Author: Frank

The Story of How I Was Diagnosed

3 Comments

This coming Monday will mark six years of life with type 1 diabetes. Today, I’m revisiting the story of how I was diagnosed.

The first week of May holds a lot of significance for me. It marks six years since the turn of events that led to my diagnosis with type 1 diabetes, and yet I can remember it as though it happened yesterday.

I was 17 and midway through my first semester of uni. I was struggling to find my feet among uni assignments, my new job, and my 18th birthday looming a few weeks away. I had decided to skip uni for a few days to try and make some headway with my assignments. I had about three or four separate papers to write, which meant hours and hours of reading through mindless PDF scholarly journals for references. It was enough to put me to sleep.And speaking of sleep, I was absolutely exhausted. I could not be bothered in the slightest. After many Facebook sessions, browsing breaks, heading to the kitchen for a drink and then going to the toilet, I had wasted away almost 3 days. And by Wednesday night, I had achieved next to nothing. And for the most part, I just thought I was being a lazy kid procrastinating on his uni assignments.

Enter Thursday morning and I really didn’t want to get out of bed. I felt weak and lethargic, and my mouth felt really dry. I just put it down to my inactivity over the past three days, then forced myself up and prepared a super healthy lunch to take to work. I don’t think I even lasted half an hour at work that day. I didn’t have the energy to stand on my feet that day. I knew something wasn’t right. I told Mum I had to see a doctor ASAP. And I NEVER go to the doctor.

At such short notice, I had to settle for the first doctor I could find. After explaining my symptoms, he told me it was just a virus and ordered bedrest and hot drinks for 3 days. Phew! What a relief it wasn’t anything serious…or so I thought.

I spent the next 3 days in bed, which speaks volumes for me. I NEVER stay in bed when I’m sick, but I had absolutely no energy to do anything else. With a dry mouth stripped of all its saliva, I was struggling to eat anything despite my Mum telling me to “eat something!” (Its an Italian thing!). All I really felt like were cold refreshing drinks. I was constantly craving Orange Juice on the rocks.

By bedtime on Saturday I was restless. My mouth was bone dry. I was on my third or fourth iced orange juice when my rumblings in the kitchen got Mum out of bed. “What are you doing, the doctor told you to have hot drinks!” Mum yelled. My heart rate and pulse were getting more and more rapid, and I was urinating at least once every hour. I spewed and felt slightly better. I don’t know if I would have made it til morning had I not.

By the time I woke on Sunday morning – Mother’s Day no less – I was panting. My heart rate was extremely rapid and I felt breathless. Added to the list of no saliva, extreme thirst, constant urination and lethargy. I told Mum and Dad how I felt. I knew I needed to go to hospital, but was too scared to suggest it. I had so much faith, so much trust in my parents, and I needed to hear them say it first for it to be a real possibility. We talked about going back to the doctor, but I shot it down. There was no point. I knew I couldn’t hold out that long. As soon as the h word was mentioned, I was out the door.

The car ride to the hospital was a blur. I was panting the whole time, counting down the minutes until we got there. What was wrong with me? Was I ever going to get my saliva back? Would I ever be able to eat again? Honestly, then and there, I wasn’t even sure that I would make it to the hospital conscious or even alive.

I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes as soon as I walked through the door. If the hospital emergency staff picked up on my symptoms this quick, why couldn’t Thursday’s doctor? He could have saved me a whole lot of trouble and a whole lot of pain.

But looking back now, I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

After the ordeal I had been through, the relief of being able to get back to normal far outweighed coming to terms with diabetes, finger pricks and insulin injections. I don’t know if I would have embraced diabetes as well as I did had I not gone through this.

And I have a story to tell. I have memories that will last me a lifetime. I’m a stronger person because of what I’ve gone through. And, if anything, its made me even more passionate about diabetes awareness.

  
  

Updated: I’ve now climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge twice. They were among the best experiences of my life, and it goes to show that diabetes hasn’t stopped me from living a normal life.

Why Blog?

1 Comment

IMG_0987

My conversation with Rebecca Johnson at the Telethon Type 1 Diabetes Family Centre prompted some serious questions about my blog. Some of which I’ve never really thought about too seriously, and others that I’ve shared little tidbits about over time. Today, I’m popping it all into one post.

Why did I start to blog?

I love writing. My dream is to write for a living someday. I started this blog in January 2015 as a bit of a creative outlet to complement my studies in marketing and communications. I guess, even today, this blog remains a glimmer of hope that one day I might find work more closely aligned to where my passions lie. 

Diabetes seemed like a natural choice to write about. I didn’t even think there were many diabetes blogs out there, let alone an active community sharing their stories online. I know so much more about diabetes than I ever did before I started my blog. I am far more empowered and passionate about the condition that I live with, and I credit that to being a part of the diabetes community.

