"Many people live in silence" by Montse and Pilar

Montserrat Parrales and Pilar Alcántara met in a room from the San Pedro de Alcántara hospital.It was on October 14, 2003. His daughters, aged 5 and 9 respectively, had just diagnosed type 1 diabetes, a disease that manifests mostly at an early age and originates when the pancreas does not produce insulin and the level ofBlood sugar is very high.At that time they had many doubts and great uncertainty.

Now, 14 years later, they wanted to tell their experience in the book entitled 'The day that everything changed', which also includes testimonies of other patients and family, in addition to the vision of 27 professions about this ailment.With this publication, above all, to give visibility to a disease that alters the routine of the one who suffers it and all those around.In the province it affects 1,300 people.

The book, of which a thousand copies have been published, was presented on September 23 at the Ágora Hotel.It is on sale for 20 euros at the Mirat gas station, in the Swindle of Camino Llano, at the headquarters of the Association of Diabetics of Cáceres and in Amazon, among other points of sale.Edited by EC Europe, the benefits achieved will be for the Oenegé Arco Iris Education for Development, which works on cooperation projects related to education and health in Africa and Latin America.

The phrases "Type 1 diabetes has nothing to do with that of grandparents or with the one originated by obesity" "My daughter told me that I was not able to climb the stairs;I was surprised that such a strong girl had so much fatigue "" has tried to normalize both the life of the diabetics that the disease has been silenced "

Why make a book about diabetes?Pilar, who is a teacher, has experience as a narrator.Write children's works."There came a time when I stated that there was something important to write about the issue of diabetes," he admits.And they got to work.They took the Svetlana writer Aleksiévich, Nobel Prize for Literature in 2015, and their choral narrative to give voice to invisible people."I thought that diabetes didn't have a voice," illustrates the teacher.«With diabetes we have a serious problem.Everyone talks about her thinking that she knows her.But it is that type 1 diabetes has nothing to do with that of grandparents or that originated by obesity or bad eating habits.It is totally different diabetes, ”says Montserrat.

They were clear that they wanted a plural book, with many voices.The result, after 20 months of intense work, is a copy with first person testimonies that allow the reader to know this reality closely.

"I realized that something was happening to my son because she was hit, she got angry, she cried a lot, she was very sad ... she was like a sick" hay "that is going to fall from the nest.It was constantly peppers ... I was two years old.But we really realized that something was happening because he started eating a lot and drank eight liters of water in two days, that is crazy, ”he says on page 28 Monti, mother of a 15 -year -old teenager from Robledillo de la Vera.

The alarms in the case of the authors of the publication were others.«I remember as if it were today my daughter's debut.It was an October 14, after the Puente del Pilar.Last Friday I talked to his pediatrician by phone, I told her the symptoms and told me that on Tuesday he took her to the health center to do a test.And to observe it ... months before I had already noticed small symptoms, which at all related to each other and that made me pass several times through the health center, but a Angela night, after having a glass of water almost from a drinkHe asked me another and there all the alarms jumped.At first I thought I was caughting attention, even theI scolded, ”recalls Montserrat.His daughter Angela is currently 19 years old.

In the case of Pilar the symptoms were different.Every time he remembers it, he confesses, he gets excited.«In my case my daughter said she was not able to climb the stairs.I was surprised that such a strong girl, with so much energy, had so much tiredness, ”he tells Triana, who is now 24 years old.An analytics confirmed the diagnosis.The most common symptoms of type 1 diabetes are quick weight loss, frequently urinating, having an extreme thirst and appetite or presenting weakness, fatigue or drowsiness, in addition to nausea and irritability.

After the diagnosis, a new routine loaded with habits came to which it costs time to get used to and a constant alert state due to blood glucose levels.For example, patients have to click on the finger eight times a day to control sugar and inject at least four times insulin.«Having diabetes implies having sugar above a normal level.The complicated thing is to keep it in place.It is not mathematical, thousands of factors influence.To start, you have to learn to count carbohydrates, ”says Montserrat.

