I was 38 when I was diagnosed. I was sitting in a First Aid couse and the facilitator was listing the symptoms for diabetes. It had only been a couple of weeks but I had noticed the thirst, the tiredness and going to the loo. I went to a pharmacy and they did a BGL test. My first ever reading was 22.9. The poor girl who did the test thought she had made a mistake and redid it. She was very upset and went and got the pharmacist who did it again. He told me to see my Dr immediately. Initially my Dr wasn't sure if I was a T1 or a T2 but a blood test soon confirmed T1 and my life changed forever. In the first few months I made a really good job of looking after myself. I did everything I was suppose to and my Dr was pleased with my results. Then I got angry and thought it all very unfair. I would see obese people in town and think you'lll probably end up with diabetes but if you lose weight you can prevent it. I have very little sympathy for overweight people with bad diets. For a while I ate badly, drank too much alcohol and missed shots. I started feeling really unwell and would get the most awful leg cramps at night. I then got diagnosed with thyroiditis (changed later to Graves Disease). Time to be selfish and put myself first. I had 1 DKA after a bout of food poisoning which also caused a heart scare. Once I recovered from the DKA I had to have all these tests done ending with an angiogram. The cardiologist finally concluded that my heart was fine and the heart thing was a reaction to my body being under so much stress. I now lead a normal life. I work fulltime. My husband and I eat healthily and execise regularly. I have 5+ shots a day. I am seldom sick. The irony is that although I have a chronic health disorders I am probably healthier than most.

Sharon Donald
Gununa, Australia