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Episode 42: Type 1, Mental Health and Finding Your Community with Sarah Loftus
95 Plays14 days ago
What happens when you're diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as an adult, far from home and with no idea what life is about to look like?
In this episode, Jacqui sits down with Type 1 advocate Sarah Loftus to share her powerful diagnosis story. Diagnosed at 26 while living in Australia, Sarah opens up about months of unexplained symptoms, navigating a life-changing diagnosis without family nearby and learning to manage a condition she knew very little about.
Sarah also speaks candidly about something rarely discussed in the diabetes community—living with Type 1 after recovering from an eating disorder. She shares the emotional challenge of returning to food calculations, insulin dosing and constant decision-making while protecting her mental health.
This is an honest, vulnerable conversation about resilience, therapy, advocacy and why finding your community can make all the difference.
Connect with Sarah:
Follow Sarah on Instagram @smollsarahl for honest conversations about living with Type 1 diabetes, mental health and improving diabetes management.
If this episode resonated with you please subscribe, leave a review and share this episode with someone living with Type 1 diabetes or supporting someone who is. Every conversation helps remind people they are not alone.
Further Resources:
Type 1 Foundation Website
Follow us on Instagram
Join the Facebook Group
If you'd like to share your story with our podcast listeners, please email: podcast@type1foundation.com.au
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Transcript
Introduction and Purpose
00:00:00
Speaker
The content provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Reliance on any information provided by this podcast is solely at your own risk.
00:00:18
Speaker
Welcome to the Type 1 Club. Whether you're a parent grappling with a new diagnosis, a caregiver seeking guidance, or simply someone wanting to learn more about type 1 diabetes, this podcast is for you.
00:00:31
Speaker
Together, let's dispel myths, break down barriers, and build a community of understanding and resilience. Join us as we embark on this journey together, because with knowledge, compassion, and support, no one should ever feel alone in managing type 1 diabetes.
00:00:50
Speaker
Welcome to the Type 1 Club.
Guest Introduction: Sarah Loftus
00:00:53
Speaker
Hello and welcome to this week's episode of the Type 1 Club. I am your host, Jacqui Kidman. I am a Type 1 mum to Harvey who was diagnosed in June 2022 the age seven.
00:01:06
Speaker
at the age of seven Today I have a guest, Sarah Loftus. I met Sarah at an Omnipod conference, so it was great to meet other podders and then connect that way. And I've since sort of followed Sarah on her Instagram, which we'll definitely share everything on her on the show notes, but she's a huge advocate for raising awareness for type one and just also everything that comes along with that. Sarah, I'm really grateful for you to be here today, so welcome to the podcast.
00:01:35
Speaker
Thank you so much for having me. I'm very excited to be here.
Sarah's Diagnosis Journey
00:01:38
Speaker
Oh, good. So Sarah, can you please share with us your diagnosis story? Yes. So I'm now 28. I was diagnosed when and I was 26. So relatively late, but I think it's becoming a bit more common. I've lived in Australia for just over six years now.
00:01:57
Speaker
So I was in Australia when I got diagnosed. Let's rewind back to 2023. Start of the year, January, i'd I finished my master's at the end of 2022.
00:02:08
Speaker
And I think I started getting a bit sick then, but I just put it down to kind of post-study tiredness. I was in and out of the doctors. They said I'd had like glandular fever, chronic fatigue, all those kinds of things. January and February of 2023 was quite rough.
00:02:24
Speaker
I was just sleeping a lot of the time, which isn't isn't really like me. I'd never really struggled with kind of like fatigue before. For that kind of first six months of 2023, I was really sick with all the kind of clear symptoms, you know, fatigue, drinking a lot of water, going to the bathroom. I'd lost eight kilos.
00:02:42
Speaker
Obviously talk about this as well. But I think with someone with a history of kind of eating disorders and weight loss, that was quite an alarming symptom. um And I had been in and out of the doctors for that six months asking, you know,
00:02:57
Speaker
From my past, I knew my body quite well. And so I knew something was wrong, but I had no idea what. We did a lot of tests, but I think because they'd gone down the route of chronic fatigue and glandular fever, they were focusing quite heavily on sort of like viruses. So, you know, like strep throat, tonsillitis. I'd had some issues with my tonsils, but these are clearly all immune system diseases and or like illnesses. One kind of just took it that one step further and did...
00:03:25
Speaker
like a blood test or a urine sample. They did, but not looking for diabetes. um That was a bit frustrating. And so I was just sort of really sick for six months. And then I went to a different doctor day.