The authors of the publication intend with this project to put on the table the day to day of these patients, which goes unnoticed for a large majority of society.«It has tried to normalize both the lives of people with diabetes to avoid the rejection that what has been achieved is to silence this disease.Many people live in silence.It is as if it did not exist, as if it were invisible.Instead of normalizing the issue, what has been done is that lack of respect for the needs of people with diabetes has been reached due to the misinformation and ignorance, ”argues Pilar Alcántara.

The book includes an epilogue where the authors reflect the needs detected in patients and within families.Among them is precisely to give more visibility to this ailment."Being chronic and dangerous, it remains, however, in silence, without being present in a society that remains oblivious to their needs," they write.They also consider that a greater "diabetological" education is needed, as well as the creation of diabetes units in hospitals and the implementation of a school protocol for acting in schools.«There is a need for a person to take care of students with diabetes during school hours.We observe that this is the point that causes the greatest problem of psychological stress and social discomfort in families, and must abandon, on many occasions, one of the members their work to be able to serve the son or daughter with diabetes during school hours, ”write theAuthors of the publication.

The project of these two women goes beyond the book.They have launched a documentary, directed by Juan Luis Rueda and entitled 'HEMOCIONES', where they reflect the philosophy of the publication.In addition, they have a blog and give informative talks to disseminate the disease their daughters suffer.On November 14, coinciding with World Diabetes Day, the exhibition entitled 'Do not hide your sweetness', which includes photos starring patients with type 1 diabetes, that disease that to Montserrat and PilarHe joined them in a hospital room and that they have determined to get out of the invisibility.

«It has tried to normalize both the lives of people with diabetes to avoid the rejection that what has been achieved is to silence this disease.Many people live in silence.It is as if it did not exist, as if it were invisible.Instead of normalizing the issue, what has been done is that lack of respect for the needs of people with diabetes has been reached due to the misinformation and ignorance.

A lot of reason and another terrible consequence of this standardization (which many diabetics and parents promote) is the few resources that give us and the little research that is destined to try to cure it.

fer said:
@Fer said:

Montserrat Parrales and Pilar Alcántara met in a room from the San Pedro de Alcántara hospital.It was on October 14, 2003. His daughters, aged 5 and 9 respectively, had just diagnosed type 1 diabetes, a disease that manifests mostly at an early age and originates when the pancreas does not produce insulin and the blood sugar level is very high.At that time they had many doubts and great uncertainty.

Now, 14 years later, they wanted to tell their experience in the book entitled 'The day that everything changed', which also includes testimonies of other patients and family, in addition to the vision of 27 professions about this ailment.With this publication, above all, to give visibility to a disease that alters the routine of the one who suffers it and all those around.In the province it affects 1,300 people.

The book, of which a thousand copies have been published, was presented on September 23 at the Ágora Hotel.It is on sale for 20 euros at the Mirat gas station, in the Swindle of Camino Llano, at the headquarters of the Association of Diabetics of Cáceres and in Amazon, among other points of sale.Edited by EC Europe, the benefits achieved will be for the Oenegé Arco Iris Education for Development, which works on cooperation projects related to education and health in Africa and Latin America.

The phrases "Type 1 diabetes has nothing to do with that of grandparents or with the one originated by obesity" "My daughter told me that I was not able to climb the stairs;I was surprised that such a strong girl had so much fatigue "" has tried to normalize both the life of the diabetics that the disease has been silenced "

Why make a book about diabetes?Pilar, who is a teacher, has experience as a narrator.Write children's works."There came a time when I stated that there was something important to write about the issue of diabetes," he admits.And they got to work.They took the Svetlana writer Aleksiévich, Nobel Prize for Literature in 2015, and their choral narrative to give voice to invisible people."I thought that diabetes didn't have a voice," illustrates the teacher.«With diabetes we have a serious problem.Everyone talks about her thinking that she knows her.But it is that type 1 diabetes has nothing to do with that of grandparents or that originated by obesity or bad eating habits.It is totally different diabetes, ”says Montserrat.

