My 24-year-old daughter has had diabetes for 10 years. When she was first diagnosed, we were told that, in ten years, there would be great improvements and possibly a cure. She has handled her diabetes pretty well, with some ups and downs. But now, she is just tired of dealing with it. She is starting to say how it is just not fair, that she is tired of always just not feeling right, that she just wants to be normal like her friends, and that there is not even a cure in sight. I think that, somewhere in her mind, she was holding out for that magical ten year period. Are there any books for young adults about how to cope with diabetes when you are just sick and tired of dealing with it? Are there any new developments on the horizon?

This is a very common problem for all patients with type 1 diabetes. There are new tools to treat type 1 diabetes, in terms of insulin delivery and monitoring. However, there is not yet the cure she wants. We all want that very much. She is not alone. Just having others who have type 1 diabetes to talk to is helpful. Research does not move fast enough for any of us. However, it does continue to move. There is no text book that I am aware of that disseminates research information in a real-time fashion. However, you might get hold of research summaries from the ADA (American Diabetes Association) or JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) on research they have funded. The NIH (National Institutes of Health) also has a number of diabetes-related studies that it funds and the information is available through their web site. I would also have her talk with her care team. There may be a support group that meets in her area. Coping is a day-to-day strategy. She has to see that not taking care of herself is not an option.

JTL

[Editor’s comment: Your daughter might also benefit from reading Diabetes Burnout by William Polonsky. You might also find our web page on Research into a Cure helpful.

As for improvements, you should be aware that since your daughter’s diagnosis, blood glucose meters have gotten smaller and faster, there are now three continuous glucose monitors, and there are now several insulin pumps/delivery systems.
BH]