00:03:36
Speaker
I thought I had a parasite because I've had a parasite before. And so I started getting similar stomach symptoms, which hadn't happened for the past six months. um And so I just said, hey, I think I've got another parasite. Can we kind of talk about it?
00:03:49
Speaker
and we talked through my symptoms and she's just straight up within like three minutes just said, think you're diabetic. And i was like, that was the first anyone had said to me.
00:03:59
Speaker
She wrote me a referral letter and told me to go to the emergency department straight away And this is where- You didn't do a finger prick or anything? I did a urine sample and she tested ketones. There was no ketones, but she said we did do a finger prick. And because I hadn't eaten, one of my symptoms that I'd been struggling with the six months was just like, I wasn't hungry.
00:04:22
Speaker
So I hadn't eaten for a good few hours. And I think my levels were at 8.3. Okay. And she was, she just sort of said that that's not awful, but because I hadn't eaten for quite a long time.
00:04:34
Speaker
um that it was slightly raised. Yeah, I think she honestly was just more thinking the symptoms I described from the past six months was more alarming. So she said I needed to go straight away. And I actually went to the pub. I mean, you're 26. Come on. Right? i and I took the the funny thing is I took the referral letter and I went straight I walked straight to the pub to meet two of my good friends Kate and Danny and they were like they were just like hey you're right mate and I just put this letter on the table and I said they know I've known them that they're like two of my closest friends and they've been through a lot with me i just put my letter on the table and said my doctor thinks I've got diabetes and they were just like
00:05:19
Speaker
another thing? Really? was like, nah, it's fine. I'll be so fine. The next day I went for an eight kilometer run. i had breakfast. And then that was when I realized i basically threw up, passed out.
00:05:34
Speaker
and was I'm going to have to go to hospital. And that was the start, really. Wow. Okay. So what did you, when the doctor said diabetes, what did, can you remember from what you know about diabetes diabetes now?
00:05:48
Speaker
Yeah. What was your thoughts then Well, as someone who just finished a double masters in global health, you would think that my response would be quite like informed and educated. um I was like, I didn't even know what that is, which is crazy, but it goes to show, I think that's something that looking back from now I've realized is even in my masters, you know, I'm learning all about health. I'm learning about all these diseases are all around the world. And I never learned about type 1 diabetes.
00:06:22
Speaker
You know, I learned a lot about type 2 because that was just in the curriculum. And that was a lot, something, a topic that we discussed. But I never, ever, ever had come across type 1 in any of my studies. I don't know anyone who's before, actually before I met you at the Omnipod event, before even came to that event, I'd never met anyone who was type 1. So I'd
Healthcare and Financial Challenges
00:06:43
Speaker
gone...
00:06:43
Speaker
a year and a half, I think it was before that event, not knowing anyone, just sort of navigating it all myself. Wow. and yeah So, yeah. okay. So you're...
00:06:56
Speaker
You're in a another country. this is So how does that how does that work in terms of, are you are you like with your health insurance, how does it work when you do go to the hospital and stuff like that?
00:07:09
Speaker
So I'm on Medicare, which is reciprocal because it's Commonwealth. So it's sort of like the same as and NHS, which obviously NHS is free back home. That's all kind of free, but I actually just learned recently, I didn't know this.
00:07:22
Speaker
I pay for all my kind of like Omnipod, Dexcom, all that kind of surf needles when I was on them. It's all subsidized, but I still pay a fee. Whereas I actually just learned that in the UK through the and NHS, it's completely free.
00:07:34
Speaker
listen that As well as the Omnipod? I think the Omnipod you would be paying for. i actually don't know the technicalities of that, but the rest, so including CGMs. so So you're paying...
00:07:47
Speaker
out of pocket approximately how much a month do you well it's all subsidized which is pretty good so i think i pay i think i pay 30 a month for the omnipod oh yeah that's yeah yeah and then 30 dollars 10 or 11 dollars it is for dexcom so it works out like 30 for each a month but then obviously i don't even know how much i pay for insulin I've got no idea actually.
00:08:15
Speaker
You need to do the maths on that. That's quite interesting because I think that people, it's, I mean, I think we pay, we've just had to up our health insurance with the Omnipod. So we're paying health insurance plus we're paying the sub the the subscription based at the moment until August to do that.
