Tips for exams

Its been a really long time since I last posted I know but now that my GCSE's are basically over (I only have one more exam left which is on Friday) I am finally able to start writing on here again :) So much has happened since I last wrote on here, I have loads to tell you and lots of tips and advice I have learnt along the way which will hopefully help you all.

So where should I start?  I think GCSE's would be the best place. As you probably already know GCSE's can be very stressful but with diabetes on top of it, it can be a lot harder for us then it is for other people. There is so much revision that needs to be done, so many things to remember, so little time to do it all in. On top of this we have our levels that need to be kept under control so we can do the best that we can in the exams.

Everybody gets stressed out about exams. The only difference is when I get stressed out it can cause my levels to go high and this makes it really hard for me to concentrate. I remember sitting there trying to revise and wondering why it wasn't going into my head properly, when I checked my levels they were high and this was the reason why it wasn't going in. I would get really annoyed because it wasn't my fault this was happening but I was really worried it would mess up my exam results. I found the best way for me to revise was revising for half an hour and then having a break five minutes and then going back to revise for another half an hour. If I found my levels were running high I would give a correction or put a temp basal on to keep my levels lower so that I could actually concentrate.

If you are starting any exams or anything like that where you have got to do a lot of revision I would advice making a revision time table. On the time table it should tell you what you are going to revise everyday so that you don't get behind with revision. Making a revision time table really helped me because it meant I knew exactly what I had to do everyday and it meant I had revised everything I needed to in time for the exam. I would also recommend not leaving all your revision till the day before the exam. If you do it will just stress you out more because you wont be able to learn everything before the exam and this will mean you wont do as well as you can. I kinda left my revision for my mock exams to the last minute and I didn't do very well so for my GCSE's I made sure I revised months before the exam so that I knew all of the information and I wasn't stressing out the day before the exam.

When it came to my first exam I was so worried and stressed about it on the day, even though I had revised loads for the exam I felt like I didn't know the information properly. I remember sitting in the exam panicking as they read out the exam rules on the front of the test. I sat there and closed my eyes and focused on my breathing, this really helped me calm down. When I opened the paper and looked at the questions I realised I actually knew all the information and I was able to answer all of the questions. After the exam I felt so happy and impressed with myself because I couldn't believe that I got through the exam without panicking loads and giving up. The exam was no where near as bad as I thought it was going to be so this made me feel a little bit less stressed about the rest of my exams. Surprisingly throughout all of my exams in the first 2 weeks my levels were really good which meant I was able to concentrate properly and do the best I could.

When you do any exams remember to tell the exam people at school that you have diabetes so that they are aware as they can set up things like sitting you near the door so that you can go out and check your levels at anytime. Also the time that you are out sorting out your levels should then be added back on to the time you have in the exam so that you don't loose any time. This can be really helpful as it means you don't loose anytime if your levels are low so you have exactly the same amount of time that's everyone else has.

So here are a few things you need to remember when it comes to revision and exams.

1. Make sure you don't leave revision until the last moment
2. Make a revision time table
3. Take regular breaks when revising and keep checking your levels so you can correct them if they are high
4. Make sure the school have put things in place for your diabetes
5. If you start panicking in the exam concentrate on your breathing
6. Test your levels before and after exam so you can correct them if they are high or eat something if they are running a bit low
7. Try not to panic, (easier said then done I know)  you will be fine

Hopefully these points will help you through exams and revising. I know exams can be scary and you probably feel like your diabetes will get in the way and stop you achieving your best, but trust me that isn't true as long as you look after yourself as well as revising. I thought my levels would be really high in the exams which would have made it hard to concentrate and affected my grade but actually my levels were fine.

Good Luck to anyone who has been taking exams recently :)  

Holiday aboard

Sorry I haven't posted on my blog in a while, it's because I have been on holiday for 2 weeks in Portugal. The weather was so nice there, it was always sunny and hot throughout the day and in the evening there was a lovely cool breeze. The holiday was so relaxing and I loved it, the only bad thing was the only Internet that I was able to connect to was in a restaurant, which was quiet a long walk from our apartment. So I wasn't able to talk to people or write any blog posts or go on Facebook :( 

Whenever I go on holiday abroad I always worry that they won't let my through security because of all of my insulin and my pump and pump supplies that I will need.. Every time I have been on holiday it has been fine when i was going through security it always been fine so I don't really know why I worry about it. The only thing we got told we had to do this time was put my glucoJels in a separate bags to my insulin. 

