I was diagnosed in February 1948, soon after I had measles. I was living in Southern Ireland and if our elderly (at least 80) doctor had not gone on holiday and got a young locum whom my Mum called out I would probably have died. She had been told that I had a wasting disease. Fortunately I was sent to Bon Secours Hospital in Cork and spent 6 - yes thats right - 6 weeks there getting fairly stabilised. I remember running away once in my nightie - I was allowed to go down the ward stairs to the outside to pick up the rattles that the younger children used to throw over the balcony. I never saw my mum all the time I was there as it was thought that it would upset my control. She told me after that she used to visit me and watch me play from behind a screen. Quite often diabetic children were put in homes but fortnately for me my mother was a determined English lady. I was 5 and a half and grew used to taking a note from my mum when I visited friends which told their mum no sugar and only 2 slices of bread with no jam!!!!! There were no sugar free confectionery then but I was given a lot of greens, cheese and salad stuff plus seasonal fruit. I learned to fend for myself and was only taken back to hospital once when I was 9 cos I had a hypo in class when a new teacher would not let me have a spoonful of flucose in class - ha - woke up in the boys' ward but soon sent home again. no H&S in those days - we diabetics learned the hard way but I managed to excel in academic subjects, and learn to swim at the local stony beach - without fussing adults - I knew when I was going funny and would never eat my pocket sweet unless I felt funny - Mum had drummed it into me that I would die and go blind if I ate sweets at the wrong time! I am still here at nearly 72 - absolutely amazed at all the gadgets and food analysis now available.
new diabetics - be thankful that life is so much easier and so many products have carb values printed on them. - use it and watch your blood sugars - I was once told that my diabetes was fairlyu mild and I could manage without the blood tests - and that was only about 25 years ago. I married despite medical advice, and went on to haave two healthy children despite dire prognosis from medics. fortunately for me it had been determined that a pre term cesearian would often help the infant and this proved to be the case in my case. my girls are now in their 40s fit and healthy and they and their children do not have diabetes - however they were raised in a sweet free or limited environment so hopefuly they will continue with their healthy lifestyles.
