Róisín’s Transition story
My name is Róisín and I am now in my mid-20s. I have diabetes and have attended the adult clinic since I was 16 years old. I remember feeling a little anxious before my first visit to the clinic because I didn’t know what to expect, I didn’t know what they were going to be asking me. For that visit, I brought my Mam with me for support but after that I was happy to see the medical team alone. I talk with the team myself and that is probably the biggest difference between the child and adult services. I also noticed at the first visit that I was the youngest person in the waiting room, the ‘baby’ of the clinic, but I got used to that!
After the first visit I felt relieved as it all went very well and I now knew what to expect. At my other visits since then I always see the nurse and sometimes the dietician. Then I see the consultant but it’s not the same doctor each time. They seem to rotate a lot so I could see someone different each visit. The nurses seem to stay the same and I found it helpful to get someone’s name and contact details so that I could contact the clinic if I had any questions. They are very obliging and always get back to me when I get in touch. It took a little time for the team to begin to recognise me but over time I got used to the team, the team got to know me and I got to know them. I began to feel more comfortable and knew that I could talk to them if I was having trouble with anything.
At the start I found that they used a different medical language that I was not used to and I would have to ask them to explain something to me again. Now, when I go to a clinic visit, I take notes with me so that I am prepared to ask questions and I make sure to get all the answers I need so that I can fully understand my condition.
When I was younger and things were not going well for me, I skipped some appointments which helped nobody!! In my defense, I am ‘only human’ and at that age there was lots on my mind and diabetes was only one aspect of me. As I got older, I was able to tell the team that I had slipped, acknowledge it, and with their help, move on to managing better. I know that even if things are going bad I need to take on responsibility for my condition and attend the clinic. Having this condition I know I need to keep myself well and my family and friends give me lots of moral support. I especially like when they come to appointments with me and then we go for coffee or lunch afterwards to talk.
Róisín’s Transition story
My name is Róisín and I am now in my mid-20s. I have diabetes and have attended the adult clinic since I was 16 years old. I remember feeling a little anxious before my first visit to the clinic because I didn’t know what to expect, I didn’t know what they were going to be asking me. For that visit, I brought my Mam with me for support but after that I was happy to see the medical team alone. I talk with the team myself and that is probably the biggest difference between the child and adult services. I also noticed at the first visit that I was the youngest person in the waiting room, the ‘baby’ of the clinic, but I got used to that!
After the first visit I felt relieved as it all went very well and I now knew what to expect. At my other visits since then I always see the nurse and sometimes the dietician. Then I see the consultant but it’s not the same doctor each time. They seem to rotate a lot so I could see someone different each visit. The nurses seem to stay the same and I found it helpful to get someone’s name and contact details so that I could contact the clinic if I had any questions. They are very obliging and always get back to me when I get in touch. It took a little time for the team to begin to recognise me but over time I got used to the team, the team got to know me and I got to know them. I began to feel more comfortable and knew that I could talk to them if I was having trouble with anything.
At the start I found that they used a different medical language that I was not used to and I would have to ask them to explain something to me again. Now, when I go to a clinic visit, I take notes with me so that I am prepared to ask questions and I make sure to get all the answers I need so that I can fully understand my condition.
When I was younger and things were not going well for me, I skipped some appointments which helped nobody!! In my defense, I am ‘only human’ and at that age there was lots on my mind and diabetes was only one aspect of me. As I got older, I was able to tell the team that I had slipped, acknowledge it, and with their help, move on to managing better. I know that even if things are going bad I need to take on responsibility for my condition and attend the clinic. Having this condition I know I need to keep myself well and my family and friends give me lots of moral support. I especially like when they come to appointments with me and then we go for coffee or lunch afterwards to talk.
Reading the material on this website and listening to or reading the ‘transition stories’ will help prepare you for transition.
In this way, you will gain more information and confidence that will support you through the process. The important thing is that you will see that you are not alone. Your parent(s)/guardian(s) and health care team are there to support you and help you to manage the move to adult services. There is no single transition process or programme in Ireland but it is helpful to think of the process as including the following three stages:
Reading the material on this website and listening to or reading the ‘transition stories’ will help prepare you in some way for transition.
In this way, you will gain more information and confidence that will support you through the process. The important thing is that you will see that you are not alone.
Your parent(s)/guardian(s) and health care team are there to support you and help you to manage the move to adult services. There is no single transition process or programme in Ireland but it is helpful to think of the process as including the following three stages:
