly technology can move forwards.

Testing out the brainwave bunny ears with Bente! 

Making my own DNA

The result

Later on in the day using Geeohsnaps idea of transforming people doing everyday things into something different and exciting we made #DXStockholm postcards showing people that Type 1 Diabetics can do whatever they want, eat what they like and travel till their hearts content. Reinforcing the message that Type 1 Diabetes doesn't hold us back.

How much does it look like Bente is trying to hit me on the head!? haha

Day 3 started with learning about Abbotts ‘in the vault’ projects - one of which has recently been launched the ‘LibreLink’ (see my last blog post). It was fantastic to hear about how diabetes technology is moving forward and the LibreLink shows us that! 

After saying our goodbyes to the friends we’d made Adrian (a fellow friend and GBDOC blogger) and I along with Fiona,Ollie and Chris from Abbott headed to the ABBA Museum. At this point I knew Adrian was a massive fan but I dont think id prepared myself for singing on the stage with the virtual ABBA band and recording Mamma Mia in a recording studio! Later we were joined by Phillipa (another GBDOC blogger, her husband James (the creator of #DXFringe - a hashtag which caused much amusement) and Baby G. It was such a laugh and a brilliant afternoon not only getting to know my fellow bloggers a little more but also getting to know the lovely bunch who work for Abbott. 

Mamma Mia - here we go again

The new 'Abbott' 

After heading back to the airport and meeting Jen again we boarded our flight. This time Adrian and myself couldn't sit next to each other - we sat across the aisle. Only adding to the 2 hour blog war that commenced to see who could blog about our amazing trip first! 

The trip to #DXStockholm was an amazing experience! Id never met bloggers from other countries who blogged about diabetes despite being Facebook and Instagram friends with most. Learning about new blogging ideas, and the next ‘in the vault’ projects that Abbott are developing was a fantastic experience - one that I will definitely not forget anytime soon! One of the most amazing parts for me was talking to new friends - who by the end of the trip felt like old friends - learning about their diagnosis, their diabetes and of course them as a person. The friendships that last a lifetime. This week Ive been on holiday in Germany where Finn and myself found time to meet each other to catchup after meeting at #DXStockholm. Its lovely how diabetes itself can be such a negative yet it can be turned into such a positive.

Lots of love The Backpacker and the Pod xxx

#DXStockholm - Day 1 (A plog!?)

This is the first day and blog DXStockholm - mostly in pictures, can I call it a plog?! (ill explain why in the next blog) If you like this style of blog please give it a favourite, like or share so I know for the future!

Waking up at 5am to get a taxi to the airport the thought of flying to Stockholm still didn't seem real. Ok so I say waking up, I hadn't really slept as I had a hypo during the night which kept me awake. 

At the airport I met Adrian, a fellow GBDoc blogger and cat enthusiast, who kept me in check with his teacher like instincts! Going through security we must have looked rather dodgy resulting in Adrians bag being checked and myself getting a full body pat down! With a pod on one arm and a libre on the other, looking part cyborg I wasn't suprised! After chatting none stop for around 5 hours we arrived at our hotel, bumping into the Grumpy Pumper on the way, before heading off for a walking tour of Stockholm with other T1D bloggers. 

My hotel room for the weekend

Haymarket Hotel

Stockholm walking tour

Meeting bloggers who Ive been friends with on social media in real life never fails to surprise me. I find it incredible how members of the #gbdoc and other #docs around Europe are exactly like they portray themselves online. It was lovely to finally meet Melanie, Jen and Sofia after following each other on Twitter, Facebook and even Instagram - without this event it would not have been possible! Walking around Stockholm with our hilarous Australian tour guide we learnt a little about Stockholm and a lot about each other! 

Stockholm is an lovely city, it reminds me of Austria with its clean streets and amazing old buildings. On our tour we saw the bank where Stockholm Syndrome first took place - something myself I was quite unfamiliar with, as well as seeing the building, which was across from the square of our hotel, where the Nobel prize award ceremony is held. 

#GBDOC on tour

On the bus to the reception at the Science and Technology Museum with Jen

Finally met Sofia (Diabetesia)

Jens pod came off on the slide! Good job there was a spare!

I will never learn to frown

A backpacker and her pod, a Diabetesia and a Grumpy Pumper walked into a bar. 