They were clear that they wanted a plural book, with many voices.The result, after 20 months of intense work, is a copy with first person testimonies that allow the reader to know this reality closely.

"I realized that something was happening to my son because she was hit, she got angry, she cried a lot, she was very sad ... she was like a sick" hay "that is going to fall from the nest.It was constantly peppers ... I was two years old.But we really realized that something was happening because he started eating a lot and drank eight liters of water in two days, that this is crazy, ”he says on page 28 Monti, mother of a 15 -year -old teenager from Robledillo de la Vera.

The alarms in the case of the authors of the publication were others.«I remember as if it were today my daughter's debut.It was an October 14, after the Puente del Pilar.Last Friday I talked to his pediatrician by phone, I told her the symptoms and told me that on Tuesday he took her to the health center to do a test.And to observe it ... months before I had already noticed small symptoms, which at all related between them and that made me pass several times through the health center, but one night Angela, after taking a glass of water almost from one drink asked me another and there all the alarms jumped.At first I thought I was caught, I even scolded it, ”recalls Montserrat.His daughter Angela is currently 19 years old.

In the case of Pilar the symptoms were different.Every time he remembers it, he confesses, he gets excited.«In my case my daughter said she was not able to climb the stairs.I was surprised that such a strong girl, with so much energy, had so much tiredness, ”he tells Triana, who is now 24 years old.An analytics confirmed the diagnosis.The most common symptoms of type 1 diabetes are quick weight loss, frequently urinating, having an extreme thirst and appetite or presenting weakness, fatigue or drowsiness, in addition to nausea and irritability.

After the diagnosis, a new routine loaded with habits came to which it costs time to get used to and a constant alert state due to blood glucose levels.For example, patients have to click on the finger eight times a day to control sugar and inject at least four times insulin.«Having diabetes implies having sugar above a normal level.The complicated thing is to keep it in place.It is not mathematical, thousands of factors influence.To start, you have to learn to count carbohydrates, ”says Montserrat.

The authors of the publication intend with this project to put on the table the day to day of these patients, which goes unnoticed for a large majority of society.«It has tried to normalize both the lives of people with diabetes to avoid the rejection that what has been achieved is to silence this disease.Many people live in silence.It is as if it did not exist, as if it were invisible.Instead of normalizing the issue, what has been done is that lack of respect for the needs of people with diabetes has been reached due to the misinformation and ignorance, ”argues Pilar Alcántara.

The book includes an epilogue where the authors reflect the needs detected in patients and within families.Among them is precisely to give more visibility to this ailment."Being chronic and dangerous, however in silence remains, without being present in a society that remains oblivious to their needs," they write.They also consider that a greater "diabetological" education is needed, as well as the creation of diabetes units in hospitals and the implementation of a school protocol for acting in schools.«There is a need for a person to take care of students with diabetes during school hours.We observe that this is the point that originates the greatest problem of psychological stress and social discomfort in families, and must abandon, on many occasions, one of the members his work to be able to attend the son or daughter with diabetes during the school hours, ”write the authors of the publication.

The project of these two women goes beyond the book.They have launched a documentary, directed by Juan Luis Rueda and entitled 'HEMOCIONES', where they reflect the philosophy of the publication.In addition, they have a blog and give informative talks to disseminate the disease their daughters suffer.On November 14, coinciding with World Diabetes Day, the exhibition entitled 'Do not hide your sweetness', which includes photos starring patients with type 1 diabetes, that disease that Montserrat and Pilar united them in the room of a hospital and that have insisted on getting out of the invisibility.

