Samantha Walsh
Samantha Walsh has lived with type 1 diabetes for over five years since 2017. After her T1D diagnosis, she was eager to give back to the diabetes community. She is the Community and Partner Manager for T1D Exchange and helps to manage the Online Community and recruit for the T1D Exchange Registry. Prior to T1D Exchange, Samantha fundraised at Joslin Diabetes Center. She graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a Bachelors degree in sociology and early childhood education.
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Do you have a T1D-related tattoo? Cancel reply
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What is that
Have been thinking about getting one for years but can’t decide on what I want.
My tattoo says “I>^v”
I am greater than my highs and lows
No, but I’ve thought about it a lot. I have to find the right design for me.
No. I wear a necklace and a bracelet, daily, that tell that I am a diabetic. It also has emergency contact people and phone numbers.
Tattoos were not suggested fo me due to my T1 at 12yr old.
I have a bracelet that notifies anyone of my insulin pump and internal defibrillator
Thought about getting a DM1 tattoo but haven’t. Asked my niece who is a EMT if they look for DM1 tattoo indicator, she said No.
My tattoo: Diabetic – No added sugar and the diabetic symbol the blue circle.
would be nice to share some pictures of nice T1D tattoos!
I answered ‘no’ but I do plan on getting ‘Type 1 Diabetic’ on my left forearm.
No, but I’ve seriously been considering it.
I have a grey circle (lots of confusion on the internet a couple years ago when I was researching different diabetes symbols) with “diabetes type 1” and red and purple splatters.
While I know not all EMTs would necessarily notice it, I have had absolutely no success with medic alert bracelets. They always either snag my hair painfully when I’m asleep or they break within 2 months of wearing. Necklaces get in my way too…
I want to get one,
I wish I had thought of getting one when I got my other 4 tattoos
It’s a T1D on the bottom of my right wrist.
No, but it is a neat thought. However, I thought that it was discouraged for diabetics to get tattoos, right?
No tattoos but I do have a few scars.
No tattoo, but I do have a red “sleeve” on my watch band that says “Type 1 Diabetes” and a second sleeve with a QR code that leads to a website with more of my health info. I hope an EMT would notice them.
I have pointed out my Type 1 diabetes bracelet but have been disregarded by the EMTs most of the time. I have only had EMTs about 7 times in 57+ years, but it was disconcerting. I have never been completely unconscious & it was only due to low bs.
After wearing a MedicAlert bracelet since 1966, with the one time I needed it to be used it wasn’t looked at, I considered a tattoo. I asked an EMT (who also lives with T!D) if it was something EMT’s are instructed to look for. He said no, because tattoos are not considered valid medical information. Hospitals evidently don’t think MedicAlert bracelets are worth teaching staff about either. When I was brought into the ER and admitted my bracelet was removed along with my watch and rings. MedicAlert was never contacted.
Interesting. That’s very disappointing.
Hell no
I use a medical alert bracelet and just recently asked my daughter, who is an emergency medicine doctor with experience of being an EMT if being “tagged” so to speak, is useful to first responders/emergency medicine. She said no because they can’t rely on them. They do their own evaluations/tests as well as treat the immediate situation with the potential possibilities in mind. So now I’m wondering if medical alert jewelry/tattoos are necessary?
I do wear a bracelet and necklace. But, I wonder if my insulin pump would be a good tip-off for the EMT’s?
I thought about it so I would not have to have a medical ID. Then found out police,paramedics, and hospital staff do not give credence to a tattoo. They say that they are sure if it is in support for someone or for the person with the tatoo.
For my 70th birthday in 2020 I got a tattoo celebrating 70 years of life and 35 years as a T1D. My owl is sitting on a needle/syringe.
I tried to attach the photo but it wouldn’t allow.
Not tattoo related, but have any of you been getting e-mails to answer the daily questions and it asks you to sign in again? Then after I sign in again, I look at the previous days’ questions and even though I have already answered previous days’ questions, it shows that I haven’t answered. This happens quite frequently and I find it annoying. Sorry, just wondering if others are having the same problem.
I get repeat emails but only due to having 2 emails with the same account information. Double check that might be the problem. I was not sure if this was a junk mail site. Glad to find out it was not and changed it to my regular email.
I have the blue ring and phoenix on my calf, and the chemical formula for Novorapid with a green circle for looping on my forearm
I have an entire narrative on both arms devoted to my life w T1D. It memorializes and celebrates those I have lost on the left. The right starts w the Japanese symbol for guardian and tributes to my guardians who protected me from hypoglycemia, then has the symbol of the healing arts and international symbol of diabetes, followed by a symbol of persistence and good luck, the koi, and then the symbol of cure. Took a while but I’m glad I did it.
I have several parts to my T1D tattoo. The blue circle is for Diabetes Awareness and is of blue daisies and blue rose with a Monarch butterfly. The dasies I drew on my BG logs as a kid and the rose bc I’m from the City Of Rose’s. In the center it reads Diabet1c with the first “i ” have a blood drop for the dot and “t1” being in red. I also have the date that I was diagnosed in Roman numerals V1•1V•MCMXC11. I will note that the placement of the Roman numerals was suppose to be below the circle but the artist said it would make the circle look oblong. I think it’s over crowded inside but it gets the point across that I live with T1D. I have this medical alert tattoo on my left forearm and have shown it to many 1st responders and one Family Physician with the majority recognizing it right away, some I pointed out just the “t1c” in red and they got it. I have not had an emergency where it’s come into play and that’s great but having this tattoo gives me a little reassurance if I should be found unconscious somewhere. I also use the stickers on my CGM and insulin pump that say that I have T1D.
Not yet, but I really want one! I’ve even designed one
I have the diabetic ribbon with the blue diabetic circle. It says DM T1
Yes! “T1D💙” on my wrist
I don’t think I need a reminder that I have T1D. I believe that when others see me injecting at a restaurant, that’s impacting public awareness.