Our evening reception was held in the Science and Technology museum in Stockholm which wasn't a conventional type of museum! We played on dance mats and Jen even managed to rip her pod out on the slide! (Dont worry I had a spare! Thats the best part of having a diabetic meeting - everyones prepared for every eventuality!)

Surrounded by people, some of whom Id only known a couple of hours I couldn't help but feel incredibly grateful. Id been given this amazing opportunity to meet Type 1’s from all over Europe! With fellow bloggers from Italy, France and Germany to name a few, sitting outside chatting on our first evening it felt like we had known each other for years! Chatting about our diagnosis, diabetes and life outside our disease over a glass of wine in Stockholm was a surreal experience. 

I headed to bed with a straight line on my Libre after my day in Stockholm ready and raring to for the first offical day of talks at #DXStockholm! (I swear being around other diabetics cures me!)

Tack (thank you) for reading! 

Lots of love The Backpacker and the Pod xxx


Disclosure - I have been sponsored by Abbott to attend the bloggers programme at #DXStockholm. Abbott has not asked me to tweet/post/blog about the programme. Views are my own.  

JDRF #Type1catalyst at Parliament

Two years ago I attended Parliament with JDRF for the #countmein campaign. During this event we lobbied with MP's raising awareness and spreading our stories about living with Type 1 Diabetes. At Type 1 Parliament we were trying to back government funding towards Type 1 and I was privileged enough to have a private interview with Ed Miliband who was very nice and really interested in what I had to say about Type 1. I even found out that Ed's uncle helped design the first insulin pump! 

On Monday I attended Parliament with JDRF again, but this time the event was called #Type1catalyst and was different to the event two years prior. Joined by health care professionals, MP's and their Type 1 constituents, and of course the lovely team from JDRF, Type 1 Catalyst was in full flow. Jamie Reed MP, lead the event giving a fantastic speak and we were also joined by Derek Rapp, who is the CEO of JDRF US and it was very nice to meet him along with Jonathan Valabhji, National Clinical Director for Obesity and Diabetes at NHS England who attended the event. Theresa May, Home Secretary popped in to help us celebrate the event and it was lovely to meet Chris Askew, Chief executive of Diabetes UK. It was  fantastic to able to meet some of the Type 1 community from Twitter, as well as many JDRF staff who Id been in contact with over twitter and emails such as Callum, Chris, Dean and George, finally having a conversation face to face! 

The Type 1 Catalyst event allowed us as people that lived with Type 1 and our MPs to hear about, and help us celebrate the successes of research towards potential cures and treatments for Type 1. The CEO of JDRF, Karen Addington said that these ideas are no longer ideas, and seeing how far even in the past two years research is progressing at Type 1 Catalyst it shows extremely exciting prospects for the future! One of the researchers who attended the event in Parliament who I was able to speak with was Mark Peakman, who is a Professor of Clinical Immunology at Kings College. Mark is working constantly behind the scenes figuring out how to stop the body attacking the beta cells which produce insulin and has found that you are less at risk of complications if your body still produces C - Peptide. 

Overall the event was fantastic being able to see the excitement and support behind Type 1 Diabetes! As a Catalyst speeds up processes it is brilliant to see the fast paced changes and improvements within the world of Type 1 Diabetes! As Jamie Reed stated 'We have to keep rattling the bars!' Change is happening but we have to keep pushing for change. We need to keep being the catalyst, but with all the fantastic support from the government and JDRF - Im positive that Type 1 Diabetes will will become Type 0. 

Lots of love The Backpacker and the Pod xxx

PWDC16

‘They say that diabetes is an invisible disease. But it isn't for the person living with it. Because we can see the bumps and bruises caused my injections and cannulas. We can see the holes and black dots on the tips of our fingers. We can see the way our skin pales when we have a hypo, and the way we look when we have a hyper. We see the brutal reality if our disease. So diabetes is not invisible. Its incredibly promenade and obvious for the person living with it’. 

For those who follow me on Twitter and know me closely in real life you’ll know that I haven't been getting on very well with my diabetes recently. Sometimes living with diabetes can be isolating and sometimes overwhelming. I find when I've got a lot on with University, going to the gym and trying to have a social life the constant toll of my diabetes can just tip me over the edge especially when you try really hard and the results are just unfathomable. 

