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They told me I could live like a normal person. They lied.
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<blockquote data-quote="copepod" data-source="post: 1113059" data-attributes="member: 21372"><p>I had donated blood and plasma for about 10 years before I was diagnosed aged 30 years. And, yes, it was a huge disappointment to have to give up. I already carried an organ donor card, and have continued to do so in the subsequent 20 years, replacing card when it was physically falling apart or illegible, and as new schemes have come on board eg being added to NHS register of organ donors and filling in slip on driving licence reapplication form, I've done so. Plus, encouraged others to donate if / when they can. There are lots of temporay and permanent restrictions, of course. I've also worked on a research project which involved approaching blood donors at sessions to ask if they would donate a small amount extra, plus the cells from a filter, that would otherwise be thrown away, for genetic testing to compare with people with specific medical conditions - blood donors were considered healthy controls. I've donated mouth cheek cells plus some medical history to be in the same study. </p><p></p><p>My BSc Marine Biology became much less useful after diagnosis as I could no longer SCUBA dive professionally, nor go on research ships, nor work in Antarctica. However, I did spend 1 month on South Georgia as a volunteer leader on a youth expedition, 4.5 months in Chile, Falklands and on board a Royal Navy ship between FI and SG. I had resigned my Territorial Army medical unit commission in order to emigrate, but was diagnosed while working with fur seals and dolphins in New Zealand, so lost that possibility and could not rejoin TA when I returned to UK. Plus marine mammal experience couldn't be translated to working in Antarctica</p><p> and restrictions on driving minibuses limited my options of continuing in ecotourism. However, I have worked in a country park, where I set up orienteering and activity birthday parties. I now work in a city counil parks & countryside department and spent much of the Easter weekend catching lambs and chicks for visitors to stroke. </p><p></p><p>So, while it's disappointing not to be able to be a blood donor and train aa an airline pilot, there are lots of other things you can do to help. I have one friend with type 1 diabetes, who was a member of a mountain rescue team and a search & rescue dog handler for many years. I looked into serving as an Army Cadet instructor, but was only prepared to serve in a medical unit, and that wasn't possible in my area. Diabetes wasn't the problem. So, it might be worth investigating joing Air Training Corps as an adult instructor / leader.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="copepod, post: 1113059, member: 21372"] I had donated blood and plasma for about 10 years before I was diagnosed aged 30 years. And, yes, it was a huge disappointment to have to give up. I already carried an organ donor card, and have continued to do so in the subsequent 20 years, replacing card when it was physically falling apart or illegible, and as new schemes have come on board eg being added to NHS register of organ donors and filling in slip on driving licence reapplication form, I've done so. Plus, encouraged others to donate if / when they can. There are lots of temporay and permanent restrictions, of course. I've also worked on a research project which involved approaching blood donors at sessions to ask if they would donate a small amount extra, plus the cells from a filter, that would otherwise be thrown away, for genetic testing to compare with people with specific medical conditions - blood donors were considered healthy controls. I've donated mouth cheek cells plus some medical history to be in the same study. My BSc Marine Biology became much less useful after diagnosis as I could no longer SCUBA dive professionally, nor go on research ships, nor work in Antarctica. However, I did spend 1 month on South Georgia as a volunteer leader on a youth expedition, 4.5 months in Chile, Falklands and on board a Royal Navy ship between FI and SG. I had resigned my Territorial Army medical unit commission in order to emigrate, but was diagnosed while working with fur seals and dolphins in New Zealand, so lost that possibility and could not rejoin TA when I returned to UK. Plus marine mammal experience couldn't be translated to working in Antarctica and restrictions on driving minibuses limited my options of continuing in ecotourism. However, I have worked in a country park, where I set up orienteering and activity birthday parties. I now work in a city counil parks & countryside department and spent much of the Easter weekend catching lambs and chicks for visitors to stroke. So, while it's disappointing not to be able to be a blood donor and train aa an airline pilot, there are lots of other things you can do to help. I have one friend with type 1 diabetes, who was a member of a mountain rescue team and a search & rescue dog handler for many years. I looked into serving as an Army Cadet instructor, but was only prepared to serve in a medical unit, and that wasn't possible in my area. Diabetes wasn't the problem. So, it might be worth investigating joing Air Training Corps as an adult instructor / leader. [/QUOTE]
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