51 year old guy sits in a room with a nurse. She takes one look round me as if buying a car.
"You don't look T2!"
My reply, "neither did my dad..?"
"Oh, was he T1 then..?!"
I was never told to eat potatoes of a particular size because we had been given a diet scale. 2ozs of boiled potato was 1 black line, ie. 10 g of carbohydrate. 2 thirds of an ounce of bread was 10g, or 8 ozs of carrot, or 2 ozs of peas. My parents and I could judge amounts accurately by eye after a few months, but I still weighed occasionally to check my estimates were remaining accurate, even as an adult. Anyone else remember Laurence's 'Line Ration Scheme' ? I was suddenly mocked by a doctor at my clinic after some years, for answering in terms of black lines when asked what I was eating. To be honest, I still think of carbs in 10 unit chunks. I find it easier. It doesn't mean I don't take the extra odd grams I need into account !
I had not thought about some of this stuff for years, but basically it did work. If I show my face at a hospital clinic now, because I have grey hair I am routinely treated as if I'm an idiot. I have been told by nurses at the clinic that I'm type 2. I laughed out loud at that. It's either that or cry. In the old-fashioned days, nurses were trained in how to deal with type 1 as a matter of routine. Things started to go wrong in the 1980s. It's back to the 1970s for me !
I was never told to eat potatoes of a particular size because we had been given a diet scale. 2ozs of boiled potato was 1 black line, ie. 10 g of carbohydrate. 2 thirds of an ounce of bread was 10g, or 8 ozs of carrot, or 2 ozs of peas. My parents and I could judge amounts accurately by eye after a few months, but I still weighed occasionally to check my estimates were remaining accurate, even as an adult. Anyone else remember Laurence's 'Line Ration Scheme' ? I was suddenly mocked by a doctor at my clinic after some years, for answering in terms of black lines when asked what I was eating. To be honest, I still think of carbs in 10 unit chunks. I find it easier. It doesn't mean I don't take the extra odd grams I need into account !
I had not thought about some of this stuff for years, but basically it did work. If I show my face at a hospital clinic now, because I have grey hair I am routinely treated as if I'm an idiot. I have been told by nurses at the clinic that I'm type 2. I laughed out loud at that. It's either that or cry. In the old-fashioned days, nurses were trained in how to deal with type 1 as a matter of routine. Things started to go wrong in the 1980s. It's back to the 1970s for me !
I got diagnosed in 1981 I think so transitioned from the glass syringue and the pee tests to a glucometer the size of a brick and those new disposables syringues that got nicked and used for water pistols on a school trip.....Btw my carbs came in 10g portions which were called 'lines' e.g. a walnut whip was then 2 lines (I think there may have been some inflation by now).I too remember being ‘ given a hypo ‘ to know what it felt like , aha the old two teaspoons of sugar in milk to cure it that takes me back, I remember my mum going to the doctors to ask why diabetics couldn’t get disposable syringes on prescription and was told they are a “ luxury”,
Totally agree with the carb counting comment too , it was very high on the to do list, and I still count carbs in portions
1 portion = 10g of carbs
Man defo blast from the past !! Lol
Did you ever get the big blue finger picker that had yellow guides to make the aim easier? The sound of that coming down onto your finger still gives me the fear, I was diagnosed in 1984. Loving a wee wander down memory laneAh the old days! Only been T1 for 36 years, mere youngen compared to some of you!
Pig insulin, peeing on sticks, evil finger picks and 2 disposable syringes to last a month!
Yes! That’s the evil thing! I was diagnosed March 84 when I was 2!Did you ever get the big blue finger picker that had yellow guides to make the aim easier? The sound of that coming down onto your finger still gives me the fear, I was diagnosed in 1984. Loving a wee wander down memory lane
I remember syringes, pork Insulin, peeing on a stick, sterile wipes, testing BG with a sort of downwards catapult type of machine, that would descend at speed into finger and was quite painful at times ..............eh lad's and lassies, those were the days and I'm approaching my 31st year
Did you ever get the big blue finger picker that had yellow guides to make the aim easier? The sound of that coming down onto your finger still gives me the fear, I was diagnosed in 1984. Loving a wee wander down memory lane
Yes! That’s the evil thing! I was diagnosed March 84 when I was 2!
I was nearly 4 but yeah this thing was evil
Aaaaargh! Although I ticked like, that does not tally with my memories of these horrors!
Aye, Obadiah, we used to drearm abaht plastic syringe!You're right there lad........... now, when I was youngster lol cue a Monty Python sketch
I could cope with them, but the result was always a hard lump where the thing had been!Look at the 20 gauge needle.....only a short one
Ouch - I remember that!I could cope with them, but the result was always a hard lump where the thing had been!
Happy and healthy New Year, everyone.
This thread has been a great trip down memory lane for someone diagnosed T1 in 1964. We are all different in our approach to living with diabetes. For example I have never counted calories or ever eaten diabetic foods. I eat exactly what ´normal' people eat but only in reasonable amounts, have excellent control and am very fortunate to have no diabetic complications. A pump and Libre are a godsend as I now approach my 81st birthday.
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