When you can’t stop being anxious about diabetes

Sweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes

When our kids are first diagnosed with T1D, our anxiety spikes. Normal for all of us — how could it not? But what happens when it stays so high that we can never get a break from it, when we’re feeling anxious all the time and aren’t able to step away from diabetes?

That’s what I’m talking about on today’s podcast episode. Natalie, mom of four year old Amara who was diagnosed at eight months, came on the show to share the ways she’s having trouble turning down the volume on her own anxiety about diabetes. Even though this makes so much sense — her daughter was diagnosed at 8 months! and she’s still so young! — we look at the toll it’s taking on Natalie.

The irony is that Natalie theoretically knows what she should be doing to help herself feel better— before she had Amara she was a meditation teacher. But now she’s having trouble leaving Amara with anyone else to make time for self care. Even though we spend a little time problem solving this — and noting the ways that Natalie has recently taken new steps to get some support — I challenge Natalie a lot in this episode. I emphasize all of the reasons that it’s essential for her to take better care of herself, not least of all because she wants to model a good relationship to diabetes for her daughter.

Listen in to hear about other ways we T1D parents can think about shifting our narrative about diabetes so we can recharge ourselves.

Hope you enjoy the show.

Natalie's Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/NatalieCalzadilla