How to have a pre-conference pep talk with your diabetes

Going to a diabetes conference usually leads to one thing: a lot of conversations. But there’s a special one that Huda, one of the #dedoc° voices, had with her diabetes before going to ISPAD.

"I'm so excited! Do you realise how excited I am?" diabetes screamed and ran through our apartment.

"Yes," I replied, sighing and glancing at my blood sugar level, which was mocking me with a double arrow pointing upwards, "I’m indeed feeling your excitement."

"Oh, come on, don't be like that." Diabetes came to an abrupt halt in front of me and looked at me with wide eyes. "I'm not doing it on purpose. But I'm soo excited! We're going to a conference that's all about me! I've been waiting my whole life for this. Oh God, I don't even know what to wear."

"Diabetes." I put a hand on his shoulder. "You're an imaginary character with a broccoli hairstyle that I made up. I call you a roommate who was forced upon me so I can cope better with your existence. It doesn't matter what you wear, no one else can see it."

#dedoc° voice Huda and her diabetes pack their suitcase for ISPAD 2023 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Source: Huda El Haj Said

Diabetes just shook my hand off and walked purposefully towards my closet instead. "Nonsense! You're just saying that because you want me to look stupid when we meet other... diabetes… diabetetes?"

"There's no plural of diabetes. See? We will meet other people with diabetes."

"Huda, you're mean. Also, what do you think of this t-shirt?"

I had to recognise when a fight was hopeless. "Wonderful, really good. You'll impress everyone with it."

Diabetes beamed at me, ignoring my sarcasm.

"Thank you! But admit it, you're excited too!"

"Sure." I started packing my own clothes for the next four days. That's how long the ISPAD conference, which was taking place in Rotterdam this year, would last. "It's an incredible opportunity. So at least try to behave yourself, we don't want to embarrass ourselves." I’m sure nobody would bat an eyelid if diabetes decided to cause chaos. Where else would we find so many people who were used to it — whether from their own experience or from that of others?

"You know, I really didn't think you'd ever apply for something like this," diabetes suddenly said.

"Why not?" I replied in surprise.

"Well, because it's about me. And I guess we get on well now, but you always used to say you wanted as little to do with me as possible. And now you have even more to do with me by choice."

Oh. Yes. The ‘I-hate-everything-that-has-to-do-with-diabetes’ to ‘I-want-to-advocate-for-myself-and-others’ pipeline was an unexpected development.

"Diabetes, do you understand why it's important for me to go to this conference?" I asked cautiously.

"Because it's fun!" came the confident reply.

Huda — and her diabetes — were thrilled to meet other #dedoc° voices and diabetes advocates at ISPAD 2023 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Source: Huda El Haj Said.

I laughed out loud. "Well, that's true too. But back then, when we had our problems, I often said that nobody understood what it was like to live with you. Do you still remember? And then I met people who understood. And that helped me incredibly. But I only found these people because they decided to be visible. Because they talked openly about themselves and their diabetes. And now we're going one step further — now it's nothing about us without us. Realising that we have a right to be involved in what affects our lives is very powerful. So many opportunities arise from sharing what we know and what we want with each other. I am no longer afraid to spend my time with you because others before me have been so brave and shown me how I could do it too."

Diabetes seemed to think about it. "I like not being ignored anymore," he finally said.

I laughed out loud. "Believe me, we also like not being ignored."

And so we both continued to pack our things and expectations in the little suitcase we would take with us.

Scientific lectures, research, conversations, impressions. Other realities of life. We would see and experience all of this over the next few days. And sometimes it can get a bit much, just as is usually the case with diabetes. But it’s always worth to try and be one of the voices who are able to tell our stories.

What do you tell your diabetes before a conference? Let us know in the comments.
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