00:08:33
Speaker
we So that's $180 or something plus $30 to pick it up from the chemist. And then we don't chart we don't pay for anything else. except for ketone strips everything else is covered and insulin is maybe like how I don't know five dollars a box or something couple of bucks a box that's so interesting and you just made me think as well because I do have so I have medicare but then I also have the private health which I'm with Bupa but that's also this is I guess an important thing for you know if anyone's coming lives in Australia that's not Australian is that
00:09:08
Speaker
your private health is also dictated by your visa. um so the current, I'm on Bupa and the current kind of care I get from Bupa is better because I'm on a more kind of, let's say a more permanent visa, but it's not permanent. It's basically like a post-study visa, but then the working holiday visa, which I'm going to have to go on to I'm going to have to change my Bupa healthcare. care But it is a bit difficult because yeah, I guess my healthcare relies on my visa.
00:09:37
Speaker
um Right. Yeah, that's also interesting, isn't it? Because that's such a financial, that's an additional financial burden that I don't think people realise that, you know, we have to cover. So, you know, we talk about, and we even talked about this at the Omnipod conference about that, how, yeah unless you've got the money to be able to do all the cover. I mean, you're still you're still paying for cover.
00:10:00
Speaker
on Omnipod, like in health insurance, like that's quite a lot to then get that, the subscription paid for. yeah You're still basically paying for it, you know, like the sacrifices that you have to make to be able to, you know, sort of do that. And, you know, to be a 26, 28 year old living in Australia, you know, and then having to cover something that is day to day to keep you alive.
00:10:24
Speaker
it's it's quite It's quite interesting. i don't I don't think a lot of people are aware of that. Yeah, and I actually get a lot of messages on, you know, you talked briefly about my like advocacy, especially since I've started on Omnipod, because i for me anyway, and I say this to everyone I speak to, it might not be the same, but for me, it's been a game changer. And I know that Harvey obviously plays a lot of sport and we both know Ollie, he plays a lot of sport. And I think that's the biggest thing for me. It's been a game changer for my training. ah And I get a lot of people who message me on Instagram and they sort of say like, I really want to try it. Can you talk to me about it? And I do.
00:11:00
Speaker
Always, honestly, every single time it comes down to the finances because they'll say like, I don't have the healthcare or I can't afford it. And I'm very, very lucky that my parents will, they actually just cover all my medical You know, I'm very independent, but their kind of number one rule is if it's medical, we'll cover it.
00:11:19
Speaker
um And I'm so lucky for that. But yeah, it does kind of make me quite upset that I'll have these really good conversations with people who are so keen to try this incredible technology, but then they're just blocked by the finances.
00:11:33
Speaker
Yeah, financial barrier is is huge. Yeah. which That's why we need to keep advocating, I guess. yeah um So you just touched on your family being overseas. So I can imagine what was that phone call like to your parents to say, hey, I'm in hospital. I've just been diagnosed. what Tell me about that. Yeah, wow. I remember it so vividly. Like, I'm quite a visual and thinker. And I, like, I can, I pitched the whole thing. So I basically, obviously, like said, went to the pub and then went for a run the next day. um and then, like, sort of passed out and was like, wow, I need to the hostel. And so I called my mum. I can't remember what time it was. It wasn't too late here. So it must have been quite early there.
00:12:16
Speaker
And I just called her and I was in the corner of my lounge, um like, curled in a ball so much pain and I just called her crying my eyes out and I was like, have to go to hospital. I'm about to be diagnosed with type one diabetes. I don't know what this means. I don't know. i just was like, I was just terrified. I was honestly terrified. And, you know, God bless my mom. She, what, what, you'll know more than me. Like, but yeah what were you thinking? What are you feeling? And she just, you know, mom's, all moms want to do is protect their kids. And so she was sort of saying like, it will be okay.
00:12:54
Speaker
You know, it might not be as bad as you think, all of these things. And, and it, you know, once I got diagnosed, I sort of said to her, like, I think i I don't need that kind of help anymore because it's not helpful. I just need you to sit with me when it's shit and hold my hand and say like, this sucks instead of trying to make me feel better. But in that moment, it was such big news for both of us that she was just trying to make me feel better. And I was terrified. And I think I just sort of said like, hey, we're not getting anywhere this phone call. I just need to go to hostel and we'll figure it out.
00:13:26
Speaker
Um, and then, yeah, I just, I kind of just kept them updated. Um, it was weird in hospital. They took me through, but again, because I hadn't eaten for ages, my levels weren't that bad.
00:13:37
Speaker
The triage nurse didn't actually think that I had type one. I just said, cool, I'll go home. She said, no, you've obviously been sent here for a reason. I went through to the back, they gave me a bit of insulin and then they came up to me and said, so are you type one or type two?
00:13:52
Speaker
And I said, type neither. I don't know what you're talking about. And they were like, well, you responded really well to insulin. So I'm going to say you're type one. And I was like, that is the weirdest diagnosis I've ever come across in my life. It's like pop quiz. What do you think you are?
