Saturday 30 August 2014

Emily May: My Experience With Anxiety & Panic Attacks




Hi Emily! Thank you so much for participating in this interview.


Emily and I have spoke about her experiences with anxiety and panic attacks and I feel that Emily's story will be a great read to anyone who is going through anxiety and suffering from panic attacks, therefore we've decided the best way to explain is by conducting an interview!





So Emily, could you tell me when you realised you suffered from anxiety and if there was a specific trigger that set it all off?


Thanks Chloe! I really hope that my interview will help others to realise that they are not alone!
It actually took me quite a long time to realise that I was suffering from anxiety, I'd had a few panic attacks without really knowing what was happening to me- I thought I had heart problems! I didn’t realise until it had become so bad that I could barely leave the house- I was just terrified of everything, from getting on the bus to walking near roads. My first two panic attacks were on the train, and it was knowing that I couldn’t get off the train that triggered the attack- since then I have struggled with public transport especially the Tube!

You've told me that you left school at the age of 17 due to the impact anxiety and depression was having on your life. Could you run me through this and what were your thoughts and feelings about having to put your anxiety before your education and future career dreams?

My school was quite far away from where I lived, around 45 minutes, and getting on a packed train at rush hour was horrible for me. Apart from that, I felt anxious speaking in front of other people, which was not helped by my awful English teacher, who forced me to speak in front of the class even though I was so nervous I was crying. It was one of the most embarrassing things that has ever happened to me! At the time it felt horrible to leave school, all my friends were applying to University and I was getting left behind.

How did it affect your daily life?

It was really embarrassing being a ‘dropout’ when all my friends were getting good jobs or going to Uni, but it turned out that leaving school was a big help for me, I got a job in a bar, which I loved, as I felt really safe and comfortable there as well having some money. This really helped me to gain some independence, make new friends, and take control of my life.

Did you seek any help?

I went to the doctor who recommended counselling, which I tried and hated. I couldn’t talk to the counsellor as I felt that she didn’t really understand me, so I never went back to that… I went back to the doctor who prescribed me some medicine for the anxiety, which has helped me so much. I would definately recommend asking for help, my doctor was so kind and understanding.

When did you see the light at the end of the tunnel and was there anything that made you feel like there was hope for you to lead a more “normal” life in the future?

I had saved up some money, and decided to go travelling, alone!! It was one of the scariest things I have ever done in my life, but also the best! I pushed myself to my limits, and it felt so good. I never had to worry about being embarrassed or anxious, as I didn’t know anyone, and I knew that if I panicked or felt uncomfortable I could just leave the situation at any time. It was complete freedom!

How are you coping with your anxiety at present?

When I first moved back to London I struggled a bit and had a few panic attacks, I think it’s the fact that it’s so busy that gets to me, but I seem to be coping quite well at the moment. This is mainly because I have told everyone at my new job about my anxiety and they have been so sweet and understanding about it. They know that certain things make me nervous, so I don’t have to do anything I don’t feel comfortable with. I have also finally enrolled in University to study Interior Design, which has given me a massive confidence boost, I feel as though I’m back in control of my life, and finally doing what I actually want to do! I still take medication for the panic attacks, but I haven’t had one for a while, so hopefully I’m on the right track now.

Do you think the media do enough to provide support for people who are going through these issues or do you think more could be done?

So much more needs to be done! I think it’s terrible that Anxiety and depression is still such a taboo- no one want’s to talk about it as it makes people uncomfortable. I think your campaign is so important Chloe, it let’s people know they’re not alone, and that anxiety and depression are actually quite common.

Thank you, Emily! I hope it helps whoever needs help! Do you have any advice or tips for anyone who is going through now what you have been through?

Yes I do. First of all, speak to your doctor- that is what they are there for, to help you! Talk about it openly with your friends and family, if they are good friends they will support you and try to help- It’s much harder trying to hide it from everyone. Change your lifestyle- I eat much healthier now, as well as taking vitamins, and I try to exercise when I can. This was advice from my doctor and I didn’t think it would help, but it really has!

Please let me know if you have any questions or advice, I’m always happy to talk!

Twitter: EMInteriorD



Thank you, Emily for taking part in this interview! Your answers were very inspirational and honest and is something I know my readers will appreciate and relate to! 

