I’ve heard it said that there are as many versions of diabetes as there are diabetics. This condition we call Type 1 Diabetes is diagnosed when we are 6, 16, 36 and 60; we end up in the hospital in DKA and we manage on oral meds for a year or two; we are plagued by continuous highs, regular lows or are blessed with consistently stable blood sugar (I want to switch bodies with that Type 1!).

We eat low carb, moderate carb, anything that crosses our kitchen table; we are overweight, underweight and just right. We have a Ph.D in calculus and we are put into panic by the word ratio. We have neighbors, aunts, co-workers who tell us we can cure our diabetes with diet and exercise. We feel like we are alone on Planet Earth. Until now.

We may have lots of differences in how we experience our diabetes, not to mention how we live the so-called “rest of our lives”. But we have more common ground than differences. We all got thrust on this crazy path called Managing Type 1 Diabetes and none of us expected or wanted it. Some of us were too young to know how much it would change our lives. But it did. It does. And we handle it amazingly well most of the time, though once in awhile we all feel like running away screaming, “No more! Take away the whole carb-counting-finger-sticking-number-crunching mess…now!” But no matter how well we do with it, we would do a lot better if we could share… our successes as well as our struggles. Come and spend some time with other women who KNOW, really know how it feels.

- Zoe Heyman

Type 1 Women Support Group in Berkeley, supported by the JDRF. First meeting Saturday 9/4 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Berkeley Library, West Branch Meeting Room, 1125 University Avenue, just East of San Pablo. Free. Facilitated by Zoe Heyman, LADA Type 1, a counselor with 30 years experience running groups.

RSVP or more info:  zoeheyman@comcast.net or call (510) 647-9449.

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