Newby - had T1 Diabetes 42 years on Christmas day

[Sweetz]

Hi I'm new here but have been a reader on the forum for years so I thought it time to participate. I was diagnosed back in the 70s at age 10 - rushed into hospital in a coma on Christmas day and diagnosed with Type 1 - this was back in the day when diabetes wasn't routinely tested for- thankfully I'm here to tell the tale.
My son was then diagnosed at age 4 back in year 2000 with less trauma but still lots of heartache at the time.

 

[SB2015]

Welcome to the forum @Sweetz

You have a few years under your belt. Good to have your experience on here. I look forward to hearing more from you.

 

[Flower]

Hello and welcome @Sweetz glad you’ve joined us 🙂

I’m approaching my 42nd year as well - thank goodness for technology! How have things been for you? Are you a pump user or on MDI, Libre user? There’s some good tech around and developing fast. I hope things are going as well as possible for your son.

 

[stephknits]

Welcome to the forum, great to have you here. I got type 1 at the age of 42, so only 7 years practice so far, but my daughter was also diagnosed thisay, she is 16. Lots of heartache, it's the thing you look out for and hope won't happen.

 

[Sweetz]

Hi all thanks for the warm welcome Flower I'm on MDI - I've never had a pump even mentioned to me but I'm fine on MDI. I do occasionally self fund the libre which I adore the flexibility it gives - a bit different to those test tube urine tests back in the 70s
Stephknits I feel for you I was the same when my 4 year old was diagnosed - prior to him being diagnosed I was told it wasn't common for T1 to be hereditary!!!!!! so not to worry!!!! How long has your daughter been diagnosed and how is she coping?

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Hello and welcome @Sweetz. Besides Easter I can not think of a worse time to be diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 10 that must have sucked big time Like your son my diagnoses came when aged four and a bit. I've just clocked up 55 years with type 1.

 

[Sweetz]

Thanks Sue - wow 55 years!! Can't imagine what diabetes looked like in the 60s!!! If the 70s was anything to go by - reusable needles and syringes, no home blood tests and collecting urine to put in a test tube along with a tablet to test for glucose !!! Hope you are doing well

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Sweetz

A relative newcomer here with not even 30 years under my belt yet!

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Thanks Sue - wow 55 years!! Can't imagine what diabetes looked like in the 60s!!! If the 70s was anything to go by - reusable needles and syringes, no home blood tests and collecting urine to put in a test tube along with a tablet to test for glucose !!! Hope you are doing well

The 60's and 70's were basically the same 🙂 Diabetes wise doing very well thank you, with no complications so far 🙂 I'm another pumper so life is a lot easier in the diabetes dept.,

 

[nonethewiser]

Hi I'm new here but have been a reader on the forum for years so I thought it time to participate. I was diagnosed back in the 70s at age 10 - rushed into hospital in a coma on Christmas day and diagnosed with Type 1 - this was back in the day when diabetes wasn't routinely tested for- thankfully I'm here to tell the tale.
My son was then diagnosed at age 4 back in year 2000 with less trauma but still lots of heartache at the time.

That sucks, miserable Christmas day for you & family.

Diagnosed 5 days before Christmas 1981, managed to get out on Christmas Eve, still enjoyed it despite life being upside down.

 

[Sweetz]

Thanks @everydayupsanddowns - 30 years under your belt - I bet you've also seen loads of changes in that time technology in diabetes etc.

@nonethewiser - you did well only 5 days but still must have been a very strange one for you !!!! I was in a coma so didn't see that Christmas or boxing day I had a whole year of diabetes to prepare me for the next one