Type 2 Diabetes Blog: An Aboriginal Australian's Experience

This assignment is a blog written by a medical student, Jack Williamson, an Aboriginal Australian, detailing his personal experience with type 2 diabetes. The blog entries chronicle his journey from diagnosis, through lifestyle changes, and the challenges of managing the disease. It covers his initial symptoms, diagnosis, dietary adjustments, medication (metformin), and the emotional and physical impacts. The blog highlights the importance of family support, patient-centered care, and effective communication with healthcare providers. It also discusses the prevalence of type 2 diabetes within the Aboriginal Australian community and the student's reflections on how his experiences will shape his future nursing practice, including patient education and empathy.

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TYPE 2 DIABETES
by [NAME]
Course
Professor’s Name
Institution
Location of Institution
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Type 2 Diabetes
Introduction
Type 2 diabetes can be described as a chronic disease that interferes with the ability of the body
to appropriately utilize sugar. This inefficiency in metabolizing sugar results from insufficient
production of insulin or insulin resistance (Chatterjee et al., 2017, p. 2239). This disease is
characterized by frequent urination, fatigue, an increase in hunger, and an increase in thirst.
Studies have revealed that diabetes type 2 is Australia’s fastest-growing chronic disease.
Approximately 1.3 million Australians have type 2 diabetes. This number represents
approximately 85% of all cases of diabetes in Australia (Chatterjee et al., 2017, p. 2239).
Azzopardi et al. (2012) allege that this disease affects more young indigenous Australians as
compared to their non-indigenous counterparts. Type 2 diabetes normally starts with impaired
fasting glucose. If left undetected, the impairment progresses to type 2 diabetes. Advanced stages
of type 2 diabetes can lead to chronic kidney disease and some cardiovascular diseases (Oh et al.,
2016, p. 25).
Blog Background
My name is Jack Williamson. I am a 25-year-old male Australian citizen from Brisbane. I was
born in Cape York to Australian Aboriginal parents. We moved to Brisbane when I was 5 years
old, and I have stayed here ever since. I live with both my parents and my younger sister. We are
a religious family with rooted Christian beliefs. Currently, I am in my final year in medical
school and, therefore, I spend most of my time studying. However, when I am free, I go to a
nearby pharmacy to help with drug prescription and administration. The pharmacy belongs to a
family friend. I have always dreamed of becoming a qualified nurse to assist patients. I come

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from a community with the highest risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Studies have revealed that
Aboriginal Australians are at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes when compared to other
ethnicities (Wang et al., 2010, p. 487). Additionally, my family has a history of type 2 diabetes.
My grandfather, two uncles, and my father have so far been diagnosed with this chronic disease.
According to Arslanian et al. (2005), the risk of type 2 diabetes among young adults increases
due to family history. Azzopardi et al. (2012) also add that the burden of type II diabetes is high
among young indigenous Australians. Additionally, the disease burden is associated with family
history. Therefore, being an aboriginal and this disease being prevalent in my family, I was at a
high risk of developing the condition. Additionally, due to several cases of racism, the aboriginal
Australians have always experienced negative stereotyping regarding type 2 diabetes. This
stereotyping combined with the fact that type 2 diabetes affects most Aboriginals, the illness is
frightening to people from my community.
Blog Entries
7th February: The Day My Life Changed
I had been feeling some frequent thirst and frequent urination recently. I also got a cut the other
day when chopping onions, and the wound has taken very long to heal. My suspicions and family
history regarding type 2 diabetes forced me to go for a check-up. Studies indicate that the risks of
developing type 2 diabetes increase when one has a family history of chronic disease (Nayak et
al., 2014, p. 94). My worst fears were confirmed when the doctor called me into his office to tell
me that I had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I was devastated and so were my parents. I
knew the chances of having the disease were high, but I still hoped that the results could come
back negative. I have vowed to fight the illness and my family is giving me all the support that I
need at the moment. I have to discuss with my doctor the best interventions that can help in

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achieving the desired health outcomes. My doctor has expressed his desire to involve me in any
stage of care because he does not want to make decisions that I may not like. I have been
impressed with his empathy and person-centered approach to care so far. Eaton et al. (2015) state
that a person-centered approach is important in delivering quality care.
18th February: No more Sugar
I have been forced to stop consuming processed sugar. This means that I have to stop taking any
sugary beverages. Food does not taste the same way anymore and it is difficult to imagine that I
have to live like this for the rest of my life. My doctor has also advised against the consumption
of peanut butter, margarine, and muffins. I love muffins and I cannot believe I have to give them
up. Food with high-calorie content is also exempted from my diet. The things that I can consume
at the moment are limited. I, however, understand that this is the price I have to pay for better
health. Studies have indicated that there is no specific diet for diabetic patients. They, however,
should reduce the intake of calories, refined carbohydrates, and saturated fats (Sami et al., 2017).
I have been advised to consume more fiber, fruits, and vegetables. My doctor has kept in touch,
and he even helped me to design a meal plan. He empathizes with me, and he has also been
teaching me how to monitor and control my carbohydrate intake. Empathy and effective
communication are essential in healthcare (Bramhall, 2014, p. 53). Through empathy, a patient
feels that the doctor understands their situation. The patient will, therefore, respond better to
treatment plans thus improving care outcomes.
25th March: A Very Difficult First Month