Is it hard to come up with ideas for blog posts?

It was definitely difficult to come up with ideas in the beginning, and get them onto paper cohesively. Today, the ideas come to me quite naturally. I’m really interested in what’s going on in the diabetes community. Diabetes follows me around in whatever I do, and something interesting always happens along the way. It’s amazing how the tiniest thing can become a blog post. Like, for example, finding a test strip on the hotel room floor. Other days I just want to empty out what’s on my mind, such as this post from last week. You get better at it over time.

Do I feel the pressure to constantly pump out content?

To be honest, I’ve surprised myself in being able to write so much here since I started. It’s more a thing of personal pride that motivates me to keep going. I’m really proud of my writing. I’m proud of my own personal development with my diabetes since I began this journey. I’m really proud of this space that I’ve created, and that people can come here to find a new post almost every day of the week. That was always the vision I had for my blog when I started it. 

How has Type 1 Writes evolved over time?

When I started Type 1 Writes, I imagined it would be more of a thing where I would give diabetes advice and lifestyle tips. I don’t think I realised the value of my own voice and my own story until a little later when I began to connect with others in the Diabetes Online Community.

A lot of my initial blog audience and DOC connections were from the United States, and I felt like I had to fit in with that. I don’t think I realised the value of my perspective as an Australian person with diabetes. I guess today, I’m proud to be an Australian diabetes blogger. I proudly publish my posts during the daytime here in Australia, even if that means that my friends in the US and UK are sitting down to dinner or heading to bed. I’m proud to be a part of the Oz Diabetes Online Community, even if it’s not as huge as DSMA or DCDE groups in the US.

What does the future hold for Type 1 Writes?

Hmmm…I hope I’ll be able to keep doing more of the same. Publishing great content, sharing my story with diabetes, being part of an inspiring community and hopefully reaching more people. I’d love to meet more DOC connections in real life, and attend diabetes conferences. If I could find a job or side income more closely aligned with my blog or my writing someday, that would be amazing too. 

One thing that won’t change, however, is that I will always continue to write what comes from the heart.

Inside the Telethon Type 1 Diabetes Family Centre

1 Comment

IMG_0921

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of visiting the new Telethon Type 1 Diabetes Family Centre in Perth, Western Australia.

It was a Tuesday afternoon in the midst of April school holidays, so I stepped inside cautiously. I could hear a familiar voice calling out to me. I was greeted by General Manager Rebecca Johnson, and by the looks of things I had the place to myself!

Behind the front desk, I met Crystal and Andrea who were wearing fairy wings, and in the middle of a game of Twister. Rest assured, they were only practicing for the centre’s Picnic In The Park outing on Thursday!

Opposite the front desk was a large kitchen, which I was told would be in full swing the next day for the Centre’s Kids In The Kitchen cooking sessions. The kids would be preparing morning tea for their parents, siblings and grandparents who were all welcome to come along.

IMG_0906

The place definitely had the vibe of a showroom, which is not too surprising considering that it was furnished by IKEA. As I walked around the place, I would never have guessed that diabetes existed here. It really was just a nice place to chill. If I were a kid, I don’t think Mum and Dad would have to drag me here for check ups. I don’t think my brother and sister would whinge about waiting around for me when they had several play areas to keep them entertained.

IMG_0911

IMG_0910

IMG_0913

I could see Mum and Dad taking a seat in the courtyard with a cuppa. It was definitely a place for the whole family to come to for diabetes support, without so much of a “clinical” feel to it.

IMG_0916

The Centre was funded by Telethon, a charity devoted to supporting sick children in Western Australia. The Centre is reliant on community sponsors, donations and volunteers – who are currently developing a playground directly behind those gates in the image above.

One of my burning questions for Rebecca was how a young adult like myself would fit into this place, if at all. The website and branding appears to target young children and families. Adult events at the Centre seem to be targeted specifically for Parents or Carers of type 1 children.

IMG_0907

Because the centre was funded by a children’s charity, there are strict criteria from the board in regards to the centre meeting the needs of children. Bec acknowledged the need for support services at the centre catering to young adults, defined as age 16 to 30. Many people, ourselves included, are diagnosed in that age bracket. Bec has recently had success in convincing the board to make the Centre more inclusive for young adults. Opened less than 12 months ago however, the Centre is still evolving. 

Young adults and children are welcome at Diabetes Clinics, which run every Friday and Saturday at the centre. Individuals and families are welcome to drop in at any time to access clinical support from a range of diabetes specialists. Support is also available at other times by appointment.

After a tour of the place, Bec and I headed upstairs and took a seat at the conference table. It was pretty cool to learn that we were both diagnosed at age 17 and a few weeks out from our 18th birthdays. Bec has used a range of diabetes devices and gadgets over the years. Currently she uses insulin injections, eats a low carbohydrate diet and uses a Continuous Glucose Monitor from time to time.

