Profiles

as diagnosed with type 1 Diabetes at the age of 7 months old.

I was very lucky to survive, so I am told.

Back in 1972 there wasn’t as  much knowledge of diabetes as there is today.  I was very deep in coma when PMH advised of my medical condition which wasn’t picked up by any other medical practitioner. 

YOUR DAUGHTER HAS DIABETES.

My family was mortified.  I have 2 older sisters.  They learnt how to look after a sick baby, from day dot literally.

My parents learn how to inject an infant by using an orange for a substitute.

My mother broke her heart the first day she had to give me an injection.

Again, I was 7 months old.

That is the past.

I was about 6 when I learnt about giving myself a needle.  My parents had always looked after me, what to eat, what to look out for with problems with sugar levels.  At the age of 36 now, I have severe problems, probably relating to the knowledge of the age of what I was when diagnosed........

Being almost 36 years of the chronic condition I suffer, I find I cannot  ‘pick’ my sugar levels.  I cannot decide if I am ‘high’ , ‘low’ or ‘damn you are doing gud!’

I have been on an Insulin Pump for 5 years plus, previous was on approximately 12 injections per day.

I have had burst blood vessels in my eyes due to so many years of uncontrolled diabetes.  I have had serious kidney infections.   Scleritis in my right eye (inflammation).  Carpel tunnel surgery on both hands around the age of 28 (very young as every doctor I saw explained to me).  (Said Diabetic, so long, oh yes, that would explain!)

I have pulled myself out of a coma in mornings, not being able to move, not able to talk,  chewing the inside of my mouth so is black with blood blisters and cannot eat solids for 3 weeks while it heals.

Yes.  I have suffered.

But yes, I am alive, now.

All sounds negative, right???

Wrong.

Yes.  I have had and am having problems.  But now, with assistance, I wake every morning.

Knowledge of my existing condition is the only way I could cope, until these problems I have now.

I am still alive.  I still am able to function, but, I still have lost hypo alertness.

But.....I am alive......

I look at every day a blessing, because I may not see tomorrow...

Or, maybe I will outlive you......?