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It has been just over a month since I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I have spent the past
one month reflecting on how I intend to effectively manage my situation. I have also spent the
month visiting my doctor for advice and words of encouragement. It has been a difficult first
month but my family, especially, my father has been very supportive. He has managed his
condition for 7 years now. I have missed a few days of school because I have to visit my doctor.
My teachers, however, understand my condition and they are very supportive. I am sick but not
defeated. I, therefore, intend to manage my condition so that my activities of daily living are not
affected. I have also been exercising frequently to keep fit. Studies have revealed that a
combination of a healthy diet and frequent physical activities helps in better management of type
2 diabetes (Lumb, 2014, p. 673).
1st April: Living with Diabetes
The initial few weeks after the diagnosis were difficult but things have gotten better recently. I
have resumed most of the activities I used to engage in before I was diagnosed. I exercise every
evening to maintain normal body weight. Studies have revealed that having a normal weight
reduces the body’s resistance against insulin (Karpe et al., 2011, p. 2445). I have learned how to
monitor my blood glucose using a glucometer. I have a small notebook where I record and
compare the glucometer readings to determine any abnormalities in blood glucose levels.
Monitoring blood glucose enables an effective control and management of type 2 diabetes. My
doctor also prescribed metformin to help in controlling my high blood sugar. This medication
has however been giving me a weird taste in the mouth. I have been nauseated in some instances
after taking metformin. These symptoms are, however, just some of the side effects of
metformin, and they may not be very serious. Aroda and Ratner (2018) confirm that metformin

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is an effective medication for the management of type 2 diabetes. I believe that I am getting
better and my blood glucose has been more stable in recent days.
Conclusion
I have learned that type 2 diabetes is now affecting more young people than initially reported. I
have additionally acknowledged the importance of sensitization to prevent and manage type 2
diabetes among young individuals. Prevention is better than cure and therefore efforts must be
put in place to prevent this chronic disease. I have also learned that empathizing with a patient
and putting oneself in a patient’s shoes improves patient satisfaction. Empathy is shown through
effective communication and a patient-centered approach to care. This paper has also revealed
the prevalence of type 2 diabetes among Aboriginal Australians and better healthcare systems
should be put in place to manage this prevalence. Everything that I have learned from the above
blog entries will help me in my future practice. One of the nursing actions that I will take in my
future practice is the use of effective communication and a patient-centered approach to care.
From the above blog entries, it is clear that effective communication improves the quality of care
delivery. Additionally, through effective communication, one can understand the true feelings of
the patient about their condition. Furthermore, a patient-centered approach to care gives the
patient a feeling that their interests and desires are respected thus improving patient satisfaction.
Therefore, a patient-nurse relationship built on trust and respect is established. I also intend to
sensitize my patients about the management and prevention of diabetes. I will perform
sensitization by educating people on the importance of a healthy diet and physical activities.
Practicing a healthy diet and engaging in frequent physical activities reduces the risk of
developing type 2 diabetes and other lifestyle diseases. I also intend to encourage my patients to
regularly monitor their blood glucose for early detection of possible type 2 diabetes. Type 2

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diabetes may be asymptomatic until later stages. Therefore, frequent monitoring of blood glucose
can be important.

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References
Aroda, V.R. and Ratner, R.E., 2018. Metformin and Type 2 Diabetes Prevention. Diabetes
Spectrum, 31(4), pp.336-342.
Arslanian, S.A., Bacha, F., Saad, R. and Gungor, N., 2005. Family history of type 2 diabetes is
associated with decreased insulin sensitivity and an impaired balance between insulin sensitivity
and insulin secretion in white youth. Diabetes care, 28(1), pp.115-119.
Azzopardi, P., Brown, A.D., Zimmet, P., Fahy, R.E., Dent, G.A., Kelly, M.J., Kranzusch, K.,
Maple‐Brown, L.J., Nossar, V., Silink, M. and Sinha, A.K., 2012. Type 2 diabetes in young
Indigenous Australians in rural and remote areas: diagnosis, screening, management and
prevention. Medical Journal of Australia, 197(1), pp.32-36.
Bramhall, E., 2014. Effective communication skills in nursing practice. Nursing Standard
(2014+), 29(14), p.53.
Chatterjee, S., Khunti, K. and Davies, M.J., 2017. Type 2 diabetes. The Lancet, 389(10085),
pp.2239-2251.
Eaton, S., Roberts, S. and Turner, B., 2015. Delivering person centred care in long term
conditions. Bmj, 350, p.h181.
Karpe, F., Dickmann, J.R. and Frayn, K.N., 2011. Fatty acids, obesity, and insulin resistance:
time for a reevaluation. Diabetes, 60(10), pp.2441-2449.
Lumb, A., 2014. Diabetes and exercise. Clinical medicine, 14(6), p.673.
Nayak, B.S., Sobrian, A., Latiff, K., Pope, D., Rampersad, A., Lourenço, K. and Samuel, N.,
2014. The association of age, gender, ethnicity, family history, obesity and hypertension with

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type 2 diabetes mellitus in Trinidad. Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research &
Reviews, 8(2), pp.91-95.
Oh, W., Kim, E., Castro, M.R., Caraballo, P.J., Kumar, V., Steinbach, M.S. and Simon, G.J.,
2016. Type 2 diabetes mellitus trajectories and associated risks. Big data, 4(1), pp.25-30.
Sami, W., Ansari, T., Butt, N.S. and Ab Hamid, M.R., 2017. Effect of diet on type 2 diabetes
mellitus: A review. International journal of health sciences, 11(2), p.65.
Wang, Z., Hoy, W.E. and Si, D., 2010. Incidence of type 2 diabetes in Aboriginal Australians: an
11-year prospective cohort study. BMC public health, 10(1), p.487.