00:14:10
Speaker
Yes. Yeah, like one of those magazine quizzes. um And I think, I genuinely do think because that was so kind of laid back, I didn't really realize how serious it was. And I sort of just texted my parents and was like, cool, got diagnosed, going home, going have some sleep and I'll go back to hospital tomorrow.
00:14:27
Speaker
um And then I, yeah, I went back to the Garvin, which I'm really lucky to have. Hang on. So you got diagnosed, you got some insulin and then they sent you home? Yeah, went home for a few hours of sleep.
00:14:40
Speaker
Okay. <unk> I don't know if that's normal, but yeah, that's, I don't know if that's normal for an adult, but that's, yeah, like that's not what, that's not the experience that all we had. So haven't heard that.
00:14:51
Speaker
Do you know what was fascinating was when we went to the Omnipod event and we were hearing from everyone about their different stories, I was like, wow, there's just so many, everyone, everyone has their own kind of diagnosis story. And it's crazy because this, yes, whilst everyone is so individualized, you know, all our experiences are different. and Ultimately, like when you're in that diagnosis state, you know, decay is probably pending. There should almost be like a one size fits all approach in some way.
00:15:18
Speaker
ah and it was great. I don't know. I just found it really interesting at that event to hear from everyone's everyone's different stories and i was like wow some people have had it really bad I mean I would argue mine was relatively good they basically just sent me home and said like don't eat just get a few hours of sleep I think it was like five hours and then I came back to the clinic the next day and they sent me home with everything like insulin cgm prescription the law um were you living on your own then Uh, I had a time, um, of the diagnosis. So I had a, yeah, I had a housemate for that.
00:15:55
Speaker
The six months I was sick and then I got a new housemate, um, cause he was leaving. And so I lived with someone for a year and then I've lived alone for the past two years.
00:16:05
Speaker
Which I, you know, um like jealous living alone, by the way. Um, it's great. i Um, no, that's a joke. I love, I do love for my house and my family, but, um,
00:16:19
Speaker
I don't think I ever lived alone. That's interesting either. So, um but I'm just, yeah, that sort of going home, having a little bit of insulin going home, not not necessarily knowing how your body can respond to that insulin, whether it's going to send you low. and but you know like I'm just in like i' bit too perplexed, I guess, of that you know like a you could go home, sleep, but if you're on your own or no one else is home, yeah how do you – yeah, there's just lots of red flags there for me of like, wow, wow, like just –
00:16:50
Speaker
Maybe you seemed very capable or I don't even know. every bit You're right. every Every hospital, every diagnosis situation is different. You know, some have got a strict, you know, like you've got to be in there for four days to learn it all.
00:17:05
Speaker
Some, you know, some you don't even go to hospital. You do it through like a GP or ah another sort of clinic or, yeah, it's really interesting. yeah Yeah. Okay. So, you know, i did get a little bit like emotional there just thinking about your mum and ah your parents you know hearing like that it's probably such a tough it's such a tough it experience I think anyway for having your child move to another country I could imagine and then and then let alone then them having something that they need to go to hospital for but then have to have ongoing medication and you know treatment that yeah um yeah I just yeah I ah don't know, i I would have just probably sort of been like jumping on a plane straight away. I don't know how I would have.
00:17:46
Speaker
That is what my mum did. She did? Okay. Yeah, in the end. yeah we need she Yeah, she kind of straight away. So I went back the next day, kind of got the CGM insulin and everything, and then I went back every week for I think it was like a month or two for education purposes. She, yeah, she basically straight away was looking at flights and she was going to spend, spend something like 10 grand and on flights for four days. And I was like, that's crazy. I need to kind of deal with this myself. She just waited like a few more weeks and then she came out for 10 days. She came to an appointment with me and yeah, it was really good. i remember quite clearly one day we were
00:18:24
Speaker
in the car on the way to the appointment that she was coming with to my with my team i was just crying and she was like you know like talk to me and I think we both just had like a really emotional moment of like I've obviously been through a lot of mental health issues in the past since like 2010.
00:18:42
Speaker
i felt like I'd only really had a year, maximum two, not even two of like being healthy and being happy and being kind of like stable and balanced. And then this came and in a way like now where I am two years,
00:18:57
Speaker
two years later in a really good place. And I'm almost like happy I had that diagnosis because it threw me back into therapy and I've done so much work and the most like progressive work I've ever done in my life in therapy. Yeah, it that was a really hard kind of taxi. Just we were both just sort of reflecting and thinking like, what?
00:19:16
Speaker
Like when's it going end almost like. um Yeah. Yeah. And then I guess, yeah, so you have this, so you have this diagnosis and I remember something that really stood out to me when I met you was you were, we were looking at different apps.
