20 not out.

LooperCat

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Today marks the twentieth anniversary of my type one diabetes diagnosis. A funny thing to celebrate, but I kind of am. I’m not thrilled about having T1, but I’m not dead. Had I not been lucky enough to be born when and where I was, it would have killed me very quickly and unpleasantly - as we all know, insulin was only discovered less than a century ago, and in many countries is prohibitively expensive. Hell, I’ve even been seeing crowdfunders from American diabetics trying to raise money for insulin. In 2018.

It’s almost killed me twice and landed me in intensive care with DKA. But thanks to medical science and our wonderful NHS, I’m still alive. And that’s what I’m celebrating. With (keto) cake and everything.

CC088207-FCAA-4557-9A14-BA0615BD63AF.jpeg

But while a diabetes diagnosis used to be a death sentence, it is still a life sentence. It’s psychologically incredibly draining, every single day you are making life or death clinical dosing decisions with a drug that can kill you. Every day. Even doctors get a day off every now and then from that shi... stuff. In my twenty years I think I’ve probably taken over 40,000 injections of insulin.

But I’m still here, and I’m mostly pleased about that - I’m not ashamed to admit it’s driven me to the brink of suicide more than once. My life fell to pieces at the time, I was only 24. My emerging, very bright and promising science career was wrecked because my twice a day fixed mixed dose regime meant I couldn’t work the long and erratic hours my research needed, stopping for food was just not possible with some of the stuff I was doing. Since then, I’ve found new things to challenge and stimulate my mind, and now I have my own business silversmithing. I’m currently working on a range of alternative medic alert jewellery made from reclaimed silver and gold - on top of my usual (low carb ;) ) bread and butter work. I managed a successful T1 pregnancy, and my rudely healthy son was born at a not-too-massive 7lb 4oz, he’s almost 15 now. I’ve travelled, climbed (small) mountains, ridden my motorbike around Europe, and apart from not being able to fly a jet or drive an HGV, I don’t think it’s stopped me from living a fulfilling life. I’ve had ups and downs with it, haven’t we all? I don’t think it’s made me a better person, like some do - I’m quite bitter about it all to be honest, it’s a lonely road even when you have supportive family, as I do. But it is what it is, so thank you to the folk here on the forum for all the support and advice I’ve had in the few short months since I joined. It’s amazed me just how much it’s helped me get on top of the accursed thing. Peer support is so underrated.

Apologies for the self indulgent ramble, I may have had more than one glass of rum this evening. But to make up for it, have this:

Cake recipe, modified slightly from this one, partly because I have no idea what a Meyer lemon is but mostly because I hate recipes in cups.

90g finely ground almonds
1tsp baking powder
Zest of a lemon
Pinch salt
2tsp erythritol (an artificial sweetener without a nasty aftertaste), I have to get mine online because I can’t find it in shops.
Juice of the lemon
25g melted butter
1 beaten egg

In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients together and add the wet stuff. Spoon into a cake tin of your preference and bake at 180C until cooked and golden brown on top. These wee bugs took 20 minutes, a bigger cake would take a bit longer. You can also split the mix into two, and microwave in mugs for 1 minute 20 seconds. One little bug (1/8mof the mix) has just 3g carbs :)
 

Grant_Vicat

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Type of diabetes
Don't have diabetes
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I do not have diabetes
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Today marks the twentieth anniversary of my type one diabetes diagnosis. A funny thing to celebrate, but I kind of am. I’m not thrilled about having T1, but I’m not dead. Had I not been lucky enough to be born when and where I was, it would have killed me very quickly and unpleasantly - as we all know, insulin was only discovered less than a century ago, and in many countries is prohibitively expensive. Hell, I’ve even been seeing crowdfunders from American diabetics trying to raise money for insulin. In 2018.

It’s almost killed me twice and landed me in intensive care with DKA. But thanks to medical science and our wonderful NHS, I’m still alive. And that’s what I’m celebrating. With (keto) cake and everything.


But while a diabetes diagnosis used to be a death sentence, it is still a life sentence. It’s psychologically incredibly draining, every single day you are making life or death clinical dosing decisions with a drug that can kill you. Every day. Even doctors get a day off every now and then from that shi... stuff. In my twenty years I think I’ve probably taken over 40,000 injections of insulin.

But I’m still here, and I’m mostly pleased about that - I’m not ashamed to admit it’s driven me to the brink of suicide more than once. My life fell to pieces at the time, I was only 24. My emerging, very bright and promising science career was wrecked because my twice a day fixed mixed dose regime meant I couldn’t work the long and erratic hours my research needed, stopping for food was just not possible with some of the stuff I was doing. Since then, I’ve found new things to challenge and stimulate my mind, and now I have my own business silversmithing. I’m currently working on a range of alternative medic alert jewellery made from reclaimed silver and gold - on top of my usual (low carb ;) ) bread and butter work. I managed a successful T1 pregnancy, and my rudely healthy son was born at a not-too-massive 7lb 4oz, he’s almost 15 now. I’ve travelled, climbed (small) mountains, ridden my motorbike around Europe, and apart from not being able to fly a jet or drive an HGV, I don’t think it’s stopped me from living a fulfilling life. I’ve had ups and downs with it, haven’t we all? I don’t think it’s made me a better person, like some do - I’m quite bitter about it all to be honest, it’s a lonely road even when you have supportive family, as I do. But it is what it is, so thank you to the folk here on the forum for all the support and advice I’ve had in the few short months since I joined. It’s amazed me just how much it’s helped me get on top of the accursed thing. Peer support is so underrated.

Apologies for the self indulgent ramble, I may have had more than one glass of rum this evening. But to make up for it, have this:

Cake recipe, modified slightly from this one, partly because I have no idea what a Meyer lemon is but mostly because I hate recipes in cups.

90g finely ground almonds
1tsp baking powder
Zest of a lemon
Pinch salt
2tsp erythritol (an artificial sweetener without a nasty aftertaste), I have to get mine online because I can’t find it in shops.
Juice of the lemon
25g melted butter
1 beaten egg

In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients together and add the wet stuff. Spoon into a cake tin of your preference and bake at 180C until cooked and golden brown on top. These wee bugs took 20 minutes, a bigger cake would take a bit longer. You can also split the mix into two, and microwave in mugs for 1 minute 20 seconds. One little bug (1/8mof the mix) has just 3g carbs :)
I think celebration in your case is far more justified than most people making a big occasion of a milestone birthday. Terrific!
 
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Brunneria

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@Mel dCP

Great post! And well done on your 20 years. Looks like you’ve packed a lot of LIVING into that time.
Always a good thing ;)

(P.S. a Meyer lemon is a big fat sweeter than normal lemon. They have a shorter season than most, so only appear for a couple of months a year, and depending on how sweet your taste buds are, you may be able to eat them like an orange, no sweetening needed)
 

Juicyj

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Lovely post Mel and congratulations- I met a gentleman yesterday who was 62 years diagnosed, he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in 2014 and shared a quote from Helen Keller - Life is either a great adventure or nothing.

Your post reminds me of this :)
 

Fairygodmother

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Here’s to the next healthy, happy 20 years with T1 Mel!
 

Rachox

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Wow! What a read! Well done on your achievements! Enjoy your cute cakes!
 
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DCUKMod

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Happy Diaversity @Mel dCP .

I'd love to see some of your MedicAlert creations.

My partner uses a saying, slightly different to the Hellen Keller @Juicyj cites. He says, "When one adventure closes, another beckons". I think that's a great way to live.

(Did you choose the bug cake moulds so that you could eat the wings first?)
 
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HI Mel, a positive post on a Monday morning and 20 years, it goes so fast ( obviously hard at times) Life before Insulin was a death sentence ( I have a Nurses handbook from about 1910, it belonged to my mum it's a real eye opener, fascinating)
Congratulations on your diaversity and may the next 20 years continue to be good for you ( 30 years for me next year)
Love the picture of the cakes and the recipe :)
Take care x
 
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becca59

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Fab post! Well done @Mel dCP. I don’t know about silversmithing, you could go into business with those cake creations.
 
D

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I always celebrate/mark the day I was diagnosed as a positive day. In my mind, if I was not diagnosed with diabetes, I would not be here to mark it. So I guess it is the diagnosis rather than the diabetes I celebrate.

Congratulations on continuing to show diabetes who's boss and living those great 20 years.
I look forward to seeing your medic alert jewellery - I have been too vain to wear the ugly stuff I have seen to date.
 
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Brunneria

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Hi again @Mel dCP

If you have a web link to your medicalert bracelets, could you send it to me by Private Message (to respect the forum rules on advertising).

Many thanks!

:D
 

LooperCat

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Aw, what a lovely series of comments to wake up to (not with a hangover, was only small rum!).

I really do wish I wasn’t diabetic, but I am. My lovely husband really wishes he hadn’t had his memory’s filing system mangled by viral encephalitis too, but it happened. But by vast strokes of luck and amazing medical care we have both survived. We both struggle with our conditions and limitations, but we’ve found contentment. It’s our tenth wedding anniversary next week, so we’re going to see my favourite band and have a few days in that London.

As for my medic alert jewellery, it’s still at a very embryonic stage. Despite being distinctly middle aged, I’m still a biker and rock chick at heart ;) I’ve been melting scrap silver and gold and made a plaque for engraving some basic info on - all my contact stuff is on the reverse. The skull and crossbones is red gold I had left over from a ring I made (my usual work is making jewellery featuring peoples’ handwriting), but I do have a classic Rod of Asclepius punch as well. This one is my own, and currently attached to a leather cuff, but I have a selection of bracelets I can attach it to, depending on what I’m wearing. I’m working on a chunky heart shaped pendant at the moment. So no links yet as there’s nothing to sell, but I’ll let @Brunneria know as soon as there is. It would all be on a commission basis, I’d work with a client to design and make exactly what they want. There might be a link to my business page on the blog that is linked in my sig ;) Hope thats ok to mention...

D250BA5D-99F4-4CF4-9FBD-035A39DE7C00.jpeg
 

Sue192

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Really great to read your measured and honest yet positive post on your 20th anniversary with T1, @Mel dCP - your posts are always a good read. Congratulations to you, and your husband. Those cake bugs are brilliant, as is your plaque (rock chicks rule! :))
 

Circuspony

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959
Type of diabetes
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Great post - love your honesty. Haven't even reached my first anniversary yet and sometimes I forget this is for life, so hearing from people who have managed to carry on with their life despite all the irritations of being a T1D does make me feel better!
 
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Salvia

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As great read as always, Mel dCP - thoughtful, interesting and informative. Here's wishing you an equally successful (and adventurous!) next 20 years :)