Don't get me wrong I feel like I know everything I can about my Type 1, I'm always researching, reading and blogging about my own experiences - so I have lots of knowledge of how to control my diabetes, its just sometimes diabetes can be unexplainable! Its hard to explain to someone who doesn't have a chronic illness, but those who have it will get it. Its just consuming from time to time and you want a break. Whether its testing less frequently, getting frustrated with your blood sugars being too high or low when your constantly trying to keep them in range or just wanting a break. Burnout.

‘I think one of the worst parts of having a chronic illness is how it sometimes just breaks you. You can have several bad days in a row and handle it; then one day you lose it because you’ve gone so long taking it that you eventually get to a point where you just cant do it anymore. After a period of inconsolable grief, you pick yourself up and begin the cycle anew.’ 

Im a social media addict and like to voice my opinion and feelings online. A couple of years ago I found a community that welcomed me with open arms the #GBDOC. The ‘Great British Diabetic Online Community’ for those who don't already know, but I have a question for you - how do you not know?!

Over the past two years i’ve been on Twitter every Wednesday night at 9pm to talk about different topics to do with diabetes. Over this time I’ve become friends with diabetics (not politically correct!) from all over the country who have profile pictures of lego figures, monkeys and (thankfully) some people had pictures of themselves! (This made my life a lot easier at PWDC!)

This year (for the second time) the GBDoc along with Team Blood Glucose held a conference in Nottingham for just people with diabetes (NO HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS ALLOWED!) This was my first time attending and I was very excited! I just wanted to meet the community in real life who had helped me so much reminding me that I'm never alone and who are always up for a chat and we share advise no matter what time of the day!

However as the day approached I was very excited and slightly nervous! I was meeting my best friends Alyssa and Grant from a Diabetes Uk Care Event camp we went too and was incredibly excited to see them after 2 years - as well as meeting Ellie after not seeing each other for two years since JDRF Parliament. But what if i didn't recognise people from Twitter? What if they didn't recognise me? Do you do an awkward handshake? Or do you go for a hug? Its a strange concept when you know someone well but you've actually never met.

Walking into the very swish marquee at Colwick Hall I was greeted by Rhodri (who I now know after two years of mystery that Paul and Rhodri are in fact the GBDoc!) and Alex who were both incredibly lovely and instantly the nerves went. Running over to greet Alyssa and Ellie it didn't feel like we’d spend two years apart as we get on so well and within seconds were in full flow of conversation. Turning around to see if I could see any faces I recognised I couldn't help but smile - the weirdest experience ever. Seeing people from twitter who are more than just a face! ahaha!

I met Jules who I was very excited about meeting as she's been my rock in the community this past month with her constant support and promise of a cuppa at the conference.She is one of my biggest inspirations within the community and it was fantastic to finally meet her (even though we didn't get a picture!) 

Meeting Adrian -LibreGod ;) was so lovely as he was exactly as I had portrayed him from twitter and it was very strange as it feel like the weekend wasn't the first time we’d met. (Of course we had to mark the occasion with a picture).

Meeting Adrian!

P.s We all went for the hug

The day started by figuring out what we wanted to discuss and ‘voting with our feet’ to what we wanted to talk about. The first session I attended was ‘mental health’ which was really interesting and everybody got the chance to speak. The open format was led by Tim and it was interesting to see that everybody had been through the same trials and tribulations with their diabetes. The one confession that makes me laugh and everyone could resonate with was filling in your blood sugar book the night before with different pens and different handwriting to make it look like you'd been filling in your book! (I've never done that;)) For me this session was invaluable. Reminding me that whenever you think you're the only one - you aren’t. 

Talking about the untalkable

After the first session we had our first game of blood glucose bingo! The aim is to test your blood sugar, a random number is generated, and if your blood glucose is that number you win - if its higher than 8mmol you get placed on the ‘naughty step’ (reminds me of Supernanny!) We play this every Wednesday night at the tweet chat on twitter - most of the time I end up on the naughty step! I braced myself for a seat under the naughty step sign, however in a miraculous twist of fate I made it on the wall of fame side! Wahey! Oh and we didn't have to sit on the chair under the sign either (phew!) It was very strange to see everyone testing (and swiping on their posh libre’s - which we have now established the long standing debate about how to pronounce it. Fyi its pronounced ‘librae’ - Spanish apparently!) I haven't been in a room where everyone has tested their bloods since volunteering at camp in summer! With everyones pumps making noises as lunch was carb counted and it sounding like a rather techno disco, lunch was devoured - a very carb lunch at that - although I'm not complaining! - and we were back to our next set of sessions. 

