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explaining what it's really like to live with Type 1

Type One is a mysterious disease (condition) I've had it since I was 16, 69 years ago. I've had Medtronic pumps, now a 780G with sensors. The Sensor 3 was inaccurate to the point of madness (saying 8.4 when I was 4.2 and visa versa) Sensor 4 is stable and accurate. When I was on 3, I had to BG test about 8 x a day to avoid high or low disaster. With Sensor 4, once a week. Medtronic 780 pump is astonishing good at night. (8am always between 5 and 6. Daytime very different. very high after lunch and very spiky. The 780 gives loads of corrective doses which never lower my daytime blood sugar levels. I used to eat 20gm of nut muesli every morning with kefir and my BG would shoot up as if I was eating pure sugar. Lunch maybe one slice of wholemeal toast and some cheese, with 3 units and then another spike up to 12 or 14. The only way down was to tell the pump I had eaten another 25gms of carb and it would give a couple more units. To reduce the spikes, I now don't eat breakfast or take a bolus and everything stays calm between 9.30pm and 12.00 before lunch. Then the spikes start again. Today the I told the pump I was eating 20gms (1 piece of toast) and it gave me 1.5 units. by BG shot up and the pump automatically gave me 1.5 extra units in 9 small increments. My BG went up till 3.00pm when I told it I had eaten another 12gms (which I hadn't to get the BG down. For 12mgC it gave my 1.525units. Now at 5.30, my BG has gone down to 7.2. I will change the ratio tomorrow to give me 3.5units for 20 gms of carb.
I find the ratios change quite a lot and I need to pay more attention to adjusting (with care) but more often. My last 30 days average is 80% in range in a very stressful period. Normally it's 82% in range. Total daily insulin 30.5. Carbs about 100 a day. Not much exercise recently. Just trying to live another year to get to 70 years with Type One and happy.
 
I am so impressed with all you type one diabetics. I've had it 69 years (since I was 16) and have very few of the hassles many of us get. My eyesight's getting a bit worse (wrinkles at the back of my left eye disturbs the focus there a bit), but very little macular degeneration in either eye. Can walk 5 miles (but not too often). One allotment. One choir. Busy with lots of things and looking forward to more. This most important thing is being with my wife for 43 years and we smile together 20 times a day. Love is the greatest healer. Going to put up an exhibition of some of my now very old photographs (taken 1967-69) in the next few weeks.

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I wrote a poem to my Type 1...

The house is dark, but he's still there
He reaches out, he doesn't care
He hides his face, for all to see
But no-one spots him... only me.

He whispers to me, don't you dare
He spies the problems, sets his snare
With needles sharp and numbers high
He makes me pause and wonder why.

In darkness deep or morning light
He tests my strength, provokes the fight
While sweetness swings like ocean waves
Demanding all the care he craves.

Through birthdays, parties, work and play
He never takes a holiday
A shadow cast on every meal
Reminding me that he is real.

When others sleep, he wakes me still
An offering I must fulfill
But though he brings both pain and strife
He's taught me how to value life.

He's always with me, tho' no friend
He'll be there with me, 'til the end.
 
I wrote a poem to my Type 1...

The house is dark, but he's still there
He reaches out, he doesn't care
He hides his face, for all to see
But no-one spots him... only me.

He whispers to me, don't you dare
He spies the problems, sets his snare
With needles sharp and numbers high
He makes me pause and wonder why.

In darkness deep or morning light
He tests my strength, provokes the fight
While sweetness swings like ocean waves
Demanding all the care he craves.

Through birthdays, parties, work and play
He never takes a holiday
A shadow cast on every meal
Reminding me that he is real.

When others sleep, he wakes me still
An offering I must fulfill
But though he brings both pain and strife
He's taught me how to value life.

He's always with me, tho' no friend
He'll be there with me, 'til the end.
Great poem! You nailed it!
 
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