Remember, one of the main reasons I started this blog was to provide a platform for people to come and feel safe knowing they have someone to talk to, so why not get in touch with me and we can discuss any problem you have or even if you just want to talk - that's fine too! Here's how you can contact me:


Get in touch with me: 


Twitter: @ChloesConcept

Email: ChloesConcept@gmail.com


Thanks for reading!

Chloe x

Tuesday 26 August 2014

Teenage Self-Esteem and Low Confidence: An Interview With Nicole




Hi Nicole!

Thank you for participating in this interview post on low confidence and self-esteem. I know that this is something that impacts a lot of females and males at all ages so it is greatly important and something that isn't addressed enough.

Can you tell me a bit about yourself, Nicole?

Well I’m a teen beauty and lifestyle blogger from a little town in the High peak. My favourite things in the world are lipstick and lists.


What is your experience with low confidence and low self-esteem? Is it something you've always suffered from or was there something that triggered it off?

When I was 8 I had a really huge operation to build me a hip socket (as I was only born with half of one) and I spent 11 weeks confined to a hospital bed as both my legs were in a plaster cast with a 40cm metal bar in the middle. I piled on weight as I couldn’t move and was living of hospital food and as I got older the weight never seemed to shift as I had a lot of trouble still with my hip and spent a lot of the time in pain. I began to get more and more self conscious as I got older at one point when I was about 10 I weighed the same as I do now and I’m about a foot taller! I began to not only hate my body I began to hate myself for not being able to get rid of the weight! Even though I knew deep down that there was nothing I could do. My self confidence was at rock bottom and I hated my body. I still have a wobble every now and then but I am learning to love my body the way it is!


Suffering from low confidence and self-esteem can be exhausting and draining because you're constantly putting yourself down and comparing yourself to others. Do you agree and what is your view on low confidence and self-esteem?

I used to constantly ask myself why I wasn’t as pretty or as thin as all the other girls I didn’t understand that everyone is different and that I was just fine the way I was. It feels like you have someone in your ear all the time telling you that you’re not as good as everyone else and that you’re worthless. It’s soul destroying.

What do you hope will be the view of the media in the future as currently the media can be criticised for being quite narrow-minded in their opinion of what is considered “perfect”?

Not everyone has perfect boobs, a flat stomach and a peachy bum. In fact it would be a really boring world if we did. I wish the media would realise that the “flaws” they see are what makes you who you are. Like your funny shaped nose which was passed down from your great granddad who fought for our country or the colour of your hair which was passed down from your mum. These are the things that make us who we are and things we should love just like we loved the people that passed them down to us.


Do you feel that the media is doing enough to provide support to those who suffer from low confidence and self-esteem?

No the media are still using size 0 models and airbrushing photos to within an inch of their life. I think that until the media uses models of all shapes and sizes someone somewhere will feel down because they aren’t what the media considers as beautiful.


What do you do to boost your confidence and self-esteem when you are feeling low?

I love putting some music on and just letting myself forget about everything. I also love to go running as I find it clears my head but also makes me feel really good about myself!


What advice do you have to anyone who is battling with low confidence and self-esteem issues?

Don’t let people tell you that you aren’t beautiful. You are a collection of pieces from all the people that have come before you and if that doesn’t make you beautiful I don’t know what does. If you’re feeling low do something you love or spend some time with someone who you love and you will soon realise how many people think you are beautiful.


Thank you for your answers, Nicole and thank you for being so honest which I know will help a lot of readers who will be very appreciative of your words of wisdom and positivity! If you would like to visit Nicole's blog or follow her on Twitter, her links are below!

 Nicole's Links:
Twitter: @coleoftheball





Remember, one of the main reasons I started this blog was to provide a platform for people to come and feel safe knowing they have someone to talk to, so why not get in touch with me and we can discuss any problem you have or even if you just want to talk - that's fine too! Here's how you can contact me:


Get in touch with me: 


Twitter: @ChloesConcept

Email: ChloesConcept@gmail.com


Thanks for reading!

Chloe x




Saturday 23 August 2014

Sisterhood Of The World - Blog Awards!


Thank you Beck from Revior blog for nominating me in the Sisterhood Of The World Blog Awards! Beck's blog is such a great read! Beck is a beauty blogger who also has a passion for cats (just like me!) so we have a lot in common! Why don't you give her blog a read? You won't regret it! :) Thanks again, Beck!

