So, here it is... the first post.
Well actually, I've created that many 'blog' sites trying to start this thing and never fully committed. This time will be different! I'm quite liking the Weebly life. Let's start with some honesty. I've borrowed these questions from Hanna, read her interview here. I also missed out/merged a few questions... so there probably isn't 30. I thought I'd start with this Q&A so you can get to know a bit more about me and my diabetes. Diabetes doesn't define me as a person but it is the main focus of this blog, so I suppose the facts would be a good start. I'm sure I'll start rambling on about the more fun things in my life soon enough...
What type of diabetes do you have?
Type 1 Diabetes. How long have you had diabetes? I was diagnosed aged 2, almost 21 years ago. How did you manage, growing up? Did you hide your diabetes? Whatever age you are diagnosed, diabetes is hard. However, only being young at the time, I obviously don't know any different. There has never been something for me to compare to, which, in a way, does make it easier at times. As a child, it was never really my problem. My mom looked after me endlessly and you don't really get to think about it because you're being looked after. (Hence why I think my mom is an angel). Now I'm older I've heard the stories about what my parents went through and how hard it was. It was harder for them than it was for me when I was little. As a teen, I ignored it more than I should have. I'd always check my blood sugar and take my insulin but I wouldn't manage it nearly as much as I should have. It was only when I reached the age of 20 that I started taking it seriously. I've never been one to scream 'WHYY MEEEE' at my bedroom ceiling, I've just accepted it and tried my best to manage it. But I've had a lovely, strong family to make that possible. Was it tough on your family? Oh yeah. Really, really tough. Especially for my mom because she was the one who cared for me 24/7. She's a Staff Nurse, so people always say 'Oh well you couldn't ask for better help as a mother, could you? hahaha'. But she didn't know a thing about diabetes before I was diagnosed, people just assumed she did because she's a nurse. She had to learn so much before I could even talk properly. She once mentioned how I used to look at her with such hatred when she injected me. I was young, my mom was hurting me, jabbing these needles in me and I was too young to understand. Which is upsetting for any mother. As I got older, it got easier. And then there's the hospital appointments, the illness, the... shit storm that is diabetes, it affects the whole family.
What treatment do you use to treat your diabetes?
I'm currently using injections, with Humalog and Lantus. I've just been accepted to switch to a pump (because I'm struggling to manage my glucose). I'm excited and scared about that. How often do you have to test your glucose levels? At a minimum I should test with every meal and before bed. So, 4 times a day. However, I recently had a continuous glucose monitor attached to me for a week, to try and suss out what's going on with my body. Here is the result:
It showed that after every meal my BG sky rocketed and then an hour later it did the opposite. Almost like my 'fast acting' insulin, wasn't working as fast as it should.
So I now try to test before every meal and an hour after every meal. Plus whenever I feel low or before I exercise, so nearly 10 times a day. This is only until I gather enough information to prove at my next appointment that this is an issue. Woo! Only problem being, I don't get prescribed that many test strips and they won't allow me any more. So although this is what I've been asked to do, I can't actually do it all the time. Do you use an insulin pump or injections/pens? How often do you need to inject? Currently on injections. I inject once with every meal (well, anything over 20g of carbohydrates). I went on the carb counting course not long ago, before I just guesstimated at every meal but that's what I'd been doing since I was little... so it kind of worked. Now I take 2 units of insulin for every 10g of carbohydrate but it doesn't really work and no matter what I've tried adjusting... it's just being a bit stubborn. So, hopefully quite soon, I shall be joining the pump-brigade. What kind of insulin do you take? I use Humalog as my bolus and Lantus for my basal. Fun tip for remembering: BOlus = BOwl of food, meaning fast acting insulin. BAsal = BAckground, my background insulin. (Woo!) What insulins have you had throughout your diabetic career? Oh blimey, I wouldn't even know. When I was younger we only ever controlled it using one type of insulin, which I'd inject 2 times a day. Which seems absolutely crazy compared to what we do now. No carb counting or anything... what a time that was.
Can you recognize the symptoms of a low/high blood sugar? What symptoms do you get?
I can and I'm very grateful for that. When someone asks what it feels like to go low, the best way I can describe it is 'as if you're light-headed but it's your whole body, you're light-bodied'. As well as the shakiness, sweating, etc. Just yesterday I was driving home after eating breakfast out with my boyfriend and I suddenly felt a bit shit, then I got that taste in my mouth and in just seconds it hit me... 'OH CRAP! I forgot to inject for breakfast!'. Within the space of an hour my BG had gone from 9.7 to 21.4 - I wasn't a happy bunny. After a high or a low, you get sleepy and definitely a bit cranky. On our carb counting course they asked the group (about 10 of us) what symptoms we get and someone suggested anger. A lot of us agreed, including me. There was a younger girl there who also had Autism. (I know what you're thinking, diabetes AND Autism?! That's too much for anyone to handle but the family were doing great). Anyway, when we suggested 'anger' the mother of the girl said 'Oh thank god! I thought it was just her!' in a half-joking-half-relieved manor. I'll never forget it. Yep, we sure do get uncontrollably angry, we're sorry.
