My Baby Bird - Living With Type 1 Diabetes: A Phenomenological Analysis

Abstract

“This is a life-changing experience for all of us. You have one child with diabetes and your whole family has diabetes” (Isenberger, 2009, p. 134). More than two million Canadians have diabetes; 10% live with type 1 diabetes, involving the pancreas not being able to produce insulin (Canadian Diabetes Association, 2009). The incidence of type 1 diabetes is greater than has previously been described (Karvonen et al, 2000). One longitudinal phenomenological study used interviews for data collection to uncover family members’ lived experiences when their children (aged 9-14) were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (Wennick & Hallstrom, 2006, 2007; Wennick, Lundqvist, & Hallström, 2009). Interestingly, Balfe (2009) wrote, “young adults with type 1 diabetes are a “forgotten group” (p. 128).

The purpose of our ongoing phenomenological research is to explore the experiences of young adults and their family members. We are having challenges recruiting potential participants (individuals and their family members) to write about and email their experiences living with or having a young adult member who lives with type 1 diabetes; however, we have one description of a lived experience written by a young adult which is so eloquent, that we wanted to share it with others. We have completed a Giorgi (2009; Giorgi & Giorgi, 2003) descriptive phenomenological analysis guided by the humanbecoming theory for nurses (Parse, 1998) and have related the findings to the literature. This paper includes a moving metaphorical illustration about what it is like for one young adult to live with type 1 diabetes.