FOTOSTRECKE: DIABETES OHNE WORTE – #7 Margot

Die Idee dahinter: Der Diabetes nimmt uns so manches Mal die Sprache, umso wichtiger, dass wir uns immer wieder gegenseitig klarmachen, dass wir ihm nicht wort- oder gar wehrlos gegenüberstehen. Im Gegenteil haben wir u.a. Humor, Gelassenheit und jeder mindestens eine Geheimwaffe am Start 🙂

Die Regeln: Jeder Interviewee bekommt die immer gleichen 5 Fragen gestellt. Innerhalb von 2 Wochen antwortet er/sie in Fotos von sich selbst (Ganzkörper oder Porträt) und darf den nächsten Interviewee nominieren.

Margot Vanfleteren

Margot hat schon, seit sie 2 ½ Jahre alt war, Diabetes. An die Zeit ohne ihn kann sie sich kaum noch erinnern. Nun glaubt sie, dass ihr der Diabetes eine Menge gebracht hat: Sie ist dadurch schneller erwachsen geworden und hat gelernt, dass man versuchen sollte, jeden Moment des Lebens voll auszukosten.

Margot Vanfleteren ist eine der IDF Young Leaders und die Gründerin von Marjore.

Margot has had diabetes since she was 2.5 years old. She does not really remember a lot of the time before she had diabetes. Yet Margot believes that diabetes has given her a lot. It made her grow up faster and realize that in life you should try to cherish every moment.

Margot is a speaker, fellow epatient from Belgium and founder of Marjore. “Current diabetes devices don’t correspond with each other, we change that.”

Marjore co and analyzes the data coming from medical devices that patients already use. This way Marjore improves the diabetes treatment.

#FOTOSTRECKE – #7 Margot

Your feeling when diagnosed with T1?

Curiosity. I was two years old when being diagnosed and for me a new world was launched. I remember being brought to the hospital and being struck by all medical equipment and all “strange people”. Later I found out that these strange people were nurses and physicians.

Throughout my life that knowledge thirst never faded. Whenever I notice new things in the hospital, or life in general, I can’t help but question how it functions.

Diabetes taught me early on in life that challenging concepts is definitely a win for coping with and managing diabetes. I feel to some degree thankful for being diagnosed with diabetes, it helps me to see things from a different perspective and has learned me a lot of other skills.

The very best thing about my diagnosis is a friend I met in the hospital. Jolein. Diagnosed few hours earlier and ever since she has never left my life. It is interesting to see how people diagnosed in the same setting, at the same day, with the same disease cope with everything. She has always been a big support to me.

In short my diagnosis was a positive experience, a start of a journey with ups and downs.

How does low glucose level feel/look like?

This depends on a lot.

I wear a CGM and when I don’t turn off my alarms I can thus be notified whenever my glucose levels drop (or increase). This in combination with my VEO pump, which quits automatically delivery, does prevent a lot of hypoglycemic events. Without my pump I would very often not realize I am low.

When I am not paying attention to my diabetes, which happens often, I tend to get the feeling that the whole world is falling down on me. In other terms I really feel/notice a lot more than when I am not low. As a result of that I want to hide away. It is all really scary to me. Physically I am not really able to focus on tasks or walk when low.

Another thing which is a telltale for a coming hypo are my cravings. I can eat the whole refrigerator when low although last years this has changed into refusing to eat. Reason unknown. 🙂

From which signs can others tell you are diabetic?

I have an insulin pump. I always clip it on my bra and for me it is the most natural thing to just grab it and check my pump delivery or glycemic values. I am not really aware of checking it all the time. It’s automatic pilot. Sometimes people I newly meet react when I grab the pump because it is somewhat bizarre. This is the moment when it becomes clear that I have diabetes. When checking my BG, I also often reveal I have diabetes.

A few years ago I got the opportunity to meet the Prince of Belgium. He started to ask me some questions and when explaining diabetes, I automatically grabbed my pump out of my bra. The security was pretty much stressed out. Never officially known why but I dare to bet they thought it was a gun or something. They immediately started to surround me. As I was so focused on my explanation I never really noticed. Friends were so kind to point this out afterward. Living with diabetes can be a true joke.

All together I really like to tell people I have diabetes before they notice it themselves. Sort of duty call. Then we just start a fun conversation on diabetes and related topics. An often included topic is the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

What is your secret weapon for the daily tour de force of living with T1?

Laughing!

I know that whenever I feel down it’s going to get better. Life is a rollercoaster.

Diabetes has taught me so much. It is a blessing to live with diabetes. Even if that means I am sometimes crying and laughing at the same time.

The one thing you always wanted to tell your diabetes?

A little more structure would be fun but I will never opt-in for a cure. My diabetes is a part of me and although it is a hurdle it shaped me as a person and I don’t want to change that! It’s my diabetes and me until the end. My mission is to understand my diabetes fully. Although it sometimes seems an endless journey… Well dear diabetes in the end you better work along ’cause I won’t give in. And I am stubborn 😉