Mental Health and Diabetes
00:19:31
Speaker
Yeah.
00:19:31
Speaker
And you and you then you said, yeah I can't use that app because when I had a eating disorder, that was one of the things that i that i relied heavily on. So Sarah is really open about this. And we have we have had a discussion before this podcast that this is where we were going to lead to because...
00:19:50
Speaker
You know, as a type one parent, I mean, I have a boy, but I would think, I know it's not stereotypical, but I feel like this could probably be more leaning towards girl mums. But I do know that I do, we do worry about our kids having food aversions, you know, eating disorders that link to the fact that they have to, you know, be conscious about every single thing that they put into their mouths. has to be timed and, you know, and measured and all that sort of stuff. And then what's that, how's that, what's that pattern creating potentially?
00:20:28
Speaker
Yeah. You have a history of that um before diagnosis. Yeah. And then you go into this, pattern almost of this it's not obsession but it's almost like bringing you back into this oh yeah 100 session is that is that a right yeah word and what you would go back maybe and tell your younger self as well living with type 1 diabetes can feel overwhelming but you don't have to do it alone at the type 1 hub in Geelong you'll find connection support and real people who truly get it
00:21:02
Speaker
From families newly diagnosed to seasoned T1D warriors, the hub is a place to learn, share and belong. You can also shop a wide range of diabetes products and supplies, all in one convenient place.
00:21:15
Speaker
Visit us at 251 Moorable Street, Geelong. ah Wow, thinking about my younger self makes me so emotional because I just think like before I got sick, so let's go back pre-2010, I was the happiest, bubbliest, healthiest. Like I've been in hospital for injuries, you know, playing sport, that kind of stuff.
00:21:38
Speaker
But, you know, you take one look at me and be like, that girl's going to fly. She's so confident. Nothing's going to stop her. And then 2010, something happened and... I'm not really sure what it was. I think I was just a girl in a private school. I'd always been in a private all girls school. I'd played a lot of competitive sports. Obviously exams were intense and I just i just wanted to control. i had a very controlling personality. i think that's one of the reasons I thrived in sport because you can't control your ability, but you know you can control a lot of aspects of sport. um
00:22:11
Speaker
And yeah, I just used food in a controlling way, got really bad I guess because when I put my mind to something I can do it well and I guess I just put my mind to that and yeah so I struggled for I mean I could go into the depths of this but I struggled for 15 years let's say with anorexia bulimia binge eating and then with that also comes so many other mental health issues you know like depression OCD a lot I had like it wasn't long but I had like even a short bout of schizophrenia
00:22:42
Speaker
Yeah, I think that, you know, you don't you don't ever recover from it, but you definitely get to a healthy place. And I'd got to a healthy place before my diagnosis where, like we talked about it, i wasn't on the apps. You know, I knew my triggers. I knew how to kind of like talk myself out of,
00:22:58
Speaker
maybe negative thoughts or invasive thoughts that might crop up every now and again but I was really healthy I was going out for with friends very like balanced I would say then yeah you get diagnosed and like you say it is I just think it's not I hate using the word normal, but having diabetes is not a normal way to live, obviously, because you have to control, like you're saying, you have to control all the different of your intake.
00:23:22
Speaker
And we do that to stay alive when we don't really have an option. But it's the exact same as when you have an eating disorder is you're controlling all the food. It was really hard for me at first to kind of differentiate between like what is my old eating disorder brain and what is Sarah's healthy diabetic brain you know one's working to keep me alive and one is working to destroy me that was a really big internal battle and I do think at the start hold my hands up and say I was completely lost and I started eating less because I just, I basically, remember saying to friends, I was very open about it. And I was like, eating is is just such a chore. I hate it
00:24:01
Speaker
I don't want to think about it because it meant needles. It meant calculations. It meant waiting. It meant possible hypos going high. I just was like, anything I can do to not deal with that.
00:24:13
Speaker
And that was restricting food. What I think because I train quite a lot, that's always a good thing is like, if I don't have energy to train, then I don't perform well, then I'm annoyed. And so I know I need to eat food.
00:24:25
Speaker
You can say, you know, that kind of was a bit of a saving grace for me. Yeah, I'm not really entirely sure where where I started prioritizing the diabetes like care. But it was a lot, it was a lot to navigate.
00:24:38
Speaker
Sit here and pretend that every single day I'm like, I don't have any. i think I think it's hard, you know, you're because because you're living with diabetes 24 seven and you're constantly, you know, I'm constantly thinking what are my levels? When am I gonna eat food all the timing? I still do get thoughts, whether it's like, don't inject insulin or don't eat carbs or or don't eat that food. Now I'm just stronger. I'm just a lot more mentally stronger. And I know I'm like, cool. That's an annoying, useless, not helpful thought.