If you go on holiday abroad I know it can make you worry a bit about getting through security with all your diabetic supplies but try and not worry as it will be fine. All you have to remember to do is get a letter off your diabetic team to say that you can bring liquids on to the plane and put all your liquids and diabetic supplies on clear plastic bags so that the security people can see what it is. Make sure your gluco gels and your insulin are in separate clear bags as one is a liquid and the other is a gel (as we found out when we went through security). Always pack more stuff then you will actually need so that if something went wrong with your pump supplies or your levels were higher so you injected more and used more insulin.  Make sure your insulin is in a cold bag or something so that it keeps cool and doesn't go off because it's too hot. If you are on a pump make sure you bring injections and needles just encase anything happens to your pump.

 

When we got through security we went in to a shop to buy some drinks and food for the plane. While we were in the shop looking at the sweets and chocolate one of the members of staff was stacking the shelf's right next to us. I looked over at her and noticed that she had the OmniPod pump in her arm. As the woman walked away I whispered to my mum that the woman was diabetic and that she had the wireless pump in her arm. The woman then came back and carried on stacking the self, my mum asked her if it was a pump in her arm and the woman said yeah. So I said how I was diabetic and was on a pump. 

 

Me and my mum had a conversation with the woman about the OmniPod as I didn't really know how it worked and had never met someone on it before. The woman said how it had helped her so much and that she preferred it to her old pump that had a wire. She said it made everyday life so much easier as there was no wire which meant she didn't catch the wire on anything and it also meant her line didn't get blocked as much as it used to. Also it made it a lot easier for her to have baths, showers and do exercise as she doesn't have to disconnect her pump as there is no wire. Overall she said she wouldn't know what she would do now if she didn't have the OmniPod pump.    

After thinking for a while about the OmniPod pump for a while I think I would really like to trial the pump as I don't know whether I would like it or not. The thought of not having to have a pump attached to you while you are sleeping and following you around whether you go, is amazing. The thought of not having to worry about catching your line on anything and it ripping out or having to disconnect then having a bath, shower or exercise. The only thing that worries me is because the cannula is a lot bigger then my cannula now I am scared I wouldn't like it because its bigger and I might knock it off or something while I was getting used to it. The OmniPod is so much more advanced for the other insulin pumps and it just shows how much technology has improve over the last couple of years.

Overall I had an amazing holiday but I think it went way too fast but maybe that was because I was staying in bed asleep until 10 or 11am haha. I will soon be starting school and it will be my last year at collage. I hope everyone else has had a good holiday as well and that your levels have been good.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter everyone, I hope you have all had a great day and that you got the Easter egg you wanted.

Today I have seen quiet a lot of posted on Facebook saying stuff like don't eat to much chocolate Easter eggs or you will ended up with diabetes. The truth is you can't get diabetes from eating too much chocolate. Some people think that people who have diabetes have to have special sugar free Easter eggs or that they can't have any Easter eggs. You can special sugar free chocolate that people think is better for people who have diabetes but it sometimes actually has more carbs in then a normal chocolate Easter egg so it mean they wouldn't be able to eat as much as a normal Easter egg so you would probably be better just buying a normal Easter egg. It is really annoying when people say you can't have a chocolate Easter egg because you are diabetic or Easter eggs cause diabetes if you eat too many because it isn't true, having diabetes doesn't stop you from eating chocolate, all we have to do is give ourselves enough insulin for the amount of chocolate we eat. It does mean our Easter chocolate probably does last longer then other people but it doesn't mean we can't have Easter eggs.

Hopefully this post will help explain to some people that just because someone has diabetes it doesn't mean they can't have Easter eggs and that diabetes isn't caused by eating too much chocolate.   

