Sweet and Sour- The Type 1 Diabetes Rollercoaster

To the author, Your article whilst I'm sure well intentioned, was a major blow to the type 1 community. For those that don't want to follow the link, it concerns JDRF's (Juvenile Diabetes Foundation) use of jelly babies in the promotion of Jelly Baby Month, a fund raising time of year for type 1 diabetes. The author believes that jelly babies should not be sold and that it is hypocritical and AWFUL for their use in promotion. Now, from what my mum says you're actually really great in regards to nutrition and perhaps this article was not meant the way it sounds. But Ms O'Meara, I have a bone to pick with you. 1) Thank you for distinguishing between type 1 and 2- really most sources of media don't do this and I appreciate that. BUT the following comments, despite your insistence that you understand the difference, do not demonstrate that.  'To me it’s a little like looking for a cure for mesothelioma (lung cancer) and selling cigarettes to raise funds t...

EARLY POST :) Because it's cold outside and I have nothing resembling a social life at the moment... T ype 5's probably have the hardest job, their condition however was self-inflicted, which adds to their level of bravery, committment... and possibly stupidity. But type 1's like me appreciate them for their self sacrifice.  A Type 5 Diabetic has the following symptoms: - Has a fully functioning pancreas - Has no insulin concerns - Is the best friend and supporter of a diabetic - Doesn't judge what their diabetic friend eats - Doesn't tell their diabetic how to manage their condition - Asks questions (yes people, I LIKE answering questions!) - Carries or offers to carry emergency sugar sources (one of my type 5's did this even before I was diagnosed... she had a hunch) - Reads your diabetic blog - Doesn't get grossed out by fingerpricks and injections at the dinner table - Loves you despite your general craziness about everything...

Concerts are awesome. Simple really. But the thing is, diabetes and concerts just  well they just.don't.go. I don't know what happened between them to cause such a terrible mismatch, but in short their relationship is very VERY messy. Basically, being a t1d is a pain at times because you need to be able to check your blood sugar... kinda hard in a mosh pit.  There are three methods of sugar checking in a concert. 1) The Balancing Act: We've all done it, finger pricker in the mouth, sugar meter balancing on the arm and test strips flying everywhere. Obviously not one for the weak hearted, or the uncoordinated 2) The 'You Owe Me A Favour' Approach: That's right, it's time to call in our lovely friends and ask them to hold things for you. Maybe you say you're super low, but whatever it is, you make it seem like they have to help. The ultimate diabetic benefit is assistance in the mosh pit :) 3) The 'She'll be right mate!...

My insulin pump, fondly named Dobby (Yes, from Harry Potter.... don't judge me...) seems to share a goal of spontaneously appearing where it shouldn't and holding the wish to maim and seriously injure (you traitorous pump you!) Don't you see the resemblance? You diabetics know what I'm talking about, Dobby likes to live on the edge. It's a little sport, called pump bungee-jumping and I think my pump's addicted. It happens at any time, any place and usually when it's least wanted, like when standing up on a bus/train to get off at your stop or when you go take off your seat belt in the car. There it is, the pump hanging by its tubing, swaying in the breeze. Not only is this painful, but sometimes it gets caught on things like doorknobs, and pulls out the infusion set, meaning that I have to inject a new one early (boo!). But that isn't all. Me being me, when this happens I usually make some form of comment that would sound really really weir...

Dear 'Doctor' with magical cure for type 1 diabetes, I don't buy it. Not.one.bit. You preach that religious faith, herbal remedies, asparagus and all kinds of crazy concoctions will cure my diabetes, that I'm letting myself suffer by listening to my doctors and taking insulin, that somehow this is further damaging my pancreas. That the cure has always been so easy to find, and that I'm simply being stubborn in not accepting your remedies. Well, I don't know where you got your degree, or whether your doctorate is ACTUALLY in medicine, but newsflash: Type 1 diabetes isn't curable. Yet. See, you overshadow REAL progress with your false 'natural' advances, supposedly converting type 1 diabetics into type 2 diabetics and finally non-diabetics. At one time, I believed you, just after I was diagnosed. There were all these supposed cures, that diabetes wasn't forever, that there had been some form of mistake and I was actually type 2. Well, the...

Test strips Test strips EVERYWHERE I recently changed blood sugar meter- this one sends the level straight to my pump (COOL RIGHT!) Yeah, it is… but the test strips everywhere… not so much They pop up in the most random places- to name a few: - On my floor - In my handbag - Under a chair at school - In my locker - In my shoe - In my mother’s handbag (I don’t even know how that happened) And look, I have evidence! (See the little white thing just casually lying on the floor? Yeah, wasn't there 20 minutes ago) They move I tell you, I don’t know how they do it, but they are ninjas. I’m on to you test strips. You can’t run forever.

Right now, things aren't easy. I have three exams in one day, my hsc, temp work, my driving hours/test and my diabetes to manage. And on the diabetes front, I'm not doing so well. For months now I've been having sharp pain in my nerves that comes and go's, but lately it's been getting worse. As many of you know, neuropathy is a complication of diabetes, but normally one that sets in after years of having the disease and from instability in blood sugars. Prior to my 8.7 A1c, my levels had been brilliant, which makes it seem unlikely to be neuropathy. But that's the thing, diabetes complications are scary, because they can affect almost any diabetic, even at a young age and for no particular reason. So, now I have to  have a nerve conductor study, which is apparently rather painful but will assess what's going on. Assessing the entire situation, it's unlikely to be diabetic neuropathy, but this just serves as a reminder of what could happen when I'm ...

well I went to see my endo today (endocrinologist, a doctor specialising in the care of diabetes and other hormone related disorders). As usual, he was brilliant sorting out everything and helping me immensely in aiding the daily plight of managing blood sugars and insulin dosages. But this time, well the stress has got to me and my HbA1c (the three month average of my blood glucose, was the highest it's ever been. We aim to have it below 7% and usually I'm well under, but this time was different- 8.7. Now for a lot of people, this is a great A1c, but being the perfectionist I am, it's a bit of a let down, but maybe a sign to slow it down with the stress. I take six hsc subjects, each intensive and demanding it its own right and whilst I am aiming for a high ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) to get into my desired course at uni, it might be time to ease off a little and focus on myself, rather than school school school. So yes, my A1c isn't somethi...