Family and friends

It can be really hard having diabetes. You can have days when your levels are running really high , day when your levels are low all the time, days when you levels are in range, days when your levels are all over the place. It can sometimes feel like you are on a never ending roller coaster. It can also feel like no one else knows what it is like going through what you have to everyday even though you have your family and friends helping you every step of the way. No matter how much your friends and family are there for you it can still feel like you are alone, its nothing they are or aren't doing its just sometimes you need to have someone else to talk to who has diabetes to because they know exactly what it is like and what you go through everyday.

This time last year I was really struggling with diabetes, I felt like no one else understood what it was like for me everyday having to prick my finger 5 or more times a day, having put the carbs of my food in my pump before I ate, having to change my line to my pump every three day, feeling ill because my levels were too high or to low, having to go to the hospital every 3 months, having to have a pump attached to me 24/7....Even though I had friends, family and the hospital helping me control my diabetes I still felt alone because they aren't diabetic so its hard for them to understand how I felt and what I had to go through everyday.

Last year I found out about some diabetic groups on Facebook that are for teenagers who are diabetic. The groups are a place for people to ask for advice, help and to be able to talk to people who are going through what you are. It made me realise that I wasn't alone, there are so many other teenagers going through that I have been through or am going through. I have made so many amazing friends on the groups from all over the world. It hard to explain how nice it is to be able to talk to someone about diabetes related stuff and then they know exactly how you feel. The great thing is everyone on the group is so lovely and always happy to give you advice or just chat to. I feel so much happier now that I have people to chat to who know how I feel.

I have always wanted to meet someone with diabetes that lives near to me so that I could go shopping, go out for lunch, go to the cinema with them and stuff like that. I know I have people on the Facebook groups but I have never meet up with them before. Hopeful in the future I will be able to meet some other people who have diabetes as I have always wanted too.

It can be really hard for peoples family and friends when they are trying everything to help you and make you not feel alone but sometimes they cant change the way you feel. Its is nothing they aren't doing or they are doing wrong, its just it is so hard for them to be able to know exactly how you feel when they haven't experienced what you are going through.

You are never alone I promise, there is always people out there that you can talk to who are going through the same stuff that you are and know how you feel. If you ever want to talk to me about anything, diabetes related or not, you can always message me or leave a comment below this post. Always remember you are stronger then you think and you are never alone.

Type 1 and type 2 diabetes

It can be really annoying when people get confused with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. I have had so many people think that I got diabetes because I eat too much sugar, didn't eat a balanced diet and other things like that. Some people think it is my fault that I have diabetes because of something I did or didn't do. The truth is it isn't anyone fault that they have diabetes.
I thought I would write a post about the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes, I know its not like my normal posts but I really want to make sure people are aware of the differences between the two.

What is type 1 diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes develops when the insulin-producing cells in the body have been destroyed and the body is unable to produce any insulin.
Type 1 diabetes means that the body cannot regulate blood glucose levels on its own. Glucose is a type of sugar which is a source of energy
It is a chronic condition that stays with people their entire lives
It has a life long impact on those diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and their family
People with type 1 diabetes rely on multiple insulin injections or an insulin pump
Type 1 diabetes is mostly commonly diagnosed before aged 25 but it can happen at any age.
Type 1 diabetes affects about 400,00 people in the UK, 29,00 of them are children
Type 1 diabetes can happen to anyone and is not caused by anything that the person with type 1 diabetes or their parents, did or didn't do

What causes type 1 diabetes?  

Type 1 diabetes is caused by the body's own immune system attacking and destroying the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas
The  triggers of this 'autoimmune response' are currently unclear. Scientists think that the condition is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors
Some of the genes involved are now know to scientists. Identifying possible environmental triggers is an active area of current research.

Type 1 diabetes....
...isn't caused by eating too many sweets or the wrong kinds of food
...isn't caused by being overweight
...isn't the same as type 2 diabetes
...doesn't mean you cant eat sugar

What is type 2 diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes is caused by the cells in the body becoming resistant to insulin
Type 2 diabetes is more common in people who are overweight or obese but this is not the only cause for the condition
Type 2 diabetes is rare in children and young people, it affects approximately 500 young people in the UK, although that number is rising.

Myths and facts about diabetes

Myth: Taking insulin cures diabetes.
Fact: Taking insulin keeps people with type one diabetes alive, but does not cure the disease. While progress toward finding a cure has been substantial, there is still no cure for diabetes.

Myth: Diabetes is caused by obesity, or eating too much sugar.
Fact: While obesity has been identified as one of the “triggers” for type 2 diabetes, it has no relation to the cause of type 1 diabetes. Scientists do not yet know exactly what causes type one diabetes, but they believe that both genetic and environmental factors are involved. Eating too much sugar is not a factor.

Myth: People with diabetes should never eat sweets.
Fact: Limiting sweets will help people with type one diabetes keep their blood sugar under control, but, with advice from their doctor or nutritionist, sweets can fit into their meal plan, just as they would for people without diabetes. And there are times when sweets are a must: If the blood sugar level drops too low, sweets, juice or soda can be the used to raise it, and prevent hypos.