Meeting up

I have always said that I would love to meet other people my age who has diabetes. I talk quite a lot to people my age, younger and older then me who have diabetes on Facebook and on Facebook groups. Some people have helped me so much on there because they have made me realise that I am not alone and that there are loads of other people in the world who are going through the same things as I am. I have made so many friends on the group but one problem is that most of them live no where near me which means we won't be able to meet up in person and go somewhere for the day, we can only talk to each other over Facebook. Even though these people have helped me so much I still really wanted to meet up with someone my age who has diabetes that lives near me so that we could go on days out together, be able to met in person and get to know each other more.

I have been seeing a psychologist for quite a long time now and she has helped me so much. She has shown me that if I put my mind to something and really want to do it, I will be able to. She has also made me realise that I am so much more then diabetes and if I can try and get my levels in range it will make it easier in the future. Also since seeing have I have achieved so much and most people say it's like i am a different person. I am so much more confident and independent. Part of the reason why I started writing this blog was because I wanted to be more like my psychologist and help people by using my own experiences as she has helped me so much. I just wanted to say thank you so much to my psychologist because she has helped me so much and I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for her. 

My psychologist thought it would be a really good idea to start a group where teenagers who had diabetes. The point of the group was so that you could make friends with other people and so that we could all support everyone in the group so that if they were having a hard time they could talk to someone in the group and they would try and help them. The psychologist wasn't really sure what the group should be like and what people would want to do at the group so she decided that she needed some ideas for people who would come to the group so she invited me and two other people to meet her and discuss what we wanted the group to be like. After we met up she set a date for the first met up for the group. To be honest I was a bit nervous about going as there were going to be a lot more people and at first we wouldn't know any of them. 

On Tuesday it was the day when we were all meeting up as a group. When I first got there we sat in a room with all of the teenagers and there parents and then all the teenagers went in to the room next door so that we could do some activities to help us get to know people more while the parents could talk to other parents and get to know them more and also help them if they had any questions. The first activity that the teenagers did was introducing yourself to the rest of the group. We had to say our name and one thing we had done in the Easter holidays. After that we all got given a piece of paper, a pencil and a balloon. We got told to write one thing we would bring to the group or something we liked doing, then we had to fold up the paper and put it inside the balloon, once we had done that we had to blow the balloon up and put the paper on it and tie it. The point of the game was at the end of the group we would pop a balloon and see what it said on the piece of paper and then we would guess who wrote it. I had no idea what to write on the piece of paper though so I ended up sitting there for ages trying to think of something and then my psychologist told me to go and talk to her and she said to me to write that I blog on the piece of paper. I didn't really want everyone knowing I had a blog because then they would want to read it but I ended up putting it on the piece of paper. Next we got told that there were lots of different activities around the room that we could go and do or we could try and come up with a logo and a name for a group. So me and one of the girls say down and tried to come up with a logo and a name. It was nice because while we were doing it we were talking to each other and got to know each other more. At the end of the group we popped the balloons and it was quiet interesting and fun guess who wrote it as we found out a lot about people that we didn't know before. 

Overall I think the group was really good as you got to know people more and it was so nice knowing that you weren't alone and that there are people that live near you that are going through the same thing as you are. Also I met some really nice people while I was at the group and I really can't wait to meet up again. 

If you ever have a chance to go to a group where you will meet other people with diabetes, I would defiantly suggest going.

Summer

The weather has started to getting warmer and people are starting to go swimming more and wearing skirts and shorts. This might seem like a really random thing to talk about but I know I get really self conscious about going swimming and wearing shorts because of my line to my pump. I don't like it being on show to people because I worry about people making fun of me or asking loads of questions about it. I like it when I go out and I can be round people without them asking about my diabetes or worrying about me, also it can be quiet nice being able to go out and people not knowing you have diabetes. Some people might not mind if people can see their pump or line to there pump but I know there are some people out there who are really worried and self conscious about it.

The last time I went swimming on holiday was in America in 2012. At that time I had my line to my pump in my bottom as that was where I got told to put it when I first started on the pump. I kept it there as I don't like changing things (I have no idea why), the thought of changing where my line was scared me. I also couldn't change my line myself either because I have a phobia of needles and I was really scared about changing it myself just encase I did it wrong or it hurt more. The thought of pressing the buttons on the inserter to pump the line in me really scared me, I thought I would never be able to change my line by myself (I have near told anyone that before as I know it probably sounds silly but its true) Anyway as I had my line in my bottom it near really got in the way, when I went swimming or had shorts and skirts on, no one could see my line which made me feel a lot happier wearing shorts and going swimming.

