Longest surviving type 1 diabetes sufferer tells her story

[Northerner]

New Zealand is home to the world's longest survivors of type 1 diabetes. Eighty-four-year-old Winsome Johnston has defied the odds, in more ways than one.
Ms Johnston is always has lots of people to buy presents for around Christmas ? four generations, in fact. But none of this was meant to happen.
?They told me if I remember rightly, the doctors, that my life wouldn't be that long,? she says.
Ms Johnston was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of six. Her sister had it too, but died at the age of 16.
Now, aged 84, Ms Johnston's the longest surviving person with type 1 diabetes in the world. She's had it for 78 years.

http://www.3news.co.nz/Longest-surv...story/tabid/423/articleID/279767/Default.aspx

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Well done that lady 🙂

I do so wish people would stop discribe diabetes as suffering 😡 It drives me around the bend. We have diabetes it's a condition that has to live with us and not us with it.

 

[Northerner]

Well done that lady 🙂

I do so wish people would stop discribe diabetes as suffering 😡 It drives me around the bend. We have diabetes it's a condition that has to live with us and not us with it.

Yes, obviously many people suffer from poor control and its consequences in the form of complications, but I personally don't feel that I 'suffer' from diabetes itself. It has forced a different way of living on me, but for the most part that is not a bad thing as it has encouraged me to take better care of myself. And I've met so many wonderful people because of it 😉

 

[trophywench]

Know what you mean Sue.

However maybe it is the correct word after all?

Maybe, it has the interpretation the same as eg 'Jenny doesn't suffer fools or diabetes gladly' ?

OTOH, given the choice I'll have the diabetes Ta .......