Diabetes Awareness

My youngest boy Tiras has Diabetes and I wanted to highlight two charities that work towards improving the lives of those living with this condition.

Ti, has what's known as type 1 diabetes, which is basically when the pancreas is unable to produce insulin - or enough insulin to regulate the blood glucose levels in the body

Type 1 diabetes is when you are insulin dependent - which means you need to inject insulin every day - minimum twice a day - but sometimes up to four...basically whenever you have a meal - or eat something fairly sweet - for the rest of your life - or until a cure is found.

Diagnosed at 7 ( he's 17 now)it was scary for him.. it was just after the 9/11 attacks ( which had a huge impact on him... I've never known a child could be so affected by an incident like that - but - now I know!) and two months after my dad died. He was really close to his grandad so it was all 'a bit much' shall we say. My mums convinced his body went into shock and caused an imbalance in his body - but who knows.

It is what it is.

Anyway - ever since then - we've been under the care of the Junior Paediatrics Team at Royal London. A great bunch of people who watched Ti grow from a little boy to a young man.. even taller than his mama!

Every visit our consultant would ask Ti if he's taking his insulin when he goes out -etc etc - and Ti would sit there looking really sheepish... answer: = No. You see the thing with Ti is he doesn't like taking it out as according to him if anyone see's him injecting himself they might think he's a junkie - that and the fact that it's dirty outside, in loos and everywhere else.. it's really off putting for him ( All understandable reasons.. however...)

"No Ti!" - we'd say again and again - "take it - with you ... it's important!". I'd real off stories ( true ones) of a colleague I once worked with who'd take out her kit in the office after lunch every day and take her injection and no one had a problem with it. "People are more understanding than you give them credit for!"

Anyway not long ago - Ti 'graduated ' from the junior team and is now under adult care.
We went from a warm brightly coloured hospital ward with yellow duck feet patterns on the floor leading you in - and yellow duck feet patterns on the floor leading you out.. to.. what Ti describes as 'a grey and white old peoples ward - with nowt on the floor but old stains!'( Tiras can exaggerate!)

To be honest we were both a bit sad that day - as we really liked the team at Royal London - and this marked a turning point in both our lives - but... I guess everyone has to grow up eventually - and I'm sure the team at Barts are equally as nice.

I'm still on at Ti every day - to take good care - check his levels and take his insulin - and to be fair.. he's getting much better now. ( oddly enough - he does appear to be the only one in the house with a sweet tooth! chomping the odd chocolate bar when he really doesn't need too.. and quite frankly shouldn't!)

I know it's hard for him as he sometimes says things like "why does he have to be the one that's cursed!" and I'll say .. 'ask your dad!!..it's his genes i'm sure!!' not really..I'm kidding!!..
I'll really say something like "Ti - you're not cursed!.. you have a million and one blessings to count - and many people live with diabetes..in fact - you may even have students at college sitting right next to you who have it and you just don't know.."

He's cool about it most of the time now anyway..
He's very funny is Ti.. and very caring

Anyway - I wanted to share that with you - in case you have it too - or a loved one or friend is living with Diabetes
and just to highlight 2 charities.

1. The Junior Diabetes Research Foundation and...
2. Diabetes UK
Both charities work to improve the lives of those with diabetes, and continuously work towards raising funds for many projects including a cure which would change the lives of so many people - words cannot express how amazing that would be!

Anyway
Symptoms of diabetes can include...

1. Increased thirst
2. Tiredness
3. Frequent urination, both day-time and night-time (nocturia)
4. Weight loss (although appetite often increases)
5. Itchiness, especially around the genitals, caused by overgrowth of yeast on the skin (thrush)
6. other infections on the skin (yeast infections and boils).
7. A family history of diabetes makes it more likely that you will get diabetes too.

NB Type 1 diabetes is much less common than Type 2 diabetes.

This year I aim to do a bit more for both charities - as they have helped Ti so much over the years with information and support and I want to thank them. I keep meaning to run the marathon but whenever I start training, winter kicks in - darkness freaks me out and I fall off my programme - still - one small step and all that

I'll let you know whatever I'm doing
I think I'll have to start small and work my way up!
Beginning with awareness
Anyway

That's it