However this year I am going on holiday to Portugal. I can now change my line myself and I always do it in my leg as I find that the easiest place to put my line. However I totally forgot that my line would be on show to people when I go swimming or wear shorts until I went swimming at the local swimming pool this week. I couple of day before I went swimming I did think about what people might say if they saw my line in my leg and what might happen. The thing was I really didn't like people seeing it but I didn't really have a choose if I wanted to go swimming. So I thought that if I may put my line in my stomach instead of my leg it would mean that no one would be able to see my line when I was wearing shorts or a swimming costume however on holiday I normally wear bikini's in the swimming pool which meant my line would still be on show which would make me feel self conscious about going swimming. The thing is I wanted to go swimming so I just had to try and get over my fear of my line being on show.

On Tuesday I went swimming in the local swimming pool, I was really nervous about getting in the pool at first so I made sure as I was walking to the pool I had my towel covering my line as I didn't want anyone else to see it and thing it weird that I am going swimming with it on my leg. Once I had walked over to the pool I put my towel on the seating around the edge of the swimming pool and I made sure my hand was coving my round so that no one saw it. There was a slight problem though because now I had to get into the pool by going down the steps, however I wasn't going to be able to do it one handed. So I had to take my hand away from my line and climb down the stairs (my line was on show to everyone), some people saw my line I think but they never asked me anything about it which was good. It made me feel a bit more confident about my line being on show now. However I did still cover my line with my towel as we were walking back to the changing rooms.

I know that it can make you really nervous having your line to your pump on show to other people however you will be able to do it as I was able to face my fear and go swimming with my line on show. It seems really hard to do at first but I know you will be able to do it because you are stronger then you think. At first I thought everyone was going to look at my line and ask questions about it however I was wrong, none of that happened and because of this I feel a bit happier having it on show. I do still worry about it  but I know it will be ok and get easier the more I have my line on show. Always remember you are stronger than you think!

Not your fault

It can be really annoying when people get confused between type one diabetes and type two diabetes or just refer things as diabetes. It might not seem like it matters to other people but it can be really upsetting to people who have diabetes. They wouldn't like it if they had diabetes and got comments from people saying stuff like its your fault your diabetic because you ate too much sugar or you cant eat sweets because your diabetic...

Last week, I was in a French lesson and we were learning how to say what we eat and how often we eat it. The lesson starter was matching the French words to different parts in your diet, for example carbohydrates, dairy, meat, protein... The teacher gave us about 5 mins to finish the starter, I wasn't very good at it as I am rubbish at French. Then the teacher started going through the answers so that we had it in our books to use later in the lesson. After the teacher had finished going through the answers she started asking the class questions about what would happen if we ate too much or not enough of certain foods. She told the class that if you eat too much food with lots of fat in it would cause heart disease and high cholesterol which would lead to heart attaches and strokes. She then told the class that if you eat too much sugar and carbohydrates you would get diabetes.

The whole class looked at me after she said it. It made me feel really upset and annoyed because now the whole class (apart from my close friends) thought I got diabetes because I eat too much sugar and carbohydrates. They were all going to think that it was my fault that I got diabetes and that I caused it because I didn't look after myself. I really didn't want to go to school the next day as I was scared of what people might say to me.The thing I didn't get diabetes because I ate too much sugar and carbohydrates, I got diabetes because pancreas doesn't produce insulin anymore so I have to check my level and give myself insulin every time I eat.

I know 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. Always remember you are stronger than you think!

 

Illness and levels

Sorry I haven't written on my blog in a while, I have been busy because of work experience and then I was ill this week. This gave me the idea of writing a post about how being ill can effect your levels. Illnesses and infections as well as stress will make your levels go high because as part of the body's defence mechanism for fighting illness and infection causes more glucose to be released into the bloodstream and prevents insulin from working properly. This happens even if you are off your food or eating less than usual.

