Much like a birthday without the candles, my diaversary was the idea of my Mum when I was diagnosed at the age of 13- 12 years ago. Every year she would leave me a card and a small present out where I would find it. The card would always contain a positive message that I could read as soon as I woke up, and that would help me keep my chin up for the rest of the day.
Diagnosis
I still remember parts of the day I was diagnosed as if it was yesterday, and it will probably be ingrained in my memory for the rest of my life. I hadn't been ill long, but for the fortnight prior to diagnosis I had slowly been feeling the symptoms associated with the condition. It started with the extreme thirst- what ever drink I could get my hands on and as fast as I could drink it. Then I started getting up 6-7 times every night to put my head under the tap to drink the water. As I had drunk so much liquid I had to keep going to the toilet and also because it was my bodies way of trying to get the sugar out.
I didn't know much about diabetes prior to being diagnosed, but we knew something was wrong when I had to stay home from school because I couldn't stay awake long enough to do anything. I remember my grandmother who would look after me until my Mum got home, would have to wake me up to eat and then I'd be back asleep until the next meal. So we went for tests at the doctors, and he referred me onto the hospital where I was diagnosed with this condition called Type 1 diabetes. It wasn't until I was weighed at the hospital that we realised I'd lost 2 stone in weight too.
Happier Times
But those were difficult days, not that there haven't been a couple more along the way with trips to hospital with ketones and days where I was fed up of the sight of injections. But there have been so many highlights so far too such as carrying the Olympic Torch and getting to meet all kinds of wonderful people. One of the toughest diaverseries was the 10 year one. Because I still remember from not long after diagnosis that they said we'd have a cure for diabetes in 5 to 10 years. And here we were at ten years and still no cure available. However, insulin pumps are pretty awesome. So on my 10 year diaversary we went to the aquarium and forgot all about the d word for a couple of hours.
And that's what a diaversary is all about, forgetting the big D and celebrating the positives about a condition that has brought new friends, happy memories and long-lasting amazing experiences.
Symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes
- Tiredness
- Extreme thirst
- Severe weight loss
- Frequent trips to the toilet
0 comments:
Post a Comment