The Rules:

– Thank the blogger who nominated you, linking back to their site.
– Put the award logo on your blog.
– Answer the ten questions they have set you.
– Make up ten new questions for your nominees to answer.
– Nominate ten people


Here are Beck's questions for me!
  1. Which celeb do you take your fashion or makeup inspiration from? I love Lauren Conrad, Lily Collins  and Rachel Bilson's fashion sense and for makeup I love Lauren Conrad (again), Selena Gomez, Camilla Belle, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Minka Kelly! There are loads more for each but those are my top!
  2. Would you rather wear lipstick or eyeliner? Lipstick! If I can put on some liquid eyeliner on the top and my mascara, I could do without eyeliner!
  3. Are you a skirt or trouser kinda person? I like the thought of skirts and wearing them but I'm definitely more of a trouser kind of  person!
  4. Bold lips or eyes for a night out? Bold lips! I like a bronzed smokey eye all the time as a staple look which is more natural than bold so I'd definitely go with bold lips!
  5. Do you have any beauty products that you use every day? My Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation and my Got2B Freeze Spray!
  6. What are your top 3 makeup products? Philosophy 'The Present' Primer, Collection's Lasting Perfection concealer (couldn't recommend this more!) and my Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil in Hazel!
  7. Do you match your lipstick with your outfit? Nope! I always go for a pink, orange or I mix both to make a coral colour!
  8. What's your favourite item of clothing? I love scarves and bags but as for actual clothing I do love my leather jackets and parka coats! 
  9. Have you ever been disappointed with a makeup product? Yes! I'm usually disappointed with lipsticks I buy if they're not a matte finish! I don't really like glossy lipsticks! I'm trying to think of a specific product but I've gone blank!
  10. What's the worst hairstyle you've ever tried? I've always had really long hair and when I was about 13 I got my full fringe and hair layered and feathered but the hairdresser used a razor instead. What a disaster!
My Questions:
  1. What inspired you to start blogging?
  2. Where do you hope to see your blog in the future?
  3. What do you love most about the blogging world?
  4. What are you top beauty tips?
  5. Where do you get your makeup/style inspiration from?
  6. Where do you love to shop the most?
  7. What are you most proud of in relation to your blog?
  8. Which do you favour: bags or shoes?
  9. How much would you spend on a beauty product?
  10. What is your top blogging tip?

I nominate:

  • Funsize Beauty
  • Realm of Beauty
  • SarahSmilesxxx
  • Dino's Beauty Diary
  • Pretty and Polished
  • LaLaLovesChic
  • Tie-Dye-Eyes
  • Aspiring Londoner
  • Letters To Antoinette 
  • Hannah Rambles Blog

Thank you again to Beck for nominating me!




Friday 22 August 2014

This Week's Bargain Buys


Hi!

First of all, I just want to apologise for the lack of posts this week, I think I've posted only once! I've just moved house so things are very hectic and crazy but I'm trying to get as many posts up as possible!

This week I've bought a couple of great bargains which I'll share with you in this post! I hope you enjoy!

Hair: 

Got2b Glued Blasting Freeze Spray

I'll start with my favourite hairspray and that is the Got2b Glued Blasting Freeze Spray. I can't tell you the amount of times I repurchase this because it must be at least 100 times, no joke! I know that this hairspray is used by males also but it's such a great, long lasting, super strong, immense hold that I really don't care, if it works, it works and it definitely works. I could be in the middle of a hurricane or a rainstorm and nothing would move. I'm not exaggerating either so if you're looking for that super strong hold then look no further! 


Freeze Spray


You can get this spray in Boots, Tesco, Superdrug, Savers... you get the idea but the place I always buy it from is Savers because everywhere else sells it for about £4+ and Savers sell it for £2.64 (approx) however this week, Superdrug had a sale on and I got it for £1.99 so of course, I bought five... I would have bought more but I cleared the shelf!

Face:

Simple Radiance Brightening Facial Wash

The next product is something I've just purchased for the first time and that is the Simple Radiance Brightening Facial Wash! I bought this for £1.99 in Home Bargains so it was definitely a bargain! I used this product this morning and I honestly couldn't see much improvement in how radiant my face looked, but I have very red skin so I'm not sure if the redness just covered it! 