Last weekend after I had just finished my work experience my levels started running high and I couldn't work out why. I thought it might be because a had a bit of a cold or that I was upset about leaving the work experience because I was going to miss the children and babies.

On Monday norming I woke up at 1am and I could hardly open my left eye because it was all gooey so I showed my mum and she said it was probably conjunctivitis so I cleaned my eye up and went back to sleep. I didn't sleep well though because I kept waking up in the night because of my eye. I woke up at 1am, 2am, 4am, 5am and 7am so in the morning I was really tired and felt rubbish so I didn't go to school or do my paper round. In the morning my mum rang the doctors and said that she couldn't drive me to the doctors because of the operation she had on her back and then she explained to them that my eye was really gooey, bloodshot and sore and my levels had been running high. They said that we could buy some eye drops at the chemists. So my stepdad brought them on the way home from work for me. I started using the eye drop on Monday but my levels where still running really high because of the conjunctivitis in my left eye.

On Tuesday morning I woke up in the morning and I could hardly open my right eye as the conjunctivitis had spread to my right eye as well as my left eye. So I went and did my paper round and then came home and told my mum that the conjunctivitis was in my right eye as well as my left eye. So my mum put the eye drops in both of my eyes and said I was alright to go to school. While I was at school my eyes started to really hurt in science so I closed my eye for a bit as it made them feel better, I nearly fell asleep though. Then at lunch I took some paracetamol as my right cheek started to hurt and I felt so rubbish so thought it might make me feel better. Everyone of my teacher kept asking if I was alright because my eyes were so swollen and bloodshot they thought I had been crying when actually it was just because of my conjunctivitis.

On Wednesday morning I woke and went on my paper round. When I got home I didn't have school as the school was on strike for the day so I just sat down and relaxed for a while. I then started doing some of my patchwork blanket because it is the last thing I need to do to complete my Duke Of Edinburgh bronze award so I thought I would get some of it done. My right cheek started to hurt again but it hurt more then yesterday so I told my mum and she said to take some paracetamol because that should help, I also checked my levels and they were really high so I thought I would put a temp basal on off 170% to try and get my levels back down. I then went to sleep for a pic so that I wasn't in pain anymore and when I woke up my right cheek still hurt so I told my mum again, she said my cheek was really red, swollen and hot. So I checked my level again and they were still over 15 so something wasn't right as I was having 70% extra insulin and my levels were still really high. My mum called the doctors and explain what had happened with my eye and my cheek and that my levels were still running high even when I was having loads of extra insulin, The doctors said that it was classed as an emergency appointment because of my diabetes so they fitted me in an appointment at the end of  the day. So my step dad took me to the appointment when he got home from work as my mum couldn't drive there. The doctor said I had conjunctivitis and sinusitis which was why my right cheek had been hurting so much so they gave me some antibiotics to help with the conjunctivitis and sinusitis, they also said that my levels were running so high because of the infections I had and that I needed to keep the 170% temp basal on and keep checking my levels to check what they were. My mum told me that I should tell the paper round lady that I wasn't able to do paper round on Thursday morning as I wasn't well enough to do it and she told me that I wasn't going to be going to school on Thursday either as she wanted me to rest so that I would feel better on Friday.

On Thursday morning (today) I woke up feeling a little bit better. So I had some paracetamol, my antibiotics and my eye drops and relaxed for a bit as I didn't want to over do it and make myself feel more unwell. At lunch time when I did my levels they were 9.1 which is the best they have been in ages and I didn't even have a temp basal on. At dinner my levels went up to 23.3 and I started to feel ill again, my right cheek started to hurt again and my levels weren't helping at all. I gave myself a correction and then put a temp basal of 150% on to try and get my levels down again.