I could see how engaged Bec was in the Diabetes Online Community. I was humbled that she stumbled upon my little blog last year after I wrote this post, and took the time to reach out to me. A self confessed lurker, she frequents Twitter for her diabetes news and enjoys reading Insulin Nation and Diabetes Daily – coincidentally sites that I have written for! I also learned that DOC is actually spelt out D-O-C when spoken, rather than pronounced as one word!

One thing that Bec feels really strongly about is the need for young children to come to terms with, and accept their condition. Seeing adults living, and doing great things with type 1 can really inspire the children who come into the Centre. A type 1 diagnosis is not the end.

Stay up to date with what’s happening at the Telethon Type 1 Diabetes Family Centre on Facebook, and learn more at telethontype1.org.au. Special thanks to Bec for taking the time to meet with me.

More Reasons For The Insulin Pump

3 Comments

It feels like forever ago that I made the big decision to switch to an insulin pump, and now the big day is only two weeks away.

Over these past couple of months, one of my reasons for making the big switch is becoming much clearer.

I cannot wait to be able to fine tune my insulin to better suit the time of day.

I usually head to bed at around 10pm most nights, which is usually before all of my rapid acting insulin from dinner has worn off. I often find myself needing a good correction dose later on, and I’m not awake to be able to do this. If I’ve eaten something really Low GI like Pasta, it often needs some delayed insulin to cover it. If I’ve eaten something higher in fat or protein, ditto. So most nights, I end up setting 1am or 2am alarms which allow me to test and correct. It’s a lot of work.

Lantus tends to work best when I eat a similar amount of carbohydrates each day. Some nights, 10 units isn’t enough to keep me stable through the night. Some nights, 10 units will send me plummeting to lows. Other nights, my blood sugar will hold nicely until 4am, and then begin to plummet. Ideally, I imagine that my pump would be able to deliver a heavier background insulin rate between say, 10pm and 1am, and then a lighter rate for the rest of the evening.

Part of me is ridden with guilt. I feel like I have failed injections, and that I should have been able to get them right. I question whether I am getting the pump to be more lazy with my diabetes. I feel guilty for demanding an expensive piece of diabetes technology, when other people in the world can’t afford insulin alone. I feel guilty for not having the willpower to follow a regimented diet. I feel like I have a bad diet, simply because I can’t get my blood sugar levels quite right around the food that I eat.

However, none of this could be further from the truth.

I am working hard – extremely hard – with a very demanding condition. A condition that never lets me rest, and is changing all the time. I am striving, constantly, to do better. I know exactly why I am getting an insulin pump, and what I want from it. I haven’t made this decision lightly. I don’t eat exactly the same thing day in and day out. I enjoy variety in my diet, and I don’t apologise for it.

I’m going to try and stop feeling so guilty.

It’s my diabetes, and my choice in the way that I manage it.

Let the final countdown to pump day begin…

Guest Post: I Wish People Knew That Diabetes

1 Comment

Hey everyone, Scruffy here.

DSC01724

What’s that? You’ve never heard of me? What on earth does Frank talk about on this blog then?

Can you believe that my owner took off on holidays last week, and left me behind at Frank’s house? Sigh…

Frank’s been busy patting me, taking me for walks and feeding me scraps this week. I’m a bit upset that he doesn’t let me sleep inside at night like I do at home. Not nearly enough food here for my liking, either.

I’m a bit sick of watching Frank write on this blog, when he could be entertaining me instead. So, I thought I would lend him a hand today and make myself known. He doesn’t really deserve any favours from me, though…

Can you believe that I had to watch Frank tweeting about I Wish People Knew That Diabetes for the whole day last Wednesday? I don’t know what those humans are complaining about…I Wish People Knew That Diabetes means us dogs have it tough!

IMG_0958

I Wish People Knew That Diabetes means I have to watch Frank eat Tim Tams when he’s low. Well, I think he just says that to me so that I’ll leave him alone!

IMG_0933

I Wish People Knew That Diabetes makes Frank upset sometimes, and he doesn’t want to play with me.

I Wish People Knew That Diabetes means Frank has to get his insulin out of the fridge, when he could be getting food for me instead.

I Wish People Knew That Diabetes makes Frank pick me up when he’s upset, and I can’t run around the house and see what everyone else is up to!

I Wish People Knew That Diabetes means that Frank can’t wolf down his dinner like I do. He has to count carbs and give insulin first! Watching his delicious dinner plate for so long is torture!

Oh, and can you believe this – Frank just reminded me that if I’m going to be talking about I Wish People Knew That Diabetes, I need link to the official website at iwishpeopleknewthatdiabetes.org. I thought I was taking charge of this blog today!

To top it all off, they’re saying it’s going to rain again today.

It’s going to be a long day…

DSC01721