Type One for More Than 35 Years!

Hey Shoofly-

Thanks for the walk down memory lane... You made me laugh and nod!  I remember getting a detention in school one day for asking to go to the bathroom too many times - boy, we have all come a long way in understanding diabetes!  I hope every child who happens to be diagnosed with diabetes is introduced to one of us long timers - the support and understanding alone would make a huge difference! 

Someone in an earlier post asked What is the biggest difference the pump has made?  I would like to say, there are so many great things about the pump, it makes me very aware of my diabetes which is instrumental to heading off tricky situations at the root.  It has also given me a sense of power and stripped away a certain amount of  "helpless" with this disease.  I think not having to carry around syringes and a delicate glass bottle is also a fairly HUGE relief.  Still, finding a secluded place to use my blood glucose meter posses the same dilemas.  You know what I mean, like having to sneak off so those who don't know you very well won't feel uncomfortable... that sort of thing.  However, nothing compares to being able to push a couple of buttons and magically get a dose of insulin right at the table of a restaurant!! I love my pump. I have earned my pump and now I only wait for the arrival of the Glucometer Watch or better yet, how about a Glucometer Cell Phone!! Your comment really touched me, so true:

We are stronger, healthier and most of us are over-achievers =)

Right back at cha!!

Keep up the smilies - they really show your spirit!

Victoria

Hi: I'm 54 and have had type 1 diabetes for 43 years. I've been on a pump for about 20 years, was one of the subjects in the first human trials of human insulin, published the first paper about glucose monitoring in pregnancy in 1980 (I'm also a CDE) and asked my pediatric endocrinologist in 1970 if I could use the Dextrostix at home to check my BG that we had used at the camp where I was a counselor for kids with diabetes. She STERNLY told me that no one would ever be willing to stick their own fingers to check their glucose and absolutey forbid me to do so . Fern's blog touched me heart. Fern, you can be OK. You'll find the strength to change one thing at a time. Keep all your dreams, but make your first dream taking control of your life, most improtantly, your diabetes. Don't see your only identity as a diabetic---you are clearly many, many things; student, artist, adventurer (notice how none of those labels end in "ic")---you also happen to have diabetes. Owning that part of your human condition will help you see ways that you can accomplish whatever you want to do in your life. Take your antidepressants--no shame there!  Good luck to you and God bless.