After lunch there was another group of sessions this time including a ‘mank and moan’ for all the partners and people without diabetes. I don't really know what they could have spoken about - we are faultless ;P. In all seriousness though it sounded like a brilliant session for people without diabetes as sometimes we forget that although to directly diabetes can have a major impact on the loved ones around us. (What a bunch of soppy gits!) 

At the end of the day we had a round up allowing us to find out what everyone else discussed in their groups which allowed everyone to learn something new, and after a brief photoshoot with our pumps, it was time to say goodbye to Ellie (who hopefully i will see before two years again!) and everyone else who had only come for the day (*cough* Adrian)

#showmeyourpump

Reunited with my two favourite girls

We stayed for the meal later that evening and it was lovely to be able to chat about diabetes and meet new people. We were on a table with Paul, Rhodri and many others whilst we discussed some slightly controversial hypo games! To name one (before I get told off for copyright ;) - Hypo on Ice! 

Day 2 followed the same format as Day 1. Today we started off with a group picture as some of the GBDoc were nursing a sore head! In the picture we calculated that there is over 1,000 years of experience and there was more people there on the Saturday! How crazy is that! HCP’s have got nothing on us! 

Over 1,000 years experience!

The first session today that I went to was about technology which was so so interesting! I already know about pumps and have my own pump but it was nice to be able to give a bit of information to people who were hoping to transition. Kev introduced the group to the Nightscout and XDrip which blew me away! Id never heard of this before and its amazing how parents and people with diabetes are figuring ways to improve diabetes technology! It is seriously cool - go have a look if you haven't already heard about it! 

Again Bg Bingo - 6.7!

On the Sunday I got the chance to speak to other people who I knew from Twitter - it was lovely to speak to Nichola, Philippa, Kev and Lizabetic! It was lovely to meet Lis and Patrick who have both lived with Type 1 Diabetes for over 50 years! How incredible is that!

Finally meeting Lis

Two years later and we are reunited!

The final session I went to was about sports and exercise and really made me excited about the Animas Sports Weekend in May! I got to share my experience about Duke Of Edinburgh and found that it wasn't just me who has problems with low blood sugar whilst hiking! I also learnt some valuable tips about spin classes and i cant wait to try them out now!

Overall this weekend has been absolutely fantastic! It has reminded me that I am not the only Type 1 Diabetic, sometimes its normal to feel defeated, and the GBDOC community are amazing (well i already knew that!) We were able to see the real world of diabetes today, not that behind a screen, a virtual world. An invisible disease with a very real community. ‘One of the most beautiful qualities of true friendship is to understand and be understood’ - I don't think I can describe the community in a better way. This weekend has been amazing and i cant wait for PWDC17! Thank you to everyone who made the weekend possible and thank you to the GBDOC because without you - the world of diabetes would be a lonely place.

Lots of Love the Backpacker and the Pod xxx

Dear Me - Diabetes Diary

Dear Me,

Today you were diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. You dont cry but your parents do so just let them know its going to be ok and that you're not going to die. Type 1 diabetes seems strange, you're confused and wonder if you were too fat. You're not just to clarify, you're severely underweight and as you gain the weight back whilst getting healthier do not become weight obsessed. It leads to you having self hatred of your normal sized recovered body. In 6 months time if you keep good control of your blood sugars and learn hard along with your parents you'll be able to have an insulin pump! Actually, you wont know what that is yet so look it up, ooh and look up type 1 diabetes cure trials as well youll come across
something fantastic. (FYI JDRF is not a scam site mum has just never heard of it!)

Dear Me,

Happy first year Diaversary! How does it feel being a Youth Ambassador for JDRF! You've signed up for the Action Day in London right? It will be fab! trust me! and get everyones Facebook name! 

You never know whats going to happen in the future! How quick has that first year gone! And hows the Pump!? Elaine is one of the best diabetes nurses we have so cherish her (she wont be there next year) Also, hows Bob! Nice surprise hey! Cherish him aswell, he brings so much happiness - diabetes was worth it to get him - am i right? ;) By the way I'm so proud of you for going to Club Correze in France without your parents so soon after diagnosis! Diabetes isn't going to get in our way.