Do you vary your insulin dose if you eat something that is not really good for you?
I try to stay away from 'bad food' but hey, everyone likes a cupcake now and then. So yes, I do adjust my insulin for the food I eat. Do you eat snacks in between meals? Soda? I don't. I might add a snack on to a meal, like a chocolate bar after my dinner if I fancy it but I'll inject for it with dinner. Snacking just leads my blood sugar rising, which make me cranky haha. I don't even drink Diet Soda that often, only when having a meal out or something. So a definite no to the soda. Do you eat vegetables? Drink lots of water? I've recently started looking for 'carb free' versions of food on Pinterest, which is great and includes lots of delicious recipes including veggies. And in fact water is pretty much all I drink. And a cup of tea once a day. Sometimes I spice it up with some flavoured water or no added sugar squash. Rebellious! Do you ever skip meals? If I've been out for a big breakfast, sometimes I won't have lunch and will cook something delicious for dinner. Apart from that I'm a regular 3 times a day kinda gal. But I love to cook and I love food, so... Do you find the diet restrictive? Not at all. If you want that slice of chocolate cake, you eat that slice of chocolate cake. Just inject for it and continue to look after yourself like any normal human would. Do you get annoyed when people ask if you should be eating a certain food? I try not to get annoyed because most of the time, their ignorance isn't their fault. The world has this stigma that you'll get diabetes from eating a massive bowl of coco-pops, that's how diabetes is portrayed in the media, therefore that's what they believe. It's physically impossible to correct every person who has made an ignorant comment about diabetes but as we talk about it more... hopefully more people will learn the facts and see diabetes as the serious condition it is. However, saying that, the amount of ignorant comments I've had to deal with about food/diabetes is sooo frustrating. Yes, I can eat this burger. No, eating cake didn't give me diabetes. No, you're not going to get diabetes from that milkshake. No, you're not going to catch 'diabetus' from your Grandma's shortbread. Etc.
Do you do anything else to manage diabetes better?
Tumblr is a popular site teens use for blogging topless photos of Harry Styles. Until recently, I didn’t realise there was a side to Tumblr I would find so very interesting. If you search #diabetes in the Tumblr search bar you are guaranteed to get pictures of doughnuts and air-heads posting about how they’re going to get diabetes from just looking at these photos of cake. There is also a search #actuallydiabetic. Under this search you will find posts from actual diabetics about actual diabetic problems and I must say, we’re a humorous bunch. We know what we have, sucks. We don’t sit and moan about how life dealt us the wrong hand, we joke about it. Nowadays, whenever I’m having a diabetic sad day, I find comfort by looking at the pictures and funny videos you can find using #actuallydiabetic. If you’re diabetic or know a diabetic, you might enjoy it yourself... Talking to other diabetics can be a great weight off your shoulders. Maybe not even talking to them, just seeing some of the things they’re posting which you can relate to can improve your mood greatly. And the diabetic community of Tumblr is definitely one I recommend.
And the best part?
I do believe I'm a really strong person. Which, is partially because my mom and Grandad brought me up with such positivity and it's also because I've had to deal with a lot myself. Let's be really cliché and say 'what doesn't kill you makes you stronger'. Does your diabetes cause you any other problems? Sometimes it's hard on your mental health, really hard but that's when I go looking for funny videos on Tumblr and it takes the pain away a little. I also have Granuloma Annulare, which isn't caused by diabetes or my BG control. It's just more common in diabetics... Yay! What would you like a non-diabetic to know about having diabetes? It sucks, man. It really does. So think before you open your mouth with some stupid diabetic joke because we'll laugh it off whilst fighting the urge to punch you in the face. Please, just take it seriously for what it is. We're not fat and lazy, we didn't bring it on ourselves by eating a doughnut and it really, really sucks. So give us some sympathy once in a while. What would you tell someone who has just been diagnosed with diabetes?
Wellllllll, that was a lot longer than I thought it would be. I don't intend on sharing this post anywhere just yet. So the chances are you'll read this in a months time when I've made some humourous posts and you've looked back to this to get to know more about me. Hopefully. If not you've stumbled across it and like a mad man, read the whole thing. Kudos.
1 Comment
10/11/2017 10:26:08 pm
Thanks for a wonderful share. Your article has proved your hard work and experience you have got in this field. Brilliant .i love it reading.
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