Well, they will tell me, diabetes is my only life and my greatest fear.I belong to a small municipality and I was diagnosed with 12 years (a bad age) feel a weirdo by having to leave the class so that your mother will make you a measurement, visits with the endocrine and the analytics every 3 months.The first sacrifice was to miss the end of course trip.I turned years, adolescence?Now I think about it and give me panic, go out without wear sugar (the glucup did not exist), without a meter, etc. friends?I went out with people that if I had given me a hip that derived in loss of consciousness they would not have known what to do, with those who also made a couple of trips.From the first moment I made the promise to myself, that I would not let diabetes were a weakness ... but I turned it into an Achilles heel myself.It is true that I have been and I am very straight, not being an alcohol consumer (I mean that they never had to bring me to my drunk house), nor of drugs (well in my time the drug that resonated the most was heroin).My character and my way of being changed me, I became and I am very hermetic, distrustful and cautious.I took that, when I knew a girl did not interfere in long relationships and especially in hiding diabetes.The adolescent stage arrived and what can I dedicate to me that I can take my cross with me and do not take its toll?And I ended up opposing and taking a place based on effort, sweat, blood and many tears.Always with the determination to hide the disease.When this lack of respect for the risk that youth gives you, the fear of diabetes appeared, to relate to people, lose friendships and be in a complete solitude with the only company of my diabetes, the fear of having the courage to trust myself and other people.It is very difficult as this society is configured in finding people who are interested in others and that you can reveal that you have this disease and that it has a lot of weight in anything.I agree with what is commented by @Sherpa41 visibility has been given to type 2 diabetes or in it are but the type 1 diabetics have remained in ostracism.I do not want misunderstandings or comparisons because it is not comparable, but for example with sexual orientation a revolution (very necessary) impressive for its normalization (something that should have been since the human being has intellect) is being made, but not in type 1 diabetes. Perhaps my situation did not help in the first place the selling smoke that many endocrine who proclaimed "quietly, is being investigated a lot and you will see how in 5 or 10 yearsIt rained 40 years and we remain almost the same, then it could also be the "you have to try to take care to not have complications."It is funny, today that after so many years one goes to the endocrine, header, ophthalmologist, etc.And he asks you how do you carry glycemia control?Well, look, as it leaves me, because if I get a grain in my ass, it affects my levels, if I do 5 more minutes of race or with more intensity, too and so we can spend the time you want.Anyway, there comes a time that you are so from you with the disease that you question many things, but he cannot go back in time and the path that society has taken is not to look beyond our own navel.For my work I have to help, treat and see unpleasant things of people and if they go in the salary, but what do people do for one?

Good morning

What can a newly married person say, with a new floor, brand new work and to whom they diagnose type I diabetes, almost forty years later?I will only say, not to get bored or get too tired, that I lost my job, I had to change residence and you can imagine my life later.Fortunately, with a lot of discipline and information and the memory of the first years and their aggressive treatments, I still live and unattended complications serve the latter to encourage all those who precede me in this fight.

Greetings.

Sorprendido said:
@Sorprende said:

Good morning

What can a newly married person say, with a new floor, brand new work and to whom they diagnose type I diabetes, almost forty years later?I will only say, not to get bored or get too tired, that I lost my job, I had to change residence and you can imagine my life later.Fortunately, with a lot of discipline and information and the memory of the first years and their aggressive treatments, I still live and unattended complications serve the latter to encourage all those who precede me in this fight.

Greetings.

Yes, this tries to constantly load a cross and fight so that this weight is not done with one, all subject to that cross a sword of Damocles to which you must keep a grat.If among the diabetics we have reluctance with others, it increases, since people or society have become more insensitive, individualistic and interested.To give a mere example, this is from a group of telegram of opponents to CNP where someone with Daltonism, asks for the tests in such an aspect in the medical examination ... Well, someone makes the following comment:The jurisprudence there is ... person who resorts.That is to say that it makes no sense that they continue to keep it active ... they allow diabetes and people with HIV but not with this ...With which, trusting to count diabetes costs a lot, because you also play a lot.