Facial Wash


It also claims to have a mango scent, which I struggled to find. It definitely had a fruity scent but I wasn't overly keen on it! The positives of this product however was that it left my face feeling firmer and my primer went on a lot better than it usually does so I'll definitely keep using it just for those factors if nothing else!

Eyes:

Eyes

Collection Extreme 24Hr Felt Tip Liner

This product is the Collection Extreme 24Hr Felt Tip Liner and is one that I've used before and it lasted a heck of a long time. It probably wasn't overly hygienic for the amount of time I actually used it but hey ho! I love how not only does it lasts for a long time (in relation to over a period of time) but it also lasts all day long! The nib on it is like a felt-tip marker which is extremely precise and easy to apply. It also doesn't do that annoying thing where you apply it, open your eyelid and it's transferred to the top of your eyelid where you've just applied your eye shadow! I think this only cost me about £2.99 which is fantastic value in my opinion for its quality!

Eye Liner



This product is the Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil. Ever since I started incorporating my eyebrow routine into my makeup routine, I've used the same eyebrow pencil however I just remember finding it at the bottom of my makeup bag with the writing on the side of it worn off so now that I'm getting pretty down to the end of it, I've been trying to find it in places like Superdrug and Boots but to no avail. Yesterday I was looking in the Rimmel section and came across the exact eyebrow pencil and was so happy I'd found it! As I'm very fair and my hair is a brownish/blonde/redish colour, I find that the colour "Hazel" fits me best and for £2.99, you can't go wrong!


Eyebrow Pencil


There we are! I hope you enjoyed this post and try one or two of the products I've talked about! I'm sure you'll love them as much as I do!

Have you bought any bargains recently?

Get in touch: 


Twitter: @ChloesConcept

Email: ChloesConcept@gmail.com


Thanks for reading!

Chloe x

Monday 18 August 2014

Personal Statements: How To Guide


Personal Statements


You might think getting started on your personal statement now is being a little premature. Is it though?

I remember writing my personal statement in the summer of 2011 so that when I started back to sixth form in September, I was more or less ready to send it off once I had my references from my teachers!

I remember sitting in my school library trying to actually start my personal statement, which I think is definitely the hardest part, much like any other task; starting is the hardest part.

I have a couple of tips on actually starting your personal statement:

  • Jot down in bullet point or spider diagram form why you want to study the course you are applying for.
  • Make another chart and write down why you think you're the best applicant and why they should accept you.
  • Make another chart and write down some intelligent words to impress them (this will make you stand out from the rest, but make sure you know how and when to use these words!)
  • Speak from the heart, if you are really passionate about the course you're applying for, make them understand your story and why you want it so badly (but don't go on and on repeating the same thing; be concise).
  • Make a plan: Write down a brief summary of what you want to say in each paragraph, how it will flow etc., as this will only help you when you start writing it properly.

Like I said before, make sure you explain why you want it so badly, why they should pick you out of all the other applicants.

Another tip I have for you may sound strange but if you're struggling to start it or struggling to write it, try attempting it late at night before you go to bed. I don't know why, but I always seem to write a lot late at night! Don't forget to go over it the day after in case your tired eyes led to you making some grammatical errors!

Personal statements are overlooked sometimes and all of your focus is on your grades. Whilst getting the required grades is important, your personal statement could just about swing it for you. I know that in my case, I missed one of the required grades just by one grade, but I was still accepted and I think the reason for that was because of my personal statement.

I hope this post helps you and good luck with the whole UCAS application process! Keep onto your teachers in regards to your references! I hope you get your first choice!

If you have any questions, please ask away! My links are below:

Get in touch: 


Twitter: @ChloesConcept

Email: ChloesConcept@gmail.com


Thanks for reading!

Chloe x

Monday 11 August 2014

My Perfume Collection!



Hi everyone!

Today is a beauty related post and is all about my favourite perfumes as you probably guessed by the title!

I'm quite perfume-obsessed and have quite a large collection going on so I've narrowed it down to my all time favourite ones!

First of all, my favourite scent is coconut. It reminds me so much of being on holiday, I don't know whether it's because the suntan lotion I use has a coconut scent to it or if it's because I use coconut shampoo and conditioner on holiday or it could be a combination of these things, but give me anything coconut-y and I'll buy it! As you'll see in the photos, each bottle is nearly empty hence how much I use & love them!