00:25:08
Speaker
Let it go. Yeah. And you said that you like also sought like external support as well. So having, yeah, having a therapist to be able to kind of talk these things through, you know, obviously should sort of help you navigate like what your triggers are and how you then move, move through those thoughts without actually having to have those actions.
00:25:32
Speaker
Yes. like yeah but Yeah. Therapy's been amazing. I went back. I've seen a therapist on and off since I first got sick. I think I've seen six different people in the UK and this was my second therapist in Australia. She was the biggest game changer because exactly like you say, you know, we talked about my thoughts, my triggers.
00:25:51
Speaker
She also explained the kind of like actual sort of biology and like physiology and what happens in your brain, which for me really helps because instead of thinking like, oh my gosh, I'm just going insane.
00:26:04
Speaker
It just sort of helps to kind of make more sense of it. Yeah, I think I do really believe that something I'm really strong about with my advocacy for type one particularly is whilst it's great that we're all looking for a cure and we're fundraising for research and all of this stuff and you know i did my event in December um to help break through do just think there is a massive piece of the puzzle that we're not focusing on and that is mental health in type one and that's for also for carers not just for people absolutely and that's what I was going to touch on was you know being a carer I remember that like
00:26:42
Speaker
that the overwhelm when Harvey was diagnosed, this element of, and I don't know if you can, if you felt the same, but I had this, I went through this like kind of like grieving process of, you know, grieving the life that he could have, the life that we could have, you know, and now what's it going to be like, you know, that unknown, you know, all those sort of things.
00:27:03
Speaker
um Even though we don't know what the life is, Like, you know, I kind of look at it so differently now, but I don't, we don't, we actually don't know what our life is going to look like anyway in five years, yeah regardless of a diagnosis or not, you know, yeah I'm just, I'm in this now, this weird process of grieving that my son is like, you know, this growing, grown up teenager, my my older boy, not not Harvey. Yeah.
00:27:24
Speaker
You know, like I feel like I'm losing my my baby. Like, you know, yeah it's you know like there's always always these stages, you know, of sort of life. And I remember in those early kind of stages, probably the first six to 12 months with Harvey being diagnosed,
00:27:40
Speaker
Just not kind of, yeah, feeling so out of control, feeling so tired and like like I had to had to understand everything and why couldn't I get this and, you know, what what's wrong with me and, you know, like I have to be the strongest person for, you know, for all of my family and I have to do this and I do that. And what I was doing, I was actually just just damaging myself more. I was wearing myself out. I was becoming sicker and sicker.
00:28:07
Speaker
because of the stress, the lack of sleep, you know, that sort of stuff. And I didn't know how to get out of it. And then I went, yeah, like I went to the, I had a couple of panic attacks and I went to the GP and said, I need, I need to see a therapist. I've never, I sort of, sort of had done stuff like that, maybe in like work sort of, sort of spaces yeah But I'd never like sort of seen a therapist sort of personally because I couldn't manage something in my, like, you know, my family.
00:28:33
Speaker
Yeah. And just the way that she broke down stuff for me. I mean, I think the and and the initial first few sessions were just just me crying yeah for like 45 minutes. I don't go know if I said anything, but, you know, like have someone else just be there to listen to you cry. um And then, you know, just being able to break it down and her to really kind of sort of just helped me move past, you know, that it's gonna be okay.
00:28:59
Speaker
You're gonna have, it's, you know, you are gonna have moments in your life, you know, as part of this where it's gonna be really tough. And, you know, i can't, like, I was like, i remember afterwards saying to my friends, Why is everybody not going to therapy? Oh, 100%. I say it to my friends all the time.
