Don't list to what people say about your diabetes

I was diagnosed with diabetes a month before my third birthday in 1973. It was a condition that my family had not heard of, and the prospect of daily my injections, was a shock to them, as nobody in my family had diabetes.

*I think it would have been worse if I had got it later in life as I would be more used to eating certain foods and perhaps not have followed the healthier diet that I have now.

I was a novelty at school and had to wear a badge which stated, “I am a diabetic”. I still remember it to this day, a plastic cream coloured disc with a safety pin to attach to your clothes. Can you imagine wearing that today?

I remember cleaning my grubby badge one day with surgical spirit, and all the text came off! I never wore it after that.

I would get asked by my classmates, “What does that mean?” and would tire of giving people the same explanation, week after week.

I used to have school dinners and always remember that every day the children had lovely desserts, and I had a chopped apple.

At Christmas I was really lucky and had apple with a small spoon of custard! How things have changed!

Treatment has really changed, I was on one injection a day and had to do home urine testing.

It was quite exciting as it was like performing a chemistry experiment in your own bathroom with the test tube and dropper.

A far cry from blood glucose monitoring! I also had a stainless steel syringe for injecting!

Diabetes has not stopped me from doing anything. I was reading about a person who was complaining that they couldn’t hold down a job, or do their own injections. Life is what you make it. You can either moan about things or be positive, embrace life and get out there.

I follow the latter example: I took an Open University degree and passed in 2001 and have a responsible job managing a youth centre as well as volunteering in the local community.

I have experienced a lot of negativity from the Asian community and feel this is a condition that they wish to sweep under the carpet. I was told that nobody would marry me because of my condition. What rubbish! I have been viewed as a freak.

I once went to a wedding and was drawing my insulin up in the bathroom. A couple of ladies walked in, gave me a disgusted look, and walked out again.

I didn’t bother explaining. My opinion was, “If you want to assume and not let me explain, I won’t bother”. I’ve also had people not sit next to me at weddings and move on purpose. Do they think they’ll catch it? How ignorant!

I currently sponsor a young girl in India to enable her to fund her insulin/supplies. I would really like to meet her and say to her, “Don’t listen to what people may say to you about your diabetes. Get out there and live your life”.

Nabila Ritchie
Diabetes .uk
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It took a real bad experience to realise I should have a blood test before I drive

It took a bad experience to realise I should have a blood test every time I drive

*I have been diagnosed with Type1 diabetes for 18 years. I have had my ups and downs like everyone, but on the whole I have been fit and healthy by checking my eyes and blood sugar levels.

I been driving now for three years in the UK, never really having any problems regarding my sugar levels.

My mum always says "check your sugar levels when you drive. I know it is annoying, but it's better to be safe than sorry."

When I go on a long journey I always check my levels and make sure I take something sweet like lucozade in case I need it.

The other night I finished work and got into my car. The weather was grey and rainy, the journey time from work to home is 10 minutes on the motorway. I got onto the motorway and came up to my junction, but was in the wrong lane to turn off, so I continued to the next junction.

The only problem was my sugar levels was dropping and my warning signs did not kick in, so I continued driving.

I started to get confused, but not really thinking anything of it. I got lost and even more confused driving around. One hour passed since I left work and my sugar levels continued to drop. I took a turning off the motorway, about five junctions down where I was supposed to get off and I hit a post at full speed. The airbags activated and that's all I remember.

Then a few minutes later I woke up crying and screaming having also wet myself to be surrounded by two paremedics giving me a gluco jab and trying to get my sugar levels up after they dropped to 1.9.

Due to hitting a post and having whiplash, the paremedics called out the fire brigade who cut the roof off my car to get me out as they were worried that my spine could be damaged and if I moved I could be paralised.

After about 40 minutes I was pulled out on a spine board and all around me were firefighters and police making sure I was OK. I was in shock but still I had not realized what had happen to me.

All I could think was 'please God make sure my spine is OK so I can walk. I don't care about the £3000 I just spent last week buying my new car.'

After a full check from the doctors I was discharged with no fractures or cracks to my spine. Leaving the hospital I was still shaky and thinking how I am going to tell my family what happend.

I had to go through a bad expirience to realize that I should have a blood test every time I get into a car and drive, regardless how short my trip is going to be.

Extracts from Diabetes.uk
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