Sweet and Sour- The Type 1 Diabetes Rollercoaster

As I sat on my laptop, applying for allowances through Centrelink whilst simultaneously looking through bank account options, it suddenly dawned on me that I’m entering the adult world. I now understand why people whinge about Centrelink after having spent hours on the phone with them and filling out an application that took well over the estimated 30 minutes. I understand why people get annoyed at the banks and their convoluted details, because nothing is simple when it’s run by the government or the banks.  This understanding dawned on me when I’d confirmed for the third time, that no, I do not have a live-in partner or children, and no, I’m not Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. STOP ASKING. But this new world isn’t just about governments and banks, turning 18 means that I leave my team at the children’s hospital, and I’m not sure I’m ready yet. It’s said that when you share a life changing experience with someone, a connection is established. Strangely eno...

I finished the HSC today I get my formal tickets and reference when I sign out on the 18th and then that's high school, done. I guess I'll technically be unemployed.... yikes There were some interesting diabetes mishaps throughout the exams, but right now I'm going to sit down and catch up on some sorely missed television Back to blogging after my holiday!

Well if there's anyone out there, hi! I'm right in the middle of my HSC, five exams left until I can finally finish high school for good and add my other subject's notes to the shredder (I wasn't kidding, this is English) But I thought I'd share some fantastic news with those of you that still pay attention to my little blog. Somehow, I managed to get an early offer/scholarship into uni. Yep.... even I'm not sure how that happened. It was nerve wracking and hard work, but somehow I managed it. So now, I don't have to get as high marks as I once did and if I fit the criteria I am guaranteed a place in the course and made an offer in the first uni offer round in January! I would also like to mention a lovely girl, who I didn't even know read this blog. She's kind hearted and sweet, not to mention driven and intelligent. I first admired her for her brilliance in the acadmeic arena, but as I spoke to her more, I have grown to resp...

Dear Diabetes, I think we need to sort out a few things, because you really haven't been behaving yourself lately. I've made you a comprehensive list of my concerns and would like a reply and action to be taken as soon as possible. 1) Stop with the high blood sugar levels in exams. Just stop it. It's not nice, I don't like it. Whoever gave you the idea that blood sugars of 15-17 were ok during exams is an idiot, because it's just not. You've been here for going on four years, you know better. 2) Now onto the fake low blood sugars. No diabetes, I'm not low when my blood sugar is 7, stop over reacting. Not being able to treat symptoms of a low is terrible... because I'm not actually low. Seriously, I'd love to eat stacks of jellybeans and chocolate, really, but you're going to have to deal with having more insulin when I do. 3) Ok, I understand that you and pizza don't get along, really at 25 grams a slice I don't blame you. But PLE...

Hello there! I still have readers, even though I'm not here that's nice... thanks!! I won't be blogging until after my HSC trials which finish on the 8th of August I'm sorry! Trials are giving me a lot of diabetes stories, and I'm only two days in! 6 exams to go....

I'm tired I studied for seven hours today There is construction work going on I'm hungry It's dark in my room and blogging is just not going to happen So today I give you dot points: - I had a hypo (YAY, fear over!) which wasn't easy considering you have false hypo's when your level has been high, ie. you feel like you're low at around 10mmol/L, when really you're not low until under 4mmol/L... and there's nothing you can do about it - The HSC is getting ridiculous and I can't wait until it's over, these last 80 days or so of high school could not go quicker This diabetic is sleepy, brain dead and possibly low. But like a dedicated blogger, I post on Mondays... I always post on Mondays *zzzzz*

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...

So I've had a shocker of a day, thanks to a mishap in one of my exams. This time, it wasn't because of a high or low blood sugar, but because of a lack of communication, issues with diabetic provisions for exams and quite frankly, sheer stupidity. I'm not going into the ins and outs of the situation, but there's going to be a lot of paperwork :P It's times like this where I think how much easier everything would be if I didn't have diabetes. All of the hassle and the bother the school has to go do, plus double the bother I have to deal with when they get things wrong is insane. It's almost like you're a burden on the school, it's all too hard. It'd be nice to have something easy, to be a normal student sitting a normal exam with normal teen pressures during the hsc. But enough of the whinging, diabetes has given me a lot (maybe not quite a much as it has taken) but still, I'm a better person.  But like any normal person,...

so now I'm one of THOSE bloggers, you know the ones 'I'll update on Thursday' Yup... sorry It's been a while :/ Unfortunately, I'm doing this little thing called the HSC and it's successfully eating my life. However with my chemistry exam over and done with I have a little time (who am I kidding, this is purely procrastination in order to avoid studying English). Sure, I don’t expect everyone on the face of the Earth to know about Type 1 diabetes, but sometimes people come out with the most ridiculous and insulting things that it makes me wonder, where the heck did they get THAT from?!  For now, here’s the top 10 list of the most ridiculous, not to mention common,  things people have said to me after I've uttered the words ‘I’m a type 1 diabetic.’ 10) Oh you’re a diabetic? My grandmother/aunt/grandfather/uncle died from that… oh… sorry. 9) You know you can cure that? Good diet and exercise does the trick, that’s been cured for years! 8) Oh...

So I don't really know if anyone will see this, but hopefully this survey can get out :) I'm currently completing my HSC (the highest secondary qualification in NSW, Australia) and as a part of this I am conducting research into how the media presents diabetes. Blog readers (it seems I have a few), I need your help! If you are a diabetic, please follow this link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Q2D2GNV If you are a non diabetic and haven't completed this survey (either in paper or digital format), please follow this link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/QCMC95X Thank you! Back to regular posts on Thursday :)

Phew, blog week has been pretty demanding so I'm looking forward to getting back to my style of posts! Now I'm meant to link the blogs I've stumbled across thanks to diabetes blog week, and they're pretty amazing! 1) k2 at http://diabetesaliciousness.blogspot.com She's brilliant, there aren't any other words for how amazing her sense of humour is. As always reading her posts has made me smile. 2) Meri at ourdiabeticlife.com is inspirational and gives me a bit of a look into what it must be like to be a mum of a diabetic.  Now that this blog week is over, I thought I'd share todays diabetes drama! RD presents: that time I accidentally OD'd on insulin ... so this happened last night! So it was 10.30 and time for my blood sugar check. I'd been the perfect student, totally prepared for todays exams and heading to bed early. But no, I made one mistake. Typing my blood sugar into my insulin pump, I sat with bleary, glazed eyes attem...