When you have an illness or an infection your levels will go high and it can be really annoying as it can make you feel worse. The best thing to do is not to panic because if you panic that will make your levels go higher, so if you have any questions or you are unsure on what to do stay calm and contact your diabetes team because they will able to help you. You should test your levels more often, like every 1-2 hours so that you can make sure your levels aren't gong higher or dropping too quickly. Try and stay well hydrated, so have a bottle of water with you because high levels can make you really dehydrated. You should test for ketones if your levels are running high, if you have ketones and you aren't really sure what to do, don't panic, just contact your diabetes team can give you some advice on what to do.
I know it can be really annoying when your levels are high because you are ill and you aren't doing anything wrong to make them high but just remember you will get through it because you are stronger than you think

Work experience

At my school when you are in year 10 you go on work experience for 2 weeks, everyone get to decide where you want to work for the 2 weeks. You could work in a primary school, preschool, shop, hairdressers, building site....there are so many places you could go. I was really excited about choosing somewhere to go but at the same time I was worried about how my diabetes might get in the way and make it harder.

I decided I really wanted to work with children on work experience but I wasn't quite sure what type of job I would prefer to do. I talked to my mum about it as she works in a preschool so I thought she might know some places which would be happy for me to do my work experience at. She said about a daycare place near to wear I live who look after babies and toddlers. I went there for an interview to see what the daycare was like, what the staff were like and to have a tour of the daycare. After the interview I was so excited about starting work however I was a bit worried what my levels were going to be like as I am not used to being active all day an working long hours.

On the first day of my work experience I was really worried as I didn't know any of the children there or any of the staff, so my levels were running in the morning because I was so worried and nervous about starting. Luckily by lunch my levels had gone back to normal which made me feel better. I was worried at first that I might need to do my levels while I was meant to be looking after the kids but the staff were really good and told me that if I needed to check my levels or I didn't feel well and needed to sit down for a bit all I had to do was tell one of the staff and then I could go to the office and sit down for a bit and sort myself out.

I realised that I never needed to worry about my diabetes as they were really understanding and my levels weren't effected that much by working longer and being more active however I was really tired and kept having to go to bed early haha. I have now been on work experience for one week and I am really enjoying it and it has made me realise that my diabetes doesn't stop me being like everyone else at work. Always remember your diabetes doesn't have to stop you from doing anything, you are stronger than you think.

Friends at school

We all have days where are levels are running really high or really low, and we have no idea why. It can be really hard when you have days like this at school because it can make it really difficult to concentrate and learn things when your levels are all over the place. It can be really annoying when you just want to get on with your work and be like other people in your class, and then you start to feel unwell. So you ask the teacher if you can check your levels which mean the whole of your class find and it stands out that you have diabetes (I hate when this happens).
The school gave me a card called an 'exit card'; I can show this card to any of my teacher at any point in the lesson and it means I can leave the lesson without telling the teacher why or where I am going. This means the rest of my class don't know why I am leaving the lesson and they don't even see the card when I show it to the teacher, they think I have just gone to get a drink or gone to the toilet when actually I am soring my diabetes out. Its made it so much easier to look after my diabetes at school.
 
So yesterday at school I checked my levels in form because I wasn't felling that well. My levels were 20.4 which didn't make sense because my levels were 12.7 before I had breakfast which was an hour ago, so I had no idea what was happening with my levels. I gave myself a correction and then I put a temp basal of 150% on my pump so that my levels would come down. I then went to my next lesson which was Core RE, I didn't really have to do I lot in that lesson so that was ok. All I had to do was write down some information from this sheet of paper, I did find it really hard to concentrate. At the end of my Core RE lesson I thought I would check my levels as I was feeling worse then I did when I was in Form. When I was checking my levels my friend saw I was checking my levels so asked what they were, I told her they were 26.0, I couldn't believe that my levels had gone up instead of down even though I had given myself so much more extra insulin.

My friend kept telling me that I need to go do some exercise like doing lap round the school to get my levels down. The thing is I really just wanted to sit down and wait for my levels to go down because I didn't feel well. My friend was really worried about me so she walked to my next lesson, science, with me. I told her I was fine and that my insulin would start working soon so my levels would go down.  My friend said no I am telling your science teacher. I said its ok, I will be fine, don't worry. My friend didn't listen to me, she went up to the teacher and told her that my levels were 26.0 and that I needed to do some laps of the school to get my levels down. At first the teacher had no idea what my friend was talking about and then she realised. My teacher asked to talk to me so I went over and spoke to her. She said I needed to do some exercise. So I told her that I had given myself some insulin and all I needed to do was sit down because I wasn't feeling well.

