Hi,
I'm Dan. I was diagnosed in 1990 at the age of 17. It is a fascinating and sometimes wearing journey. I started with syringes and slow acting insulin twice a day. I had to eat a set amount of carbs (without carb counting!??) for each meal. My test strips changed colour that you compared on a chart. I know people who started only able to test their urine, yet we have come such a long way in a short time. I was originally told to keep my sugars between 3 and 9 (I was corrected on that, 10 years later....)
I moved from St Thomas' to St Georges and then to Kings College Hospital. I have participated in quite a few medical trials to try and do my bit to help medical tech and medicine with our condition.
I now have a great and supportive team. I'm on a pump (Dana RS) with a CGM (Libre with MM2) and a closed loop system, Android APS. I still struggle at times and sometimes I have a rollercoaster graph, for seemingly no reason at all. I believe that we are always still learning. It was fairly recently for instance that the idea that high fat meals (pizza, cheesy pasta etc.) need an extended (dual wave) bolus to deal with the delayed absorption of the carbs (and that the total carbs will be higher because of the fat...).
I had to give up on my ambition to be a pilot, when I was diagnosed at 17. However 15 years later T1s were allowed to become commercial pilots. I do not think that it defines us and in 99.9% of cases it shouldn't be a reason to hold us back. As much as I wouldn't miss it, it is now easier than it has ever been to deal and live with.
😉
Dan
I'm Dan. I was diagnosed in 1990 at the age of 17. It is a fascinating and sometimes wearing journey. I started with syringes and slow acting insulin twice a day. I had to eat a set amount of carbs (without carb counting!??) for each meal. My test strips changed colour that you compared on a chart. I know people who started only able to test their urine, yet we have come such a long way in a short time. I was originally told to keep my sugars between 3 and 9 (I was corrected on that, 10 years later....)
I moved from St Thomas' to St Georges and then to Kings College Hospital. I have participated in quite a few medical trials to try and do my bit to help medical tech and medicine with our condition.
I now have a great and supportive team. I'm on a pump (Dana RS) with a CGM (Libre with MM2) and a closed loop system, Android APS. I still struggle at times and sometimes I have a rollercoaster graph, for seemingly no reason at all. I believe that we are always still learning. It was fairly recently for instance that the idea that high fat meals (pizza, cheesy pasta etc.) need an extended (dual wave) bolus to deal with the delayed absorption of the carbs (and that the total carbs will be higher because of the fat...).
I had to give up on my ambition to be a pilot, when I was diagnosed at 17. However 15 years later T1s were allowed to become commercial pilots. I do not think that it defines us and in 99.9% of cases it shouldn't be a reason to hold us back. As much as I wouldn't miss it, it is now easier than it has ever been to deal and live with.
😉
Dan
I liked the visual check they provided.
