Almost seven years ago I was in hospital. I had lost a huge amount of weight in the previous months and the day before had had breathing difficulties when I tried to ride my bike. I was put immediately onto an insulin pump and was about to undergo test on every organ from heart to womb. A huge shock for someone whose only visits to the doctor and hospital were when I was pregnant.
Sometime during the next ten days I was told that I had T1 and would have to inject insulin several times a day for life. I'd known a few T1s and it worried me, restrictive, regimented regimes with set amounts of food. I recalled the child never allowed to eat a slice of birthday cake or go on school trips, the husband of a colleague who had frequent serious hypos ;the paramedics a frequent occurance. I remebered the 16 year old who wanted to be a dancer but was in and out of hospital with DKA
Fortunately my fears were unfounded, things have moved on. I was fortunate to read and be told that diabetes was not the end of things and that I could still do anything I wanted . On top of that I was already feeling better than I had for a very long time. I resolved to learn about my condition and to run a marathon, just to show that I could ( no stress, it was a challenge to myself).
I took advice from the dietitian, who advised balanced meals with low gi starches, I saw her for an hour a day in hospital. She taught me to count carbs (a fixed amount at the time) The meals in hospital were ordered on this prinicple, and my glucose levels soon came under control.
After hospital I read lots and joined forums. I taught myself to adjust my insulin according to what I ate, so moved from the rather restrictive regime I started on.
I eat a fair number of carbs but also have an active lifestyle and having regained some of the weight loss prior to diagnosis have remained weight stable. (if I put on a couple of kilos, I cut back all food a bit for a while, just as I did before diagnosis)
I don't consider insulin as a drug, it is a replacement for a hormone missing in my body. It is a lifesaver. Without it I would become very ill and eventually die. Possibly, I could live on a starvation diet for a while but not for long, and in the meantime would have no quality of life.
I ran that marathon and others since (I'm now 59 so not a young athlete). I enjoy my life, I don't do the mileage necessary for a marathon all the time, but I am active with walking , shorter runs, gardening and cycling and at this time of year I'm lucky enough to be able to swim daily.
I'm content and healthy, my HbA1c, measured last week was 5.7%, kidney function and lipids were fine (good HDL) I eat a varied diet of mainly natural produce including all food groups, about 40-45% of my diet is carbs (from dairy, starches, fruit and veg... I count them all) Occasionally, if I've been very active, or if I'm with friends I can eat the odd cake or piece of pizza. I don't crave them as I don't completely deny myself them, if absolutely necessary I'll run a mile on the treadmill or go for a walk to lower my BG (a 10 min swim has been known to lower my glucose level by 4 mmol.. for me exercise works)
I've a good life, the last two weeks I've been enjoying myself with my children and grandchildren. Castle visiting, biking , swimming and canoeing were all on the agenda. Oka few mild hypos but easily dealt with. We had a lovely time . I am content.