PLEASE BE ADVISED – Before reading any further that this post is not sanctioned by a healthcare professional and is our interpretation and effort to provide peer support at a time of need.
We have all seen, read the news, listened to the sound bites on “Unprecedented Times” and found interesting ways of using our toilet rolls!
Even after only a few days the strain of social distancing is already beginning to show.
So, what is the risk and how can we, as people living with diabetes ensure the coming weeks or months are a time of growth, reflection and shared personal and common goals.
Current reports indicate that illness, in approximately 80% of individuals is generally mild, especially for children and young adults. In most cases, those who contract the virus recover from the disease without needing special treatment.
But we are not in the 80%, with underlying medical problems like diabetes, we are at an increased risk of developing a serious illness. It is estimated that approximately 1 out of every 6 people who gets COVID-19 becomes seriously ill and develops difficulty breathing. People with a fever, cough and difficulty breathing should seek medical attention.
There is some great information available at the link below and even a story of a person with type one who is now fully recovered from COVID-19.
Over the previous three years of being a part of the Diabetes Football Community I have gained support and knowledge from the people involved from my insulin use, diet and exercise to just banter to get you through some of the lows (not that type) that we all suffer.
I am privileged to say that yet again the community has stepped up to the mark and delivered amazing support and information to help all involved understand and take actions to help them at this bizarre period of our history.
It’s been the simple sharing of a link to more information be it financial support (the guardian has written a good article here or if you require guidance on mortgage breaks Zoopla has an interesting guide here ) to FIFA tournaments, toilet roll juggling and simple chat and support offered. I am blown away by the people involved and the community is better than Google at getting the info you need. It’s been unbelievable!
Eat well, test your blood glucose regularly, reduce stress in any way you can and get plenty of sleep, all can help you with blood glucose control. If you have symptoms such as a cough, high temperature and feeling short of breath, you need to monitor your blood glucose closely and call the NHS 111 phone service.
With this in mind, and from my coaching and development background I hope to help the people I now call friends and the wider community to deal with COVID-19 on daily basis and come out of it stronger.
I hope the high 5 helps!
I’m used to working from home, but being told I have to I’m rubbish at, when I’m told that I need to stay home, anxiety rises, stress takes over (add two bored kids to the mix aghhhhh). I know this, and so I’m trying to think how I can cope. I am sure you are on the same wavelength to.
This HIGH 5 (based on the 5 ways to wellbeing) can help you with your mental, emotional and physical wellbeing.
How can we bring them to life?
Connect
As I said before the TDFC community has been a lifeline, knowing others share my worries and concerns is cathartic but knowing I can drop a message ask a question, share a joke or share some knowledge, that sense of belonging is a must. If you want to join contact Chris Bright, he’s sure to hook you up. Be more creative in how you are connecting, but still connect. Don’t hunt out the constant updates, take time out, with work colleagues, of course discuss business but meet regularly and share, ask how people are, it makes a difference.
Events are moving to online. If you haven’t been able to get to a social event or catch up with friends now could be the time, reaching out could make you and a contact’s day.
At home, arrange virtual family Pub Quizzes, connect with the people you live with, social distancing is cutting us off from the world so you don’t burn out disconnect on line have more conversations over mealtimes, bizarrely, we are all coming together at 5pm to watch the news update.
We’re working together at home, talking about our work and our day.
Communities are coming together, clapping on balconies, reaching out and offering help. Get involved.
Give
There are so many ways to give, with more springing up every day. Write a blog offering advice/ guidance, arrange online shops for food banks who are facing all-time lows in supplies and stocks. Why not try and provide help to neighbours, friends, colleagues, contacts and connections.
As a community TDFC are reaching out to all we can and many, many others are doing the same. Offers of meals for kids following school closures, music, online yoga, online music classes, online performances, online book clubs.
With the exercise try GMB fitness to add some activity to your morning routine
We are giving of ourselves and our skills to help others, and to stop us from being bored.
Give just one item to a food bank, give some time to a neighbour, give your attention to your team or a family member.
Take Notice
We are starting to pay more attention to what really matters in life. We are starting to take more notice of our teams, and our families and our neighbours.
We are noticing more of the changes outside, the changes inside. We are paying more attention to how we feel and how others feel, and we are using this to connect more to one another.
We are noticing what we like, what we don’t like and what we need to change.
Keep doing it as every day is an opportunity to develop and learn, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got” Take this opportunity to develop learn and do something differently.
Keep Learning
There are so many things we can learn and so many ways we can grow. YouTube, online learning, books, courses, podcasts, all the things that we’ve never had time to do, we can now do, even if it’s just to break the monotony of the day.
Someone on Twitter said, “at the end of this we’ll either be alcoholics or master chefs”! Be a master chef.
I’m struggling to get my boys to come to terms that this isn’t going to be a time of constant Xbox. What will happen is there will be daddy boot camp and footy sessions coming their way along with Mum’s arts and craft sessions, but we’ll get there. Dads know best right?
Stay Active
Keep moving, in whatever way you can. Walk where you can. Do online classes I know my boy’s martial arts classes and football coaching are delivering online coaching and masterclasses (I know I’m delivering some, drop me an email if you want to get involved, you just need a football)
Create your own circuit training in the house get involved in the TDFC toilet roll keepie uppie challenge. Just film yourself doing a few skillz and post it to TDFC
If all else fails, reach out, shout, or scream.
Then just stop and breathe and reflect.
We’ve got this.
Tim Ward
Sources of information:
https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/common-questions/
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/your-guide-to-the-coronavirus-should-i-be-worried/
