Dear recently diagnosed me...

[AndyS]

So I'm interested to see what anyone else would say to themselves when they were just diagnosed given where they are now. I am still ralatively new (only a couple of years) but am interested to see where, or if, this thread goes anywhere. Let's begin.

I know you are scared and have no idea what is to come but be calm. It is not as bad as you may think. Yes there will be ups and downs, you will want to tear your hair out and throw everything in the bin but it will be okay. I know that you hate needles and the thought of having to inject yourself several times a day for the rest of your life is something you don't think you will ever get used to but trust me, it actually hurts less than the average papercut.

Try to relax a little. The occasional high is not the end of the world, I know you like to try and understand everything and get things absolutely right but this is one of those things that you need to let slide and not worry yourself about. You still have to work at it but don't worry and work yourself into a state.

Be comfortable with yourself. You may feel different from everyone and want to try and hide your condition from everyone around but, please, don't. Learn as much as you can and just treat the testing and the injections as just something else you do. No one comments, much, about people having a cigarette after a meal so don't stand for people who try to be funny about you injecting after food. After all, there is no such thing as cancer or hypos due to secondary insulin shots.

You are starting out on what will be quite an interesting journey. The doctors and nurses will tell you about all sorts of thinsg you need to look out for that will scare the pants off of you. But don't panic, if you look after yourself and keep yourself in line these problems are years away, and with luck you may avoid them completely if the medicine keeps progressing as it is doing.
Don't be scared to talk to people and learn things off other diabetics you meet. Just because you are starting out it doesn't mean that you know less than they do.

Above all else, keep living. You may try to withdraw from life while you try to get your head around this but merely think of this condition as a very deilcate machine that you have to look after. It will give you many challenges but many, many small victories.

 

[kareng236]

Just read your post AndyS. It shows what a positive attitude you have and that goes a long way. Just wanted to say that I liked your post and I really hope that lots of people have read and appreciated it. Thank you.

 

[sugar2]

Difficult to answer, as I was only 4.

I wish I had asked why they thought, after admitting me to hospital, after 2 days of being there, they decided to give me an x ray. I still have no idea why they did that.

Even at 4 years old, I knew that this was a bit odd!

 

[Funky Mum]

Excellent post!

 

[AndyS]

sugar2,

Now you mention it, when I was admitted they sent me for a chest x-ray too. Hmm.. I wonder what that was all about. Perhaps checking for pancreatic cancer? Would that show on a standard X-Ray.

Until now I had never thought about that, think I may ask at my review in a couple weeks.

 

[Type1Bri]

The chest x ray is to check for pneumonia

 

[pinewood]

I completely forgot that I was also sent for a chest ray when I was in A&E; must be standard procedure. Why would this be to check for pneumonia though, the symptoms are completely different to DKA?

Anyway, back to the thread topic, for me biggest thing I would have said to myself is that it's not going to be as bad as you think and you don't have to change your lifestyle. Even though I was fit and ate relatively healthily pre-T1 I was terrified that my T1 diagnosis would mean I'd never be able to have any nice food ever again! Also, I found it comforting to have a diagnosis after weeks of worrying symptoms -- yes, T1 is horrible and awful but I'd have reminded myself that are hundreds of other much nastier things that could have inflicted on me and at least I now know what is wrong and how to get back to normal.

 

[Shar67]

X Ray is for organ failure especially heart failure

 

[RuthW]

Don't hide behind the curtains when your dad is looking for you to give you an injection. And don't climb into the bottom of a deep drawer and hide under the sheets. You'll only come out because you're dying of boredom. And find everyone has run out of the house convinced you have run away from home. Sorry about the huge, poker-like, blunt needles. Things will get better.