Dear Me,

Second Diaversary in the bag! How have we managed to keep us alive for this long! Ahaha I see you've found Type 1 Teens and do you feel so less alone!? Its so weird how everyone has the same symptoms of us isn't it? You know Ellie one of your friends on there - you will meet her in the future! How exciting! 

Dear Me,

I cant believe you are doing this! Organising a fundraising evening at school! I cant believe you are going to stand up infant of the whole of Master House and talk to people about your story and about what Type 1 Diabetes is! Just to warn you'll be asked to give a talk to each house! Over 500 people! EKKK! Invite Chris from JDRF to see the show it will be so good.

Dear Me,

Can you believe we went to Parliament! Told you we’d meet Ellie again! What about everyone else like Laura and Chris!? Its so surreal that we've spoken to them all online constantly for the past couple of months and now we've met them! Wasn't it AMAZING to meet Ed Miliband and Jill! How lovely were they both! I cant believe we spoke to the Leader of the Labour Party about Type 1 Diabetes! This is why we were given it - to do this. It still spurs you on today and I know one day - if you keep going we’ll do something amazing again.

Dear Me,

Happy fifth diaversary! OH MY GOD! HOW FANTASTIC WAS CAMP!! I told you it would be good to get everyones name at the discovery day because who ended up being our roommate?! Only Maya! What were the chances! I cant believe how amazing that experience was and the photos still make us laugh when we feel alone. Can you believe we got to feel normal. (if you could class any of us as normal!) haha! Keep in contact with everyone because Alyssa and Grant become your two best friends and you cant go even a couple of days without speaking to them! Maya, Charlotte, Lucy, Sophie and James are always there for you too and the bond becomes so precious. Its strange to think that within a week people can mean that much to you. 

Dear Me, 

How do I explain this one. Erm so im going to prepare you. This years not being great. A Levels are the bane of your life ahahahahaha. Laugh or you’ll cry. So I know you're a stress head and a worrier. Times during A Levels are not going to be easy, just pull on all the good memories and experiences you've had! - Like the time we had a spontaneous stay overnight in London during our work experience with Ed and we had absolutely nothing with us so we had to dash to Oxford Street the next morning! Or the time on camp when we put the custard creams on top of the cookbook as it was for type 2 and we didn't need that negativity in our life ahaha! Even though its hard because you want to do well you don't actually have to worry - (just write a good Knowledge Factory letter for Hull and be confident in your interview!) So this anxiety effects your diabetes pushing your sugars up and everything piles on top of you. Don't keep everything bottled up and whatever you do don't be so flipping stubborn - listen to Debbie and Anuja! Go and see Sarah (shes really nice - not at all scary!). You don't know what its going to be like and how MUCH it will help. Read and reread your positive quotes because ‘stars cannot shine without darkness’ and ‘its ok to be a glowstick - sometimes we have to break before we shine.’ (pssttt… Use your diabetes as your art project - its good art therapy! haha!)

Dear Me,

Breathe. This too shall pass.

Keep going I believe in you. You’re doing brilliantly. You and Liv become so close again - she's the best don't loose her! Im glad we are both in a separate room together for our exams, we get it and thats brilliant. Remember we ‘may not be there yet, but we are closer than we were yesterday’. Hey! Well done for getting an Unconditional! Woop! Your more than half way through your exams now and I don't think they've gone horrendous…so far! But don't pull an all nighter with Georgia! It wasn't our best idea!

Dear Me,

What have you done today to make you feel proud?! (Ah Miranda Hart) Finished exams!!!!!!! We’ve learnt that we can keep going long after we thought we couldn’t. Sarah has been our rock has she not?! (along with my parents obvs). I love school loads - the teachers, my friends - but not exams! Just to warn you saying goodbyes in clinics is really hard but you are strong. (Practicing that positive self talk here! ahaha) Look forward to Prom and Interrailing because it is going to be fantastic - embrace every moment. Trust me, you’re life is amazing this summer! Interrailing, Cornwall, Volunteering on camp (and your A Levels!… Well ill let you wait to find that out) 

Dear Me, 

Just remember this - the minute you think of giving up, think of the reason you held on so long and by being yourself you put something wonderful into the world that was not there before. Work hard. Dream big and remember I believe in us.

