Image Copyright: Cheryl Dreyer
I landed in Ireland with my hubby and two small boys in August 2016. I was fit and healthy and, as the British passport holder sponsoring my SA family's immigration through the EU treaty route, I was (and am!) determined to fulfil my obligation to hold down work, no matter what. I took on any work I could find, including serving customers and washing dishes at the local chipper and caring for elderly people with dementia, finally landing a job as a school secretary. Two years since arriving in Ireland and a few months into my new job I unfortunately received an unexpected diagnosis.
I had gone to the GP because I was feeling just a little bit 'off'. Blood results came back indicating astronomically high sugar levels – I was type 1 diabetic. A lot of people think type 1 diabetes only develops in childhood but evidently it can develop at any stage of a person's life, although less common past adolescence. I was in my late thirties. In hindsight I had been very thirsty at the time and had lost some weight too but I didn't guess the cause was something so serious. I am a health-conscious person with no history of diabetes on my side of the family so the diagnosis came as a complete shock.
Three years later and I am still a little shocked to be honest.
By definition, diabetes is a disease in which the body's ability to produce or respond to the hormone insulin is impaired, resulting in abnormal metabolism of carbohydrates and elevated levels of glucose in the blood. You are at risk of a lot of things going wrong with your body (and mind) if you don't manage your sugar levels.
There are injections every day. Drugs. Sugar highs. Hypos. Dietary restrictions/management. Lots of blood tests, eye tests, appointments with diabetic nurse specialists, dieticians, endocrinologists, GPs, oral hygienists. Day to day there are dizzy spells, headaches, sleep problems.... but at the same time life goes on!
There are a lot of emotions too.
I would argue that in the context of immigration, not to mention the pandemic, a new long-term illness can feel extremely lonely, scary, frustrating and tough.
There are many questions. Without any extended family here, who do I turn to for extra support? Will I be able to hold down my job with all the medical appointments I need to attend? If something happens to me and I can't continue to work, will my family still be able to naturalise? Will I be considered a burden on the state and will this affect naturalisation? What is my insurance situation now? Who will my young boys call if I fall unconscious? Is this really the country in which I wish to live and die?
I stay in Waterford but my GP advised me to seek private care in Cork as the local diabetes HSE service leaves MUCH to be desired, so I am told. I am prepared to pay and travel for good care and that is what I have received. I am beyond grateful!
I do have a couple of complaints. If I have any questions for my endocrinologist, I am required to post a physical letter rather than phone or email (as the endocrinologist is extremely busy). As a paying person I find this hard to accept but I have turned to the diabetic nurse specialists with my general questions and they have been excellent in answering me at any time.
I also feel that the medical system here can be a little old-school, placing more emphasis on physical health than mental health. In my experience the general doctors I saw in South Africa tended to treat patients more holistically.
Saying that, the endocrinologist and nurses here are very passionate and proactive about encouraging diabetics to live normally and positively. There are loads of support groups, courses and talks on offer and many are free of charge. In the aftermath of the pandemic I expect there will be huge strides in moving away from medical-model treatment.
The 'system' can also be a bit fragmented at times where, even though the diabetic nurse specialists, dietician, Dexcom team and endocrinologist all work together, I am sometimes required to repeat the same information to each party, arrange for blood test results to be shared with the various professionals, make sure my appointments are spaced out properly and that my prescriptions don't expire – tasks I would prefer to see being handled within a well-organised system, but which I am prepared to undertake if it makes life smoother.
I pay quite handsomely for visits to the GP, dietician, endocrinologist and diabetic nurse specialists, as well as for blood tests and travel costs. I attend appointments about every three months at this stage. Admittedly, I really look forward to going up to Cork for my appointments as I always pop in to the English Food Market and Marks and Spencer's – making a great day of it. Well, pre-pandemic that is. On that note, my endocrinologist, dietician and diabetic nurses have been great with continuing appointments online while covid numbers have been high.
What I get for free is amazing: annual diabetic retina screening, ALL my insulin, needles, glucometers, insulin pens, glucose drinks, lancets, testing strips.... without needing private medical aid in place.
Most amazingly, my endocrinologist applies for funding for me to receive a Dexcom sugar-monitoring device. This is a small but life-changing device I wear on my arm. It sends continuous sugar readings to my phone (and my husband's phone) to help me manage my sugar and stay safe (there is a risk of losing consciousness that comes with sugar highs and lows). Dexcom transmitters and applicators are extremely expensive so I am very grateful to get all this for free.
It just so happens that my sister-in-law in South Africa is also a Type 1 diabetic (my husband has a lot of expertise ????). My sister-in-law pays quite substantially for medical aid to cover her diabetes care, and it may well equate to a similar amount I pay for private care here however I have more work opportunities here in Ireland than I did in South Africa to afford it, which is the essential difference as I see it. I would not easily have been able to afford private diabetes care in South Africa on the income we were earning at the time we emigrated, or would have earned in the foreseeable future. I am now able to afford private care here though, comfortably enough, even working part-time, and I think that speaks very positively for the benefits of living in Ireland.
I will need to keep reviewing and weighing up my options around medical aid, medical cards etc. as my needs change and we progress along our naturalisation journey. There will always be questions, emotions and challenges. Acquiring a long-term illness is definitely on the list of 'Things That Could Go Wrong' when you emigrate (or don't!).
I hope that through sharing my experience I have shown that getting something like diabetes whilst immigrating is certainly a challenge that can be overcome, and that when it happens in a country like Ireland, the landing can be fairly soft. Despite the fact that diabetes is constantly challenging me, I do live a great life here in Ireland. I am mere months away from applying for Irish citizenship now. It has been a journey that has required plenty of humility, sacrifice and resilience but I've nearly done it! And that means others can too, curved balls and all.
Important links:
We have asked our members to share anonymously, their personal experiences of the Irish medical system. The medical system here is very different to SA and may for some be a major part of their move and how their current or furture health issues may be handled.
Some vital reading on this topic HERE:
Medical in Ireland - Medical in Ireland, how it works, where to get assistance, Maternity and Private medical
Habitual Residence, Means Testing, Benefits, Permanent residency and Naturalisation - What is Habitual Residence, Means Testing, Benefits, Permanent residency and Naturalisation
If you have a story to share please email us a blog at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
HSE on Diabetes: https://www2.hse.ie/diabetes/
#MapMyMove- Our coaching Services - Confused or lost and need some direction, book a session with us to help untangle the confusion and work out your route of immigration