00:29:17
Speaker
With all due respect, I think everybody. i don't think it's not that everyone should go to therapy. It's that everyone will benefit from going to therapy. Yes, yes, yeah. And my girlfriend is actually a social work and she's like, see, you know, like she was sort of like, you know, she's like you're a good promo for us. It's nearly four years on for us. We are in such a better place. You know, you know like Harvey is thriving i wouldn't say that his levels are perfect his time in range is not you know I don't even focus on that because he yeah I feel like he is a kid first and he is a type 1 diabetic second yeah and it just comes along with us and whatever I can take off his plate I will and whatever he's happy to take on i i let him you know and
00:30:02
Speaker
but yeah like ah i i think back to where i was you know three years ago and i i'm so thankful that i sort of was able to reach out to a community i sourced a therapist i connected with people like i keep saying to this to you know to everybody is like finding that connection like you just said like you hadn't even met any type 1 diabetics until we did that omnipod conference And then you were just like, wow. And now like, you know, like these this community that you've built and you're building. Absolutely. And you're having conversations all the time with tight ones. And like it's so important because we feel so alone in this sometimes. And, well, I definitely felt that so alone at the beginning. i remember just thinking no one even understands. And I think what you've just said there about the community really
00:30:53
Speaker
so important and like the work I've done with you know, like the advocacy stuff and I've talked to events and gone to events and stuff and I talk to people a lot and I think there's there's two sides to It's like everything
Community and Personal Growth
00:31:07
Speaker
in their own time. You know, you've just said like Harvey, what he'll take on, you'll you'll let him take on, you'll take off his plate, what you need to. You have to kind of like help them, like hold their hand, but equally they have to do everything their own time. For example, when I was first diagnosed, I was so in denial. There was no way. I didn't even want to meet anyone. I didn't want to accept it. I didn't want to make friends with anyone who had it. I was just like, this is not my whole life. It's just a small aspect of me.
00:31:33
Speaker
And then i made, ah went on the, two years later, went on the Omnipod, made a video, got a call from Alex, went to the event, met all of you guys and it changed my life. I just was like, oh wait, actually this is a community I want to be. i think because when I went through my eating disorder, that's such a toxic, like mental, it's so toxic that, and actually it's not healthy probably for you to make friends with other people who are struggling with their mental health because it's not going to be good for either of you.
00:32:02
Speaker
where and i I thought that was the case for type one, whereas actually it's completely the opposite. Being friends and having that community in type one, whether it's with carers like yourself or people who have it,
00:32:16
Speaker
it's such a game changer because it it's something, you all understand each other. You know, like I didn't even have to say to you, oh I'm having a bad day with my sugars and you probably would just get it. and And i I think I said it quite well when I did my event. It's like, this is a community that i no one wanted to be part of, but we're all so lucky to be part of it and having Twitter.
00:32:42
Speaker
Yeah, I think in a weird way, having built that community and having conversations with people and meeting people with type one, makes me kind of proud.
00:32:53
Speaker
Seems weird to be like I'm proud to have type 1. Yeah. yeah And maybe that's also part of your youre like personality because you spoke about having, you know, whatever you do, you you know, you do really well.
00:33:08
Speaker
It's almost like you've branched out in that like doing type 1 well is around that raising awareness, talking to people. who You do it so, so well. It's I encourage everybody to follow along on Sarah's Instagram. We'll put it in the show notes, but what's the what's your handle?
00:33:25
Speaker
Small with an O, so S-M-O-L-L, Sarah L. I get a lot out of it. Sarah tests all these different places for her pods to go and I'm always showing Harvey. I'm like, look.
00:33:38
Speaker
You know, and now she's got it on, you know, like, you know. that so i've made out right and Sometimes I've tried things and I'm like, we're never going to do that one again. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We're still Harvey's still just on the leg. He's really.
00:33:51
Speaker
Yeah. Up on his thigh. He doesn't add a thigh. He just, that's it. is yeah want to ask him me Hey, good spot. Yeah. It's one of my favorites, isn't it? No, I just feel like his legs need a little break sometimes. and But look, we certainly don't have as many little bruises as we did when we were on the needles. Oh, God.
00:34:10
Speaker
Yeah. he's Yeah, he's much happier, I think, now being on the pod. um And yeah, so am I, which is good. But we actually said to his little basketball mates that they're in the car with us on the weekend and they were asking about Harvey's pump must've beeped off activity mode or something.
00:34:29
Speaker
And then they were like, what was that? You know, like, and then I was like, oh, that's, you know, like just we're just sort of chatting about that. And then they were saying, um, talking He was talking about his transition to the pod and when he was first diagnosed and he said, oh, yeah, you know, you've got to do it. He's like, oh, that needle, the optichulin, like, you know, that one. he goes there He goes, oh, God, that was so painful, that one.
00:34:46
Speaker
oh yeah. And then his friend's like, how many times do you have to do the needles? And you like Harvey's like, oh, sometimes it could be like eight, ten times a day, you know, like depending on what was happening. And and they were like, ten times a day. Yeah.
00:35:00
Speaker
and They just could not believe it And they were like, you're a machine, how you're amazing. You know, like they were just really like pumping him up. And then they're like, what got to do now? And he was explaining like, you know, you just put this pot on and then every three, and that's just one needle. And then every three days just change it. Like, you know. That's my heart. I know. but' you what It is those like, I i actually released a video recently from my event of my friend who's not type one and talking about like supporting someone with type one. And I always say like, it's just the kind of being curious but being curious in a supportive way.
