Beverleigh H Piepers

From a very young age my caring, nursing instincts were obvious … they even extended to caring for our neighbor’s cat. My mother was, to say the least, horrified to find I had tossed my dolls out of their pram and placed a bandaged cat in their place. I must say the cat enjoyed being wheeled around, as he made no effort to escape. He just lay there and went to sleep! I loved it!

And yes I did become a Registered Nurse, registered in Australia and the United States. I principally have been involved in Chronic Care … from Pediatrics through to Oncology. I have also been involved in Chemical Dependency Counseling and Life Coaching.

The common thread has always been working with people as they face difficulties and/or chronic illness.

Diabetes featured strongly through my career … in Pediatrics, Type 1 predominated. And then there were times I came across young adults who had also just been diagnosed. Until approximately 10 years ago, Type 1 held the number one position where diabetes is concerned, and then gradually Type 2 took over, and now look how it predominates in chronic health conditions!

Diabetes and insulin have featured strongly in my nursing life, even when working in Oncology. Little did I know diabetes would feature even more strongly in my life.

In 2008 I was diagnosed as being pre-diabetic … I am 5’6 and 128lbs … not the more common build for this condition. Hence my really personal involvement with Type 2 … now my blood sugar levels are normal (phew!) and without drugs!

I have found there is so much contradictory information around for people with Type 2 to absorb. As an Educator I help Type 2 diabetics discover exactly what they should know and what they could be doing to heal their body and their life.

But something else struck me as I was working with people on their health issues; their intimate relationships were often a struggle. They weren’t happy and neither were their partners. I decided to learn more about relationships and what we do to “mess” them up …. and why!

Life is an interesting adventure (and I love that), but we often forget everything is connected … our childhood experiences, our beliefs, our emotions: they influence every area of our lives.

A question I often ask myself is: are my habits propelling me to my goals? Are yours?