Newbie but type 1 for 70+ years

[CayugaSusie]

Hi I have enjoyed over 70 years as a type 1 and inject insulin as required using Actrapid for fast action and Levemir for long term. At school it was same dose each day but after 8 years at Uni studying Control Engineering to PhD level and playing squash hockey and football regularly I quickly learnt that fixed daily doses are not the best mode of operation for me, so now I manage by blood testing every 3-4 hours and injecting 2 units Actrapid whenever my BS goes above 10.

 

[Inka]

Welcome @CayugaSusie 🙂 70+ years is amazing😎

You must have seen so many changes over that time. I really love hearing from people who’ve lived with Type 1 for decades - it’s inspiring. Do you use the Actrapid to cover meals too?

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Wow! Welcome to the forum @CayugaSusie

Have you got your Diabetes UK medal(s)?

We have a few long-term T1s on the forum (I’m a mere beginner with only 30 years on the clock) so you are in good company, and will have others to compare stories with 🙂

 

[SB2015]

Welcome to the forum @CayugaSusie
How good to have such a depth of experience on here with your 70 + years.
Such changes you have seen. I look forward to hearing more from you

 

[CayugaSusie]

Welcome @CayugaSusie 🙂 70+ years is amazing😎

You must have seen so many changes over that time. I really love hearing from people who’ve lived with Type 1 for decades - it’s inspiring. Do you use the Actrapid to cover meals too?

Hi Yes my doctor diagnosed diabetes using Fehling’s solutions as no diastix in 1950. I remember the large test tube going bright red when he boiled the mixture with some of my urine over a Bunsen flame. I was then transferred immediately to the old Norfolk and Norwich hospital feeling very sick. After a few days I was better and the Ward 5 matron got me to take round a very large tea pot to top up the early morning cups of tea given to the patients in Ward 5 the medical ward. Later I was allowed to walk around Norwich alone to get exercise aged only 11. After getting back to the Grammar School I used to cycle home for lunch as I was on a diet. I remember cabbage was my favourite as 12 ounces only 5 FM of carbohydrate.One day I fell off my bike on the school driveway and the headmaster took me home in his car. The doctor came and gave me i.v. Glucose and it transpired rather than lessons that day my class had been moving desks and chairs all morning!!! From then on I stayed for school lunches which were brilliant and cost 1/6 per day or 7pence in modern money. Insulin came in 3 strengths- 20 40 and 80 units per ml with each in a different coloured bottle. Syringes were glass and kept in a butter dish filled with surgical spirit and had to be washed out with boiled water before use. My wife is from Thailand and I have spent many trips travelling around China too and in Asia blood sugar is still measured in mgm per decilitre so normal BS is 90-100 over there rather mmol

 

[Inka]

That’s fascinating @CayugaSusie What a diagnosis process! It’s touching how you remember all those details from school too. It must have been harder to cope with without the blood glucose meters we have now. I didn’t realise that blood sugar was measured in mg/dl in Asia. Ive learnt something new today.

I look forward to hearing more from you on the forum 🙂

 

[CayugaSusie]

Welcome @CayugaSusie 🙂 70+ years is amazing😎

You must have seen so many changes over that time. I really love hearing from people who’ve lived with Type 1 for decades - it’s inspiring. Do you use the Actrapid to cover meals too?

Thanks for kind words and being 80 have concentrated on paying close attention to exercise diet etc with being tee total helps as well as getting up every day at 05-30 and in bed by 19-00 —tho maybe not on Sunday this week. Used to ride motorbikes and learnt to fly gyro planes in Florida.
While driving many years ago in Birmingham I realised my BS much too low ( and my in car store of chocolate had unfortunately run out!) so stopped my car in middle of a 5 lane road in front of traffic lights. A kind lady driver behind asked me if I had had a heart attack so I told her I was unable to drive any more and could she please call for an ambulance? She kindly did this and I was carted off to hospital while a policeman parked my car on the nearby pavement. At the hospital I was given a Glucose drink and a sandwich so after 40 minutes I was told I could leave as BS was OK again. So I called a taxi but could not remember where my car was so had a tour of Birmingham until eventually spotting my car parked on the side. I think the taxi driver was quite pleased as the fare was rather steep

 

[CayugaSusie]

Wow! Welcome to the forum @CayugaSusie

Have you got your Diabetes UK medal(s)?

We have a few long-term T1s on the forum (I’m a mere beginner with only 30 years on the clock) so you are in good company, and will have others to compare stories with 🙂

Hi No I haven’t bothered to get any medals as life is too full of activities as well as the all important attention to detail about exercise diet dosage etc etc In 1951 after 10 days in Norfolk and Norwich Ward 5 (medical ward) I was back at school and remember after having my soluble insulin 80 units per ml strength injection I was taught that I had to eat some “elevenses” every day as by 11 o clock the insulin had obviously started working flat so eating some carbs was essential to prevent a hypo! Mum always gave me 2 slices of Ryvita with cheese in and this still tastes just as good 70 years later

 

[Esmee]

Hi No I haven’t bothered to get any medals as life is too full of activities as well as the all important attention to detail about exercise diet dosage etc etc In 1951 after 10 days in Norfolk and Norwich Ward 5 (medical ward) I was back at school and remember after having my soluble insulin 80 units per ml strength injection I was taught that I had to eat some “elevenses” every day as by 11 o clock the insulin had obviously started working flat so eating some carbs was essential to prevent a hypo! Mum always gave me 2 slices of Ryvita with cheese in and this still tastes just as good 70 years later

Oh life with stacks of ryvita for the morning!! I remember taking a bag full of the stuff with me on my first summer camp as a teenager!!

 

[Lucyr]

Oh life with stacks of ryvita for the morning!! I remember taking a bag full of the stuff with me on my first summer camp as a teenager!!

The person you are replying to hasn’t used the forum in 2 years. Please check the date on threads you reply to.