So I'll start off with my coconut collection:

This body mist is from The Body Shop. I absolutely love this one! You only need a couple of squirts of this body mist which is awesome because it lasts for a long time! It's also super affordable coming in under £10 at £7.50 and there's also a lot in the bottle! It's super coconut-y too! You can check it out here!




This second one is my Gwen Stefani Harajuku Lovers G Eau De Toilette perfume. This has the most beautiful coconut scent without being over-powering or anything like that. It's just the perfect perfume. The only thing I don't like is that I tend to go overboard and spray a lot and there's not a lot in the bottles but you can get different sizes. This perfume isn't sold in many places these days unfortunately but I'll link where you can get it here!




This Britney 'Curious' perfume is a staple scent that I never get tired of. It might have been around for many years now but it has such a light, beautiful scent, you can't go wrong! I love the packaging and the bottle with this perfume too, it looks like some type of potion, very eye-catching! If you shop around, you can get it for about £15 depending on the size you're after, but here's a link so you can jot down the name and find it a bit cheaper elsewhere!





This perfume is Madonna's 'Truth or Dare' perfume. This has a stronger scent, therefore you don't need as many squirts as the lighter perfumes I've already mentioned! I love this perfume and like the others mentioned, I've repurchased this and am already coming to the end of it again! This perfume started at at least £30+ when it first came out, but now you can get it as cheap as £8 or £9 which is crazy!! Here's where you can buy it for this price!





This is my Calvin Klein perfume called 'Downtown'. I can't describe this scent, it's fresh, light and not strong. It's the perfect perfume for summer or winter! This is a little more pricey starting at about £45 for 50ml. You can check it out here!





Last but certainly not least is my Dolce & Gabbana Pour Femme Eau de Parfum. This is the most expensive of all of the perfumes in this post but I can guarantee you'll absolutely love it! It's so elegant and the scent is quite strong but don't let this put you off because it's not one of those scents that you think "wow, that's way too strong". You only need a couple of squirts of this perfume much like the Madonna 'Truth or Dare' which is great because it lasts longer! It retails at around £61 for 50ml and you can check it out here!




I hope you enjoyed my perfume collection and I hope it gives you some ideas if you're looking for that special perfume! 

What are your favourite perfumes?

Thanks for reading!

Chloe x

Friday 8 August 2014

The Psychological Effect of Diabetes T1: Hospital Appointments & HBA1Cs


diabetes type 1

Hello!

Today I'll be talking about the psychological effect diabetes type 1 has on a person and how much support you actually get from the medical team you're supervised under. I'll also be talking about hospital appointments and HBA1C results.

On Wednesday of this week, I had my annual review, where you may or may not know is when you have a thorough check up on your diabetes. You see a lot of medical practitioners from specialist nurses to doctors. It's a bit of an ordeal to go through as you're usually there for a good long while but you know you have to get it done as your health is obviously extremely important. I feel as though the past couple of years during my appointments, some of the medical staff lack the ability to really understand what it feels like to live with diabetes. I'm not asking for them to be overly sympathetic or feeling pity on you, that's no good to anyone but they don't seem to grasp the fact that having diabetes goes further than just analysing data and results.

Last year at my annual review, my HBA1C was exactly 7. I was so, so pleased with this as they say they'd like for you to be between 6.5 and 7.5. They praised me and said I was doing everything right and to keep doing what I was doing. So I went away feeling proud of myself for doing my best to take care of myself and my diabetes. This year's annual review came around and I was seen by multiple staff and found out by the nurses who take your blood pressure etc., that my HBA1C results from the blood test I had the week before, came back and I was 7.5 this time. This didn't shock me as the past couple of months has been extremely hectic and stressful what with deadlines for university, moving house and other things like that so I was extremely happy with 7.5...however some of the doctors didn't seem to be over the moon.

Don't get me wrong, they didn't give me a stern talking to or anything like that but they seem to just see it in black and white that it had gone up 0.5 and that I needed to get it back down to 7. The encouragement that is needed at a time like this just wasn't there and I think encouragement is crucial in order to give the patient hope that they can get their results back to a place that is healthy. I explained that I had a lot going on at the moment and have done for the past couple of months (not that I used that as an excuse) but they didn't seem to really care, all they cared about was the figures. I understand that they've probably just got my best interest at heart and they want to keep me as healthy as possible, but it got me thinking that sometimes the medical staff don't exactly put in the effort to understand how difficult living with and controlling diabetes can be on day-to-day basis.

