I will always remember that day.

I had been ill for about three months so I went to the doctors, we had a chat and I told him how I felt, that I was thirsty all the time and feeling ill. He suggested that I did a urine sample. About three days later the doctors rang back. I had got ++++ ketones and ++++ sugar in my urine. We had to go back in to do a finger prick test. Sitting in that waiting room was probably one of the scariest bits of the whole experience!! We went in to the practice nurse's room I sat on the seat shaking like a phone vibrating when it rings. She got the machine out and I said "ok im ready now" She pricked my finger and after about 10 seconds the result was up on the screen. My blood sugar was 30.2! It is only meant to be between 4 and 7. After that we had to go back into the waiting room and wait for the doctor to be free. When in the doctor's room he was very good at describing what diabetes was. I know someone with diabetes and he had to deal with it by injections, however he told me there are lots of different types and some don't need injections to sort out. I asked the doctor "how do we sort it out" he replied "We think you have got type 1 diabetes, if this is the case you will have to have injections" I felt a rush of sick go through me. I hated going for an injection maybe once a year let alone everyday!

He rang the hospital and they said to go straight there, so we went home packed an over night bag in such a rush I forgot one important thing. My teddy!! I can not go to sleep without my teddy but I did not know I forgot it just yet. When at hospital we pressed the buzzer of the paediatric ward and the door opened. The nurse took me to my bed and tested my blood pressure, temperature and things like that. I had not ever been to hospital since I was 7 and I could not remember what it was like. I was so scared and nervous. I went in my bag to get my teddy and of course it was not there. I am a worrier so I was worrying "mum what am I going to do!" she rang my grandma and 20 minutes later there she was with my teddy! I needed the toilet so I asked the nurse where it was. She told me and then said " but wait I need to get something before you go in" a couple of minutes later she came back with a bottle " you have to do a urine sample every time you go to the loo!" I was moved and put in a more quiet room with a television as the room I was previously in had a loud screaming baby. By now I was feeling more calm but still quite nervous. Then I had to go in to the treatment room and do a blood test. As the one in the doctors hurt I was very scared of doing another one. I panicked and was very nervous again! I grined and bared it and it was over and done with in about 10 minutes (because of all my worrying) Back in the bed after about an hour they decided I was stable, and because I was so scared of hospital I was aloud to go home and then go back in the morning.

The second day was not as bad. We saw the diabetes consultant and the physiologist and talked through the whole thing and what we had to do. I have to treat mine with 4 injections (one every meal time and one before bed.) Then it was lunchtime. We went and saw the diabetes nurse and she gave me all my kit. My blood kit and my injections and all the things you need. Before lunch I had to do a finger prick test. I was quiet nervous but I did it and it felt good that I achieved that. Then the dreaded moment, the injection. I was so scared; no in fact I was petrified. Half an hour went by my lunch was now stone cold and I was sitting there with the injection in my hand, not being able to do it. Another hour had now passed, still cant do it. After 4 hours another consultant came in and persuaded me to let the diabetes nurse do it for me. I had my beans on toast (a new warm one of course!) To be able to go we had to do the night time injection there so they knew I had, had it. However I still couldn't do it so my dad did it. We then went home where my grandma and granddad were looking after my brother.

The morning came I did my own finger prick and then went upstairs and my dad did my injection. I had my breakfast, and then we were off to hospital again. I had to do a blood test. They put magic cream on my elbow so I couldn't feel it, unfortunately when the time came to do it they completely missed the spot so it really hurt anyway!!! I also had my first hypo. I felt light headed and shaky, it was horrible. We were then aloud to go home.

Then disaster struck.

A couple of months later I still could not do my injections and was not coping very well. I was refusing to have my injections and started to become ill again. However I had lots of support and got through it. I still didn't like doing the injections so. I had a device called a pen-mate to put on my pen and tried the injections with that instead. A pen-mate puts the needle in for you and you just have to inject the fluid. It helped so much (as I did not like putting the needle in.) so now I am doing fine

I can:-

Check my blood sugar

Calculate the amount of units to have (carbohydrate counting)

Do my own injections

Recognise when I have a hypo

Sort the hypo out

I would like to thank all the nurses, doctors and diabetes team at Northampton General Hospital for everything they have done for me, and for looking after me.