back to the list of essays and poems BACK
This is one of the contributions to:DIABETES ESSAY AND POEM COMPETITION 2009
Christmas 2001 was a Christmas to remember for me, but not for the right reasons. This is why....
I arrived home from a day out with my grandparents on December 23rd; my mum took one look at me and was horrified at how poorly I looked. My Nana said she thought I hadn’t been well all day and had been drinking lots and lots. I felt tired, weary and so thirsty!
The next day was Christmas Eve; mum took me straight to the doctors. After explaining my symptoms, the doctor sent me off to do a urine sample. After testing this, the doctor told us that he was sure that I had Diabetes! My mum, brother (who was with us) and I knew nothing about Diabetes at all and were totally shocked when the doctor explained a little about it to us. He told us we had to go straight to hospital and he phoned the hospital ward, so they expected us when we arrived. I remember the doctor letting my mum use his phone to contact my dad, who then met us at the hospital.
The rest of that day was a bit of a blur really, but I remember lots of people talking to my mum, dad and I about diet, insulin, blood testing and needles!
As I was reasonably stable I was allowed to go home during Christmas morning to open my presents
that Santa had given me. When I returned to the hospital later that day, Santa had even visited me there and left a parcel on my bed!
That was my Christmas to remember, so I will never forget the date I was diagnosed. My feelings at that time were confusion and I thought, why me?
*****
Living with Diabetes since then has had its ups and downs, it hasn’t really stopped me doing anything, but my family and I have to plan carefully everyday activities that other people and friends take for granted.
When I turned eight, I thought I would try to start doing my daily injections myself. For my first try, I remember hovering the pen over my bottom for about ten minutes and it took me ages, but I finally managed to do it. After that it got easier and easier and I also began doing my injection at school. I even got a certificate from my head teacher in assembly for showing courage and determination to manage my own diabetes.
During the past few years my diabetes has continued to be particularly difficult to manage. I have experienced many fluctuations in my blood sugars and my HBA1C results. My parents and my diabetes care team have been very concerned particularly as I have suffered numerous night-time seizures. Although I’m not aware of these at the time they have been very scary episodes for my parents which involved them having to give me emergency glucagon injections and on some occasions calling for an ambulance. Each time the following morning I wake late feeling groggy and I remember one night waking and saying to mum, “What are the green men doing in my room?” (I meant the paramedics!)
Because of my background of diabetes control my parents, with the support of my diabetic nurse and consultant, approached our Primary Care Trust (PCT) to see if I was eligible to try using an insulin pump. Our PCT agreed I was a very suitable candidate and after some time of preparation I went ‘Live’ on my pump on the 14th December 2008 (another Christmas to remember!)
Although it’s early days being on the pump is much better for me. My blood sugar readings are much more improved and although I have still had a couple of night-time seizures, these have greatly reduced. I think the good things about being on a pump are that I don’t have to carry a pen everywhere I go as my insulin is always there. Also I was having to inject myself five times a day before, but now I only have insert a cannula once every three days – I even do this myself. Additionally my meal times are not as restricted as they were before. This is great as I can eat more or less what I want because I carbohydrate count my insulin boluses, with my mum’s help. Some of the things I don’t like are having to wear the pump twenty-four hours a day (although I am getting more used to this) and having to explain to numerous people what it is!
In September I will start secondary school. I feel nervous and apprehensive about this but believe being on the pump will hopefully stabilize my diabetes for this next big change in my life.