Again, like I said before, I'm not asking for them to sing my praises or to have pity on me or anything like that at all but sometimes I feel as though they could be a little more understanding. Like I previously mentioned, 7.5 for me this time around was something I was incredibly happy about and yes, I will work towards getting it back down to 7 for next time but I walked out of the hospital feeling deflated and annoyed that I had tried my best and sometimes, it's just not good enough.

I guess the moral of this blog post is just to tell you that YOU know better than any medical staff how you're coping with your diabetes and how you're controlling it and if you're happy with your result then don't let anyone else get you down about it. I'm not saying that if your HBA1C result is higher than what is safe and healthy for you, that you can walk out of the hospital and think "oh well, I'm happy with it so it doesn't matter what they say", what I'm saying is that if your results are in a healthy place and are between what they want them to be but maybe you're like me and you've gone up a little bit since last time, don't get upset and down about it. You know what it's like on a daily basis so just keep on doing what you're doing and know you're doing the best you can.

My plan is to try and prove them wrong for next time! What is yours?

I hope you found this post helpful! If you'd like to be involved with my diabetes series on my blog, please do not hesitate to contact me!

If you'd like any advice or just want to talk about your experience, please use my link provided below and I'll get back to you!

Get in touch: 


Twitter: @ChloesConcept

Email: ChloesConcept@gmail.com


Thank you for reading!

Chloe x


Repurchases & Extras



Hello!

This post is going to be short and sweet as I'm working on some big blog posts at the moment but I bought some things today and thought I'd share them with you!

So I ran out of my current favourite bronzer and decided to repurchase it today, so to my surprise SEVENTEEN had a sale going on which was "buy one get one half price"! So because I love it so much, I decided to go ahead a get two because it's not often this offer is on! The full price is £4.99 which is awesome for the quality of the product!

The second product I bought was the Nivea SOS Lip Relief. I'm praying this product lives up to its expectations because my lips have been so incredibly dry, chapped and cracked lately, I'm starting to give up hope for them... If you have any lip balm suggestions, please tweet me or leave your comments below!

Finally, I received this magazine at Boots today as I have an Advantage Card so looking forward to having an in-depth read later today! I love these magazines as they are always filled with great tips, tricks and exercise ideas!





Have you bought any impulse buys recently? Let me know in the comments below!


Thanks for reading!

Chloe x

Monday 4 August 2014

Diabetes Type 1: My story & Insulin Pump experience




So I've been wanting to write this post for a long time now. As you may know, I run a campaign/platform on this blog is for bullying, self-esteem, anxiety and other issues of a similar nature and the feedback I've had has been amazing and I really appreciate everyone's kind words.

I thought I'd add an extra item onto my campaign/platform and that is to also provide support to anyone with the medical condition that is diabetes. This will also be a part of it's own series on my blog, so I'll regularly be posting advice, recipes, tips and general little posts all about diabetes! I've had diabetes for nearly 10 years and I never really knew many people with it whilst I grew up. I was diagnosed at the age of 11 so I was old enough to just about understand it but too young in a way to know the impact it would have on my life. This is not a sob story or a post looking for sympathy in any way, shape or form, it's purely to provide support for people, like myself growing up with diabetes and help them with any problems they may have or even if they just want to talk about it!

Like I said, I was diagnosed at the age of 11 and I remember I had a really bad knee so my mum took me to the doctors. I'd recently lost a lot of weight, was drinking 24/7 and had serious dark circles under my eyes. We didn't really think anything of it and put it down to stress as I had started comprehensive school only a few months prior and I hated it so much I didn't want to go. Luckily enough, after the doctor checked out my knee, my mum told her of my symptoms and she replied "Oh, we better get you checked out with the nurse, you could have diabetes". We were so unsure of what diabetes actually meant, we kind of thought I'd be in and out of the doctors surgery in no time at all. Unfortunately, when I was checked by the nurse, she told me to pack a bag and head down to hospital straight away to be admitted. I felt totally confused and disorientated. So we headed down to the hospital and that's where I stayed for more or less a week. After being seen by every doctor, nurse and medical staff under the sun, I was finally discharged and sent home. I really didn't have much of a clue what to do except I knew I had to give myself numerous injections everyday. I had great support from my mum and dad and the rest of my family, my friends were great about it too.

