Most people who live with a chronic illness end up with a lot of experience when it comes to dealing with healthcare. How would you improve or change your healthcare experience? What would you like to see happening during medical visits with your healthcare team? How about when dealing with your health insurance companies? What's your Healthcare Wish List or Biggest Frustration? Today is the day to share it all!
This is straight forward - my healthcare team are the best. There's not much else to it, my consultant is fantastic. He listens to me, explains things so I understand them, supports my decision even if he disagrees and helps me with pretty much everything I need.
My DSN is my go to. Even when I'm not venting about something diabetes related. She gets me. She understands I'm not perfect and takes on board that I'm doing my best and that's good enough. She's supportive, straight talking, compassionate and best of all calm when I'm having a meltdown. Even the DSN she's training to take vet when she retires is fabulous. She's great.
The rest of the team are exactly the same give or take the odd personality clash.
However healthcare outside of specialists I think could be improved. I think people who don't understand type one find it very difficult to advise. When I was in hospital having my baby I was asked to self manage which we agreed to but when I was feeling unwell post surgery I was told I was being over reactive to my blood sugars. Being that I was on a pump and knew if I hadn't treated then I'd be massively off target later I ignored her. But I felt they were always quick to blame my diabetes.
I always wonder at appointments why they measure my height? At my age I'm not getting any taller...!
I also get annoyed when I go to an aappointment at say 2 o'clock and they come out and weight me/take height/hba1c and then leave me in a waiting room for an hour. Then when I ask why they're keeping me waiting they say well you were seen at 2...! I feel like they're suggesting my time isn't important.
My biggest rant I suppose is funding - CGM is funded during pregnancy or in trying to get pregnant. Whilst I think this is great it needs to be extended. Following trying for a baby, getting a good Hba1c and delivering a baby it's unrealistic to think that it'll just drop back into place! You need a least six months postnatal sensors to achieve this. On the flip side of this - if you don't want children does that make you any less entitled to CGM? I've also heard CGM IS often funded for people who've abused their condition and so have no hypo awareness. It seems unfair to not give someone who wants to improve there care funding but to give it to someone who doesn't care!
I suppose to be honest I don't have much to moan about from a diabetes healthcare point of view. To be honest I'm pretty pleased about that.
In my experience, hospitals are terrible in their knowledge around diabetes. Their solution was to force feed white bread sandwiches at night to prevent any hypos. Great that you were able to stand up for what you wanted!
ReplyDeleteI went to the ER early in my pregnancy and they had NO idea what to do for me with my diabetes...I definitely think a little more education for non-diabetic doctors would be great.
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