Lots of love,

Your future self xxx

Travelling with type 1 - top tips

This summer I went on my biggest adventure yet - and one of my biggest challenges since being diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes 6 years ago! Planning the trip for my Type 1 Diabetes was slightly daunting as it would be my first time abroad with my omnipod! This summer with my two best friends, Alice and Sophie, we went interrailing around Europe! After months of ‘planning’ meetings which consisted of watching cheesy girly movies such as the Bratz movie, drinking cider and laughing at the names of some dodgy hostels.. *ahem* ‘my sweet home forever’  to name one… we finally set off! 

The route - 

Warsaw - Poland

Auschwitz - Poland

Salzburg - Austria

Innsbruck - Austria

Lake Bled - Slovenia 

Venice - Italy

Pisa - Italy

Rome - Italy

Tirano - Italy/Switzerland

Chur - Switzerland

Luzern - Switzerland

Montreux - Switzerland

Paris - France

Amsterdam - Netherlands

Top tips for travelling with Type 1 - Backpacking style! 

Medicine, medicine everywhere… But what if I run out? 

We have two rules in my house which I took into account when packing. Write down all your carb rations, background insulin, hours basal rates and emergency numbers; and times by two, divide and spare. Sounds like a maths equation…

1. TIMES BY TWO - Take twice as much medicine than you would normally need! Its always better to have it with you. In this case however I took a cannula for each day - purely because I knew from prior experience that suncream is brilliant at unsticking cannulas and I'm very clumsy at walking into door frames and ripping my cannula from my arm! Zero spatial awareness haha. 

1. DIVIDE - Split the medicine into different bags (and always in hand luggage!) This stops it getting lost when the holdall bag goes missing and has less chance of getting broken! I was extremely lucky that my two friends were so lovely about carrying my medicine around Europe for me. I therefore was able to have eight cannulas in each of their hand luggage along with a spare ordinary blood sugar handset and Frio pack with 2 bottles of insulin. 

1. SPARE - Along with my 10 cannulas and my Frio pack with my insulin vials for my pump and everything else that goes with my Omnipod; (strips, batteries, glucose tablets, lancets (even though who changes lancets!) I brought spare handsets; a ordinary handset, a ketone machine and a spare handset which Omnipod kindly loaned me through their holiday PDM service - LIFESAVER if something was to go wrong! Insulin pens and needles were also packed incase the Omnipod got thrown off a cliff or sunk to the bottom of a lake! Thankfully I didn't have to use any of these but if they weren't packed… they would have been needed!

4. BUT WHAT IF I RUN OUT?! - Along with my passport, diabetes letters for the airport and details of my route I wrote down the supply numbers for each country I was going too.To ring them if I needed any emergency supplies, however if its just test strips, batteries or your general bg monitor has broke you can get these from the nearest pharmacy.

Bumbags are the best thing to carry your day medicine in. Handy and less likely to get pick pocketed than your rucksack! I only took out the spares I may have needed for that day. Just make sure than you lock the rest in a locker in the hostel.

Always be prepared for airport security!

Along with the holiday PDM I also got a sheet of paper with the main languages in Europe on it which explained that it I go through an airport style scanner my handset and pod would brake. SO USEFUL! After years of asking my language teachers to write me letters I finally had them all in one place. I took this with me for any attractions  I went to which scan you (Auschwitz does this!) and made my life so much easier than trying to play charades or say ‘like pacemaker’ which actually usually does the trick! However for the airports I had a letter from my GP and a letter from my DSN. This time the airport in the Uk was nice about my medicine and after a long check through all our bags we got through, however on the way back through the Amsterdam airport I have never had a nicer and more helpful set of airport security! They were so lovely about my pump and were asking me lots of questions as they had never seen an omnipod, only pumps like the medtronic. Phew! However the patting down can get quite awkward… haha.

Insurance!?

Insure your pump! My Omnipod was insured through our household insurance but it wasn't cheap! Not only did we have to insure my handset but also each pod which I took away! EEEK. On top of equipment insurance I needed insurance for me! We insured through ‘Essential travel’ for backpackers and only cost £50 which was really good and ill be using them again for future adventures! 

Alarms and testing

Alarms were my lifesaver during Interrailing. Shoutout to Sarah from my team for suggesting it to me!  Although after arriving in Poland I didn't have to change the time zones on my pump as all the countries we visited were all one hour ahead,(phew) when your busy you still forget to test. Everyday my alarms on my phone would chime at 7:30 am when we woke up,10am, 12pm lunchtime, 2pm, 5pm dinnertime and 9pm (close to bedtime some nights!). Would have been so much easier with a dexcom *cries*. Although sometimes it wasn't convenient to test e.g. on the metro in France! It helped me keep a closer eye on my bloods which was needed in such varying environments!