One thing I remember hating about having this condition was having to do injections in public, eat in class and also do glucose tests in class. I felt uncomfortable whenever I had to eat biscuits during lessons and the teacher would ask me to put them away because they didn't know, but luckily someone in my class would always say "she's diabetic, she has to eat!" but I was still embarrassed and hated the attention it brought!

I never really felt like having diabetes stopped me from doing anything I wanted to do. I still went out with friends, I still went on holiday, I still got good grades, I still got a part-time job, I still passed my driving test, I still went on school trips which I'll get onto later.

Even though you might feel like having diabetes is hindering your life and lifestyle, try and turn it into a positive. You're probably eating healthier than you ever were before, it could be a whole lot worse and you get to eat sugary goods when you're glucose levels are low. See, win-win right?


As I got a bit older, I had to increase the amount of injections I was giving myself. My glucose levels were constantly high 20s and this started to have an impact on my life. It made me feel ill constantly and I knew I had to find another solution. That's where my insulin pump comes in. One of the diabetic nurses informed me of a pump that was coming out soon and they were doing trials with small groups of people to see how we got on with them. I had to learn all about how the pump worked (which was draining) and I had to learn how to carbohydrate count. You might have heard of this before, you might have not. I'm still trying to get to grips with it myself! If you'd like me to do a post on carbohydrate counting, please let me know and I'll get that done for you! :)

In October 2008 I finally properly transitioned from injections to an insulin pump. It started off a bit rocky, having trouble inserting the pump and getting it to deliver the right amount of insulin but I soon got the hang of it. Below I'll go into more detail about how the pump works! The pump has given me so much more freedom than I could ever imagine having. Instead of injecting 4+ times a day, I'm now injecting once every 2-3 days. Crazy right? This pump allows me to go out and eat without having to pull out my injection pen, it allows me to eat more of what I want to eat, it allows me to have the odd treat every now and again, it allows me to feel more normal rather than being reminded of diabetes each time I went to do something, as I'd usually have to take my diabetes into account for whatever I was about to do. I even went  to L.A and San Francisco with my sixth form which is something I never imagined I'd be able to do because of my constant injections and lack of flexibility but the pump gave me that flexibility so I was able to go. I'm not saying if you're on injections that you can't go away on your own without your parents, but I felt more comfortable knowing they were with me if I was on injections, but with my pump I felt confident enough to take complete care of myself... mind you, it didn't stop my parents from worrying!


So I'll introduce you to my insulin pump now and show you how it works and the equipment that goes with it! Sorry if it's a bit confusing, I'll try to make it brief but if you have any questions about it, I'll leave my contact links at the bottom so you can email or tweet me with your questions! :)

My Insulin Pump!


This is called an Infusion Set. The blue part of it is the part that is inserted into my stomach (not the top part of the blue, the underneath!) and that has a needle on it when you take the blue cap off.

young diabetic


This is called a Reservoir and this is inserted into the vile of insulin which you'll see below, in order for the insulin to enter the little bottle which says Medtronic on it with the measurements.

health

This is the vile of insulin I use.

diabetes type 1

This is called the Quick-Serter and this is used as the "trigger" to insert the Infusion Set (see image 1).

diabetes

This is the Infusion Set inserted into the Quick-Serter.

medtronic

...And here is my pump! So small, it's easily hid and tucked away in my pocket or clipped onto my jeans!

insulin pump


I hope this is helpful! As previously mentioned, this is the beginning of a brand new series on my blog and part of my campaign/platform!

If you'd like to take part in this blog series, please let me know! I'm always looking for bloggers to take part in my campaign/platform so if you're diabetic and you'd like to help out, I'll leave my links below! If you're not diabetic but you'd still like to help out, my campaign/platform also includes issues such as bullying, self-esteem, anxiety and issues along those lines! Here's a direct link to a post that explains everything so if you think that's for you, get in touch!

If you'd just like to talk or would like any advice, please do not hesitate to contact me on any of the links I leave below as that's what I'm here for!

Get in touch: 

Twitter: @ChloesConcept

Email: ChloesConcept@gmail.com