Throughout the whole of my science lesson my teacher keep checking on me, to see that I was feeling ok and that my levels had came down. The good thing was she did it without the whole class knowing what she was doing. Luckily by lunch my levels had gone back to normally and I was feeling a lot better, however by 8pm I was really tired and ended up falling asleep, which isn't normal for me as I normally go to bed at 10pm.

At the time when my friend told my science teacher about my levels I wasn't very happy with her, however after my science lesson I totally understand why she told her, and I am quiet glad she told my teacher as I wasn't able to concentrate in science as my levels were so high and I didn't do as well as I could have in my science test.

It is really good to have friend that look after you at school, I know it can sometimes feel like they are telling you what to do but its only because they care about you and don't want you to be ill. Sometimes you need someone to help you with your diabetes and your friends are really good at that.
Always remember you are stronger then you think.

More than Diabetes

I realised I haven't told you a lot about me so I thought I would write down some things about me that you probably don't know.

My full name is Laura Elizabeth Archer
I am 15 years old
I was born on 1st December 1998
I am in year 10 at school
I have dark blonde hair
I have green/brown eyes
I am right handed
I have one brother and two stepbrother
I live with my mum, stepdad, brother and my two step brothers every other weekend
I have two dogs
I have a paper round
I help out at football training for 5-6 year olds
I did the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award
I have been abroad on holiday to Portugal and America
I don't like eggs
I don't like spiders
I have a phobia to needles
My favourite book is 'Is it just me?' By Miranda Hart
My favourite colour is blue and teal
My favourite meal is pasta
My favourite food is meringue with cream
My favourite lesson at school is English
My least favourite lesson at school in French and PE
My favourite film is pitch perfect
My favourite tv series Miranda, Greys Anatomy
My favourite boy band are The Vamps
My favourite girl band are Little Mix
My favourite animal is a Panda
Oh yeah...
I am allergic to Penicillin
I have Type One Diabetes
I have been Diabetic for 11 years
I am on an insulin pump

Being diabetic is only one part of me, I am so much more then diabetes. You should never let your diabetes stop you from doing anything and you are so much more than just diabetes!
Remember you are stronger than you think 

Injections or Pump

A lot of people find it hard to decided whether they want a injections or a pump, 4-6 injections a day or changing line to pump every 3 days, having nothing attached to you or having something attached to you 24/7. It can be really hard to decide which one. Some people find that the pump controls their levels better but they don't like having it attached to them all the time. Some people find that with injections it fits in better with their everyday life but they find that it takes a lot of time to work out how many units of insulin they need every meal. Everyone is different.

When I was first diagnosed with diabetes I was only 4 years old. I was on injections for 5 years and then I got a pump when I was 9 years old and I have been on the pump ever since. I cant really remember being on injections because I was so young. I know a lot of people struggle to decided if they want injections or a pump so I thought I would write a post all about why people prefer the pump and why people prefer injections but remember what ever you prefer is up to you because people prefer the pump and injections for different reasons.

Some people prefer injections because.......
You only have to inject 4-6 times a day
It only takes a few seconds to inject
You don't have to have something attached to you 24/7
No hassle for sports, baths or showers
No line like the pump does


Some people prefer the pump because......
You only have to change the line to your pump every 3 days
Better control of levels
You can set temp basal so you get more insulin
You don't have to work out how much insulin you need with meals
You can give yourself insulin more easily in public

I personal prefer the pump because my levels are a lot better since being on the pump and I find the pump is a lot more flexible then injections. I can eat whenever I want and I don't have to eat at set times like I used to. Also I prefer the pump because I have a needle phobia (I know it sounds funny) which means with the pump I only have to change my line every 3 day. At first I didn't like having a pump attached to me 24/7 but I have got used to it and hardly notice it is there anymore.

Everyone is different though and we all find different things work better for us. There is no right or wrong answer on whether you want a pump or to have injections, at the end of the day its you who is having to inject everyday or having a pump attached to you all the time. If you ever have any questions about diabetes or just want to chat, you can always leave a comment below or message me on facebook. Always remember you are stronger than you think

 

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 (:

The year of 2013

So its nearly the end of the year so I thought I would write a post about how much my life has changed and how much I have achieved in this year. You might sometimes feel like you aren't moving forwards with you diabetes and that it is stopping you from doing things, I feel like that quiet a lot of the time. However if I think back to at the beginning of this year I have achieved so much and I am sure you have too.