00:35:34
Speaker
People always say to me like, how can I help you with your type one? Or like, what can I say to someone who has type 1? And I'm like, it's just being curious in a supportive way and just being there. So like little comments like that, like, you're a machine, you're so great. Like, I like asking questions from a genuine place of curiosity melts my heart. I know, I know. It means so, it's so simple, but it means so much to us. Yeah. Oh, I know. Even like, you know, when people like some of the parents will will say to me, like, you know,
00:36:02
Speaker
I've always just got like gummy bears in my bag, you know, like, or, you know, like they'll just say things like that, that like, I'm like, oh, thank you. Like, you know, yeah just well just those little things that, I mean, I don't don't really necessarily know what they knew what to do with them, but you know i feel like there's sugar there. That's the main thing. you know' say Sarah, I'm really, really appreciative of you being so open and honest and, and sharing everything that you've shared today. i know that that's, I mean, ah you, you already are very open and honest, but,
00:36:31
Speaker
i I feel like this is such a, like, there's so many important topics there about being a, you know, like a young woman having a like a past history of eating disorders, what it's like then to, you know, be diagnosed in another country with no family support. You know, gosh, like you, you're incredible. I don't, I don't even know if I'd be still standing if that was me, but Sometimes I don't know if I'll be still standing. Do you know what I've learned though, Jackie, this year, honestly, and it probably sounds a bit hairy-fairy to some people, but I think again with kind of
Resilience and Favorite Hypo Treatment
00:37:03
Speaker
therapy and and the growth I've had through my diagnosis is I've just learned, like I've defied odds so many times. I've kind of looked death in the face through multiple for multiple reasons through many experiences and that type
00:37:18
Speaker
Type one is just one of those. When I am having those kind of rubbish days, like you saw on my Instagram the other day, ah allowma to allow myself to sit through it and sort of say this is rubbish. But in the back of my mind, I know that I will always come out the other side.
00:37:32
Speaker
a And it seems so simple. But like, my God, does that kind of just reframing it helps. Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely.
00:37:43
Speaker
I love everything you do. i always finish my podcast with the last question, which is what is your go-to hypo treatment? Oh, wow. Okay. Everyone knows. Everyone knows my favorite hypo treatment is the chocolate coconut water by Coco Bella. It is phenomenal.
00:38:03
Speaker
And it works, a treat. Does it? Harvey used to live on that stuff pre-diagnosis when he was he never liked milk and he used to love like, yeah, we used to have that. And i don't think I've bought it since, but it's I might have to get get it back for him and see what he I've got like five litres a time in my fridge. You know, it used to be really hard to come by. Yes, it did. did. Yeah. And now they've like realized that it's, that there's, you know, there's a bit of a trend happening here. So hopefully they, they keep it up. there's Yeah.
00:38:35
Speaker
That's a good one. Okay. All right. And it's just what, just a cup? How much do you have? I mean, I'm quite gross. I just downed it from the ball. You're on your own. You can do, you can do that. Yeah. But it just, I think it's like 12 or 15 grams of carbs in 250 mils. So it's like perfect. Yeah.
00:38:52
Speaker
Yeah. Oh yeah. That's good. Yeah. And I never had like one of those crazy spikes from it. So. Cause I guess you're also hydrating. It's got the electrolytes and it's got, yeah, that's a good one.
00:39:03
Speaker
I might, I might buy a bottle and see what Harvey thinks. you're welcome into it being with We overdosed him when he was younger and he didn't like, doesn't like it anymore. You know, you go through that. Sarah, thank you so much for your time. Every conversation we have, I love hearing your perspective on things. So i'm really thankful for everything you do for the Type 1 community. you keep Keep doing it. yeah know You're doing amazing things.
00:39:25
Speaker
Yeah, that's it for this fortnight's episode of the Type 1 Club. We hope that you have got a lot out of this episode and I really look forward to bringing you another one very, very soon. Take care.
00:39:36
Speaker
Thank you for tuning in to the Type 1 Club podcast. We hope you enjoyed today's episode and gained some valuable insights. If you like what you heard, be sure to subscribe to our podcast on all the platforms so you never miss an episode.
00:39:50
Speaker
We'd also appreciate it if you could leave us a rating and review. This really helps us reach more listeners just like yourselves. For more updates, behind the scenes content, and to join the conversation further, follow us on Instagram and Facebook, The Type One Foundation,
00:40:07
Speaker
or visit our website type1foundation.com.au