Our First Holiday

“One Armed Scissor” - At The Drive-In

I mentioned in my very first Blog entry about a diabetic forum that Emma belongs to, and whom inspired her to start her own Blog. A few times a year there are “diabetic meets”,r where people who belong to the forum have a social gathering to share experiences and stories, and of course, some laughs. Emma, being relatively new to diabetes, only really stated attending earlier this year. Nervous about her first meet, as she can be a little shy, and although she knows many people through the forum, she’d never actually met them, she asked me to go with her to her first meet. Now, I’m not diabetic, but the forum organisers assured her that friends and family were welcome to join, so I tagged along for moral support. We both had a really fun time. Everyone was so friendly, and despite a few awkward moments where I explained to people that my pancreas did in fact work, and that I was an honouree diabetic for the day, we shared a lot of laughs. I’ve always been hugely grateful to the members of the forum for how much they have helped and supported Emma through her adaption to diabetes, and it was a real joy to meet these people in person.

A few months ago, she mentioned that there was to be another meet, and that I again, had an invitation. This time, rather than London, the meet would be held in Brighton. Well, cogs started turning, and before long I asked Emma if she fancied making it into a weekend away. Brighton is a massively long journey for just a day trip, and I haven’t been on holiday since before my puppy came into my life, due to the probable separation anxiety. My anxiety, not his, I hasten to add. But a weekend away with my bestie seemed like a great idea. She jumped at the opportunity, so after many weeks of careful planning (involving constant list making on my part), we were off on our first holiday together. Two nights away at the sea-side.

We has a bit of a “two birds with one stone” situation with Brighton. I have never in my life been to a gay bar! I’ve known about my wandering sexuality since I was in my mid-teens, and although a minor few of my closest and oldest friends are aware of the situation, I only came-out into the open at the beginning of last year. I found this process terrifying, but also exhilarating. I’d always hidden my sexuality so closely, and now I could be honest and frank about it. However, there is very little chance for me to actually putting this now available information into practice; I come from a small-rural town, where gay still means happy! And I’m pretty closed about meeting new people. But going to Brighton, the gay capital of the UK, led the most surprising of people to suggest that I “check out the scene”.

On the first night we had in Brighton, myself and Emma waltzed into my very first gay bar. And I might as well have worn a sign say “Newbie”! I was shaking from head to toe; both with mild excitement, and intense fear. I needn’t’ have worried; the bar tender was lovely, and could obviously sense my nervousness. After all, I suppose every gay/bisexual person goes through the same thing at some point in their lives. Emma gave me some really good advice once we had sat down; “Don’t think about the fact it’s a gay bar, just pretend it’s a bar”. And so I did. And although I didn’t “make any new friends”, I slowly relaxed and grew more comfortable with my surroundings. By the end of the night, I’d completely forgotten that I should have been exercising my pulling skills, and was just having a really fun time people watching and chatting away with Emz.

So thanks to Emma’s support and encouragement, I’m no longer a gay bar virgin, and we had an awsome weekend. The diabetes meet went really well, with Emma being a bit more out-going now that she knew a few more people. We had an amazing time on the pier, and a thoroughly memorable weekend. I think Emma’s highlight was doing her evening insulin injection in a deck chair on the end of Brighton Pier. Hopefully there‘ll be plenty more holidays to come.

N.B. This post was written in August 2011, so therefore belongs to the previous set of Blog writings, but was not posted previously.