At the beginning of this year I was ill and unwell because I hadn't been looking after my diabetes how I should have been. I went through a stage where I didn't want to be diabetic, I wanted to be like all of my friends at school. I wished I wasn't diabetic. I ending up in hospital because my levels were so high.I totally regret doing what I did. I made it stand out more that I was diabetic and different to everyone else at my school because I had to have time of because of how ill I felt and I had to go into hospital. 

After when I was out of hospital I realised that if I looked after myself I would feel a lot better and my diabetes wouldn't affect me as much when I was older. So I started doing what I was meant to do. My levels were so much better which meant my hba1c was so much lower, its the lowest I have got it in a long time (:

While I was in hospital I got told about some Facebook group that were for Teenagers with type one diabetes. So when I got home I joined some of them and they made me feel so much better because it made me realise that there are loads of other people going through exactly what I was going through. The groups have helped me so much because you can ask questions on there and then people will answer your questions. The people on the groups are so lovely and are always happy to help you. I have made some great, amazing friends on there who live in places like England, New Zealand, America, Canada and some other places.

Also this year I have learnt to change my line on my own, I know it probably sounds stupid that I was 14 years old and I had never been able to change my line by myself. The reason why I had never changed it before was because I have a really bad phobia of needles and my mum had always been there to change it for me. The hospital told me that I need to learn to change it myself because I was getting to old for my mum to keep changing it and my mum isn't always going to be there to change my line, for example she wasn't going to come round my house when I had my own house just to come and change my line, haha. It came to the point were I really wanted to do the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award which is an award which is given for completing a programme of activities that can be under taken by anyone aged 14 to 24. We got told you picked a skill, physical and volunteering activity and we would do an expedition which meant sleeping in the middle of nowhere in a tent for a night and walking 14miles over 2days. This meant I had to learn to change my line myself or I wasn't aloud to go. I really wanted to go and I didn't want to let my friends down so for the first time I changed my lie by myself, I was so happy when I did it. Now I change my line myself every 3 days (:

Since being able to change my line myself, being able to control my levels better and being able to carb count, I have been able to go to so many more things without my mum. I have been able to do the Duke of Edinburgh, go to the O2, go to Cambridge and go round friends houses for sleepovers more because my mum feels a lot happier and doesn't worry about me as much. Also I have been able to get a paper round that I do Monday to Saturday every week. I have to get up at 6am everyday to be able to do my paper round which I wouldn't have been able to if my levels were high because I wouldn't have felt well enough. I wouldn't have even thought about doing some of this stuff this time last year.

This year I have also made this blog, I cant believe how many people read my blog. I just wanted to have somewhere where I could write 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. Always remember you are a lot stronger then you think! If you ever need someone to just talk to or need any help I am always more then happy for people to send me a message or comment below and I will chat to you (:

 I have realised that I have achieved so much this year. I am more independent, happy and more well then I was last year. Even though I have had some times when I feel so fed up of my diabetes and just feel like giving up, when I look back I am so glad I never gave up and I kept going on because I wouldn't be where I am today if I had given up. Remember you are stronger then you think

Jingle Bell Ball

Sorry I haven't written a blog post in a while, I have been so busy with school, my diabetes, exam at school, my birthday and some other things. Anyway I thought I would write a post about how your emotions can effect your levels. Your emotions have a massive affect on your diabetes. When you are feeling worried, stressed or excited about something this can make you levels high. I find that if I have fallen out with my friend, had a disagreement with someone, had a test at school or gone to a concert, this causes my levels to be high.

On Sunday 8th December I went to the Jingle Bell Ball, which is a concert that is held every year in December by Capital fm at the O2 Arena. This year the Jingle Bell Ball was sponsored by Coca Cola. The line up of singers on Sunday were amazing I was so excited.

The line up
Lady Gaga
Dizzee Rascal
Rudimental
Jessie J
The Vamