brightonrock67

I was diagnosed diabetic in February 1967 I was 3 at the time and was ill for a few months before that, so you could say i've had it longer. I was on 1 injection a day mixing 2 insulins in the same syringe to begin with, the syringe was the old glass and metal type which was heavier than the disposable ones that are used today. and I had to test my blood sugars using a test tube kit with bottles of tablets which was dissolved in water and a urine sample. In 1972 aged 9, I was then put on 2 injections a day, mixing Soluble and Isophane insulins, after a spell in hospital. This lasted until 1979 when after another spell in hospital I had my insulins changed to Actrapid and Monotard, it was around this time I started testing my blood sugars with a finger pricker and testing strips, which was a lot less hassle than the previous way with the test tubes etc. I n the early days my Dad bought me a couple of contraptions to help with the injecting, one was a metal contraption made in the shape of a gun which you could fix the syringe to the top of it, press the trigger and it would fire the needle through a guard and into your skin. I look back on that and think it was something that belongs in the house of horrors but i had many an injection using that instrument. The other contraption i had was the hypoguard, which was a small tube which fitted on the end of the syringe, enabling the needle to go into the body at the right depth this was a lot smaller than the gun and a lot less scary looking, but needed more manual usage where the gun was more automatic. As time wore on i eventually was given disposable syringes with micro fine needles to use, these are much lighter and reduce the pain of the old stainless steel needles that you could get sometimes, i have been offered the pump but declined, sticking to the injections, I didn't fancy having a box stuck on me, old habits die hard I suppose. In 2006 my insulin got changed again this time to Novo rapid and Lantus and i was doing as many as 4 injections a day, although this does vary on my needs. Back in the 1970s the British Diabetic Association used to organise holiday camps in the summer for kids with diabetes, these used to be all over the UK, so you could go to an area of your choosing. I myself went to 2 of these in 1973 and 1975< the first one in Sussex and the second in East Anglia. I have fond memories of both times which was one plus of having the condition, and the older i've got, I certainly appreciate the time and energy that went into organising those trips by the BDA. Having had diabetes for over 55 years now, I realise its been quite a journey, In the early days numerous stories of hypo's, spells in hospital, drip feeds etc. which all seems to be at a minimum now, not too sure whether i'm a good example or a bad one, but i'm still here, feet are ok, kidneys ok, eye sight could be better and i'm still working hard, but i will pass on another 55 years of it. Anyway I hope someone finds something of interest in what I've written, thanks for reading.