Myth: You get type 1 diabetes from making unhealthy lifestyle choices.
Fact: People with type one diabetes didn't do anything wrong. Doctors believe the cause of the disease is a combination of genetics and some external environmental trigger (but not junk food or lack of exercise).

Facts
- Type 1 diabetes affects 400,000 people in the UK, enough to fill Wembley Stadium more than 4 times over.
- Over 29,000 children in the UK have type 1 diabetes – you would need 70 jumbo jets to take them all on holiday.
- Worldwide, 78,000 children (aged 14 and under) develop type 1 diabetes each year.
- Finland has the highest rate of type 1 diabetes in the world
- Today we know of more than 50 genes that are associated with the risk of developing type 1 diabetes
- An hour of research into type 1 diabetes costs around £60. Every bit of research brings us a step closer to finding the cure.
- On a global level JDRF has dedicated over £1 billion to research into type 1 diabetes over the past 40 years.
- The word 'diabetic' in Hungarian is 'cukros', literary translation would be 'sugary' or 'sweet'.
- The Spanish word for pump (as in insulin pump) is the same as bomb. Not good for flying!


I hope you have found out some interesting facts from reading my blog.By the way please like my new a facebook page for my blog so that you can find out when I update it, suggest ideas and give me feed back. If you ever want to ask me any questions about diabetes, want to know anything or just want to chat you can always message me. Always remember you are stronger then you think.

Over 1600 veiws!

My blog has just reached over 1600 views! I really cant believe there are so many people that have been reading my blog. When I first set it up I only thought I would have a few people reading it but there are so many amazing people that sit there and read my blog, its amazing! There are people reading my blog all around the world, I have had people read my blog who live in UK, US, Morocco, New Zealand, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Finland, Ireland, Singapore and so many more places.

I first started this blog because I was going through a hard time with my diabetes and I just wanted to have somewhere where I could write down stuff that was on my mind and things that were bothering me but at the same time be able to help other people with diabetes and show them that they are not alone. I have had so much amazing feed back about my blog and comments and it saying how much people enjoy reading my blog and how much it has helped them.

Here is a few of the feed back I have got from people....

"An absolutely brilliant read! Loving the amazing story and great to hear how you deal with certain aspects of your diabetes. Language used is good and clear! The colors used for the background and border are really cool and makes it look like a lot of time has been put into this amazing blog! The little drawn title is AMAZING and really welcomes you to what the page is all about.... Can't wait to read more in the future! Good Luck! :D xx"
Jacob Deveson

"I think Laura's blog is great because, is a good way for her to express her feelings and ideas about diabetes. It also helps other diabetics with the advice she gives as well as sharing good and bad things she has been through. so people know that they are not alone and that other people are experiencing the same things."
Alana Ricci

"I have type 1 diabetes as does my son. Obviously I'm no longer such a young thing any more, but I remember being your age with clarity and for me it was an awful time and my diabetes took a bashing that never really went away. My son's diagnosis has been my motivation to get things right and I wish that I had had access to the internet and your blog to read then, I really feel it would have made a difference to see that it is possible, in amongst teenage turbulence to still manage diabetes with such maturity and dedication. I've recommended my son reads it and have often pointed others in the your direction too. I think. It's amazing that someone so young not only deals with this so positively but by doing so gives inspiration and hope to others."

"I have read some of your blog and talked to you like all of today you helped me so much Laura :)"

"Aw, Laura! Your blog is so good:* You inspire so many people, Including me and help people understand there not alone! I'm so proud of you:* love you lots!xxx"
Chloe Davidson
http://chloedavidson201218.blogspot.co.uk/

"Laura, I enjoy reading your blog because it always has a positive message. Diabetes is very hard but you never complain. You turn each negative into a learning experience not just for yourself but for others, too. Thank you for caring so much about other people. I think you would make a great doctor."
Sue White

"My sister, Laura Archer, has a very lovely blog about dealing with Type 1 Diabetes. She gives real life examples in her posts about things she's dealt with which makes her blog very personal. Each post of hers is normally about things, diabetics go through on a daily basis such as pressure to get a certain A1C (hba1c) or how to deal with high blood sugars and ketones. I absolutely love her blog and I recommend it to all the diabetics out there."
Tara Neill
http://getyourballeton.blogspot.co.uk/

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who takes the time to read me blog post, you are the reason I have kept writing them. Don't forget to always remember you are a lot stronger then you think!

 

Pressure

Having diabetes can be really stressful and emotional at times, you can sometimes feel like there is a lot of pressure on you.  Trying to achieve perfect numbers, carb count accurately so your levels don't go high or low, trying to get the right balance of insulin to food, trying to not over treat low levels or high levels, trying to keep your levels perfect when your ill, excited or sad, trying to get a perfect hba1c. No mater how much your try, it can sometimes feel like you are going backwards with your diabetes instead of forward. It can be really hard at times but don't worry you're not the only person who feels like this, everyone goes through a stage like this.

