I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 16 months, 55 years ago. In those days, to manage diabetes, people used Benedict's solution, a poisonous chemical that was placed into a test tube along with a specified amount of urine and heated on the stove for several minutes, until it reached the boiling point. Then a hemostat was used to gently shake the test tube and compare the resulting color with a color chart. Insulin dosages were calculated based on the color of the solution. I remember blue was "great" (negative on the score card) and bright orange was "terrible," a 4+. To this day, I hate the color bright orange!
As we know now, urine sugar (glucose) is a highly inaccurate way to determine the level of glucose in the blood, as some people spill sugar into the urine with a blood glucose level of 200 mg/dL, but some not until they reach 400 mg/dL! Also, urine glucose is about 6 hours behind blood glucose, so in the '50s, people were always playing "catch up." In those days, there were only glass syringes with reusable steel needles that were very large and needed to be sterilized by boiling every day. Travel was difficult because of the challenge of transporting all the diabetes care paraphernalia, possibly dropping a syringe and breaking it, and not having well designed carrying cases.
I now wear an insulin pump, have become a certified diabetes nurse educator, and test my blood glucose 6 to 10 times a day, depending on my level of activity and how I'm feeling. I have become a “cheerleader” for the cause of diabetes and people living and coping with it. Over the past 10 years, I have had continuous access to glucose monitors, insulin pens, insulin analogues, and all kinds of ongoing research.
Diabetes is a 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week condition from which there is no vacation. People with diabetes must carefully juggle their activity levels, blood glucose levels, medications, meal plan, stress level, and any illness, infection, and surgical procedure, along with the daily demands of life that everyone else must do.
I have been greatly blessed in coping with the demands of diabetes by being surrounded with caring family and friends. I have never made a secret of my diabetes, but don't use it as an excuse, either. I think a strong religious faith, a loving support system, and good education through the years have kept me healthy.
I have had complications from diabetes, mostly trigger fingers, and may need surgery in the near future to permanently relieve the discomfort in some of my fingers.
I encourage everyone who must deal with the challenges of diabetes to seek answers to their questions, be honest with their health care providers and, if able, be willing to speak out for those with diabetes who are unable to speak for themselves. My hope is that the government will mandate affordable coverage for preventative measures for all people with pre-diabetes or diabetes so that the debilitating, expensive complications that can result from poorly controlled diabetes will become less and less prevalent, and hopefully, one day, diabetes can be prevented completely.
Sydney B, 56
Santa Barbara, CA
133017