FOOD… 

Always take spare food! I took a few boxes of cereal bars for emergencies. Arriving at Auschwitz late with no food and nowhere open is always not going to end well with three hungry teenagers! Thankfully we found a Tesco (of all places!) in the quite town just about to shut so we ran in to grab some food! (FYI thats a pretzel!)

Heat and diabetes… and the fact that every time you see a famous landmark you go low

Heat affects everyones diabetes differently. I know lots of my friends go low in the heat but i go high. All the more reason for extra tests. However walking makes me go low…as i already knew from D Of E. So I had no idea what was going to happen to my bloods but i hoped they would be balanced in the middle of high and low. However walking combatted the heat and i was low more than i was high. Thank goodness I packed so many glucotabs! However I didn't use temporary basal rates as the low was only once a day and at an unpredictable time. Bit annoying through when you don't really get to appreciate the Leaning Tower of Pisa as you swig Sprite and trying not to get pick pocketed!

Diet coke discrimination and coke zero?!?

Be prepared to spend more than your friend drinking full sugar drinks because nearly everywhere charged more for diet coke. WHYYYYY. Also, most European countries, excluding Italy, seem to have something against diet coke. They only have coke zero, which by the way, does not taste the same. Oh to the right is a reunited picture of me and bae ahaha!

Fragile feet

Oh my goodness! Don't get me started on the feet! By the time we got to Lucern (17 days into our trip) I thought I was coming home with one less foot! Although, much to the despair of my parents, I did not take jesus walking shoes (sorry for the offence I may just have caused!) I took my running trainers which I wear at home around 5 times a week. However because we were averaging 10 miles a day and it was hot I got blisters. Mwap Mwap Mwap. Blisters on both little toes (which was expected!) and a gigantic blister on my right ball of my foot. The blister popped and my raw foot was agony. *TOP TIP* Always listen to your mum and dad ahaha. After using some Mepore dressing and taking some antibiotics it started to heal. Until it turns out I'm allergic to Penicillin! Apparently I have now found out that if you smother your feet in Vaseline before putting your socks and shoes on you don't get the friction so you don't get the blisters! Too little too late! 

People abroad use your diabetes as a chat up line!

Oh my gosh! Never in my life have so many people asked me about my insulin pump and adding to that known the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 without having to be told. I was gobsmacked! Especially when people go out of the way to talk to you about it, like the time we were sitting having a pizza in Innsbruck and a man on the table next to us turned around and asked me what the thing was on my arm (my pump), he already knew about type 1 and 2 and was lovely to talk too. Never in England would anyone be that bold to ask. Normally people stare and mutter to their friend that its a nicotine patch and its terrible that I smoked. Which I never have or never plan too by the way. The second occasion was in Lake Bled at our Hostel ‘Ace of Spades’.  Whilst booking in the man asked me what is was on my arm, and again I explained, and it turned out one of his family members had type 1, and this conversation led to the lady who worked there telling me she was a dietician! By the way - definitely recommend the hostel and Lake Bled. THE most beautiful place on our trip! 

However in Salzburg, at the youth hostel, the barman, instead of the generic questions about my pump, used my diabetes as a chat up line! He already knew about Type 1 diabetes and the insulin pumps as he asked me about it and went out of his way to find me the last diet coke - legend! He then came and sat with us over dinner and asked if he could prick my finger. Such a funny and nice guy who I have to say, is the first person to chat me up with my diabetes! haha!

AND FINALLY HAVE FUN! 

Don’t let diabetes get in the way of you doing anything! Yes testing more is inconvenient and so is hypoing in the middle of the metro carrying a 65 litre rucksack and a daypack but you can do it! I did it! Yes its a challenge but at the end of the day you only live life at the end of your comfort zone and we can do anything anyone else can do - just with Type 1 Diabetes! I would definitely recommend getting a medical alert bracelet for travelling as it put my mind so much more at ease that if I had a problem someone would have a better idea why. It was such an amazing experience and I hope that what I've learnt will help you too! 

Lots of love the Backpacker and the Pod xxx