As you can probably tell from my last post my levels have been running really high because I have been ill, my cannula feel out in the night, I've had ketones and some other things. I have been trying everything to get my levels down and back to normal but nothing really seems to be working, I have tried using temp basals, corrections and it seems to work for a while but then my levels go high again, its been so annoying.

I have a hospital appointment on the 9th January (Thursday) and I have been really worried and scared about going. I really don't want to have my hba1c done because I had worked so hard to so hard to get my hba1c down to 8.1 (it used to be 11.4)and now this happens. My hba1c is probably going to be really high again. I did think about asking the hospital not to do my hba1c as I have had a bad patch with isn't my fault and I have been doing everything I can to try and sort my levels out but it hasn't really been working.

After talking to some people I realised that at the end of the day you cant always have perfect levels, perfect hba1c, its just not possible. We are human and we cant be perfect at everything. Its not our fault if we have a stage where are levels aren't perfect as long as your try you best and get your levels back on track it doesn't matter. Always remember you are stronger then you think you are, you will get through times like this I promise

High levels and Ketones

We all have those bad days were your levels are running really high or really low, the days were you forget to give yourself insulin at one of your meals, the night where your cannula to your pump falls out in the night and you don't realise, the time were you cant find you meter to test your bloods, the day where you over treat your low bloods by accident, don't worry we all do these things sometimes. Its can be so annoying because if you forget to do one of these things or something happens that's not your fault for example your cannula falling out and you don't realise because it can make you feel really ill and sick.

On Thursday my cannula fell out in the night and I didn't realise, this meant I hadn't been getting any insulin throughout the night. I woke up at 6am feeling really thirsty and sick, so I went down stairs and got a drink and when I got back in bed I realised that my cannula wasn't in my leg anymore. I tested my levels straight away and they were 25.0 so I tested my ketones and they were 2.8. The next thing I did was put a new cannula in me, put a temp basal of 150% on and put a correction in my pump too. I felt so ill so I just laid back in bed and I fell asleep, I kept waking up and checking my level and when the next thing I knew I was asleep again.

By lunch time my levels were 5.1 and my ketones were 0.0, I was feeling a bit better too. I took my temp basal off so that my levels didn't go low. I thought I had gotten rid off all of my ketones for that day but that wasn't the case :(  At dinner when I did my levels they were running a bit high so I check my levels and I had some ketones but not a lot. I but on another temp basal of 150% on so that I could get my levels back to normal. When I tested my levels and ketones an hour later they had gone up instead of down. So I changed my cannula again (for the second time that day which was really annoying) and I gave myself another correction and laid down because I felt really ill again. I tested my levels an hour later and my levels were HI (33,3+) and my ketones were 2.2.

My mum said to me if levels and ketones didn't start to come down in the next hour then i would have to go to a&e because I probably had DKA. I was sitting in the living room on the sofa so scared I really didn't want to end up in hospital. The last time I got admitted into hospital with DKA they had to put two drips in my arm and hand and I nearly fainted and they had to give me gas and air because I have a bit of a needle phobia. I really didn't want to end up in hospital  for like 3 days and have to have two drips in my arm. I really cant explain to you the feelings that were going through me head I was so scared, it was like the longest hour ever to have to wait. Luckily when I tested my levels and ketones an hour later they had lowered, I was so happy I told my mum and she said she didn't have to take me to the hospital anymore (:

I know at times it can be really scary to have diabetes but I have learnt that you shouldn't jump to conclusions. I got all worked up and upset over something that never ever happened, we need to try and stay calm in situations like this. I know it can be really hard but always remember you are stronger then you think (:

Happy New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!! I hope everyone had a great New Years Eve. I had some friends come round and we had a competition were we played Pool, Darts, Wii games and sing star. It was so much fun, I didn't go to bed till 3am though because I couldn't sleep. Anyway I hope you all had loads of fun with your friends and family.

Normally at the beginning of a new year someone will ask you "what's your new years resolution is ?" It is really easy to make up one but the hard part is to stick at it. I have made up so many new years resolutions but I haven't been able to stick at them all. A new years resolution can be anything it could be to get all your homework in on time, make a blog, spend less time on Facebook, help more people, better hba1c, do more exercise....there are so many things you could choose. However you need to makes sure your new years resolution is realistic for example walking on water isn't really a realistic resolution that you would be able to complete, haha (:

Have you made a new years resolution? I think it would be a great idea if we all made a new years resolutions to do with our diabetes, so that we can all have a goal to be aiming for. This could help you when you are feeling down and upset about your diabetes because you will have a target to aim for and you can think about how happy and proud you will be when you reach that goal. It could be something like getting a better hba1c, controlling you levels better, learning to carb count, learning to inject/change your line to your pump...there are so many new year resolutions you can choose from. I have decided that my new year resolutions are going to be to learn to carb count myself and to get my hba1c down.

I know it can be really hard at times having diabetes and sometimes you wish you never had it but I am always here to help anyone who is finding it hard or just want to chat. If we all stick together it will make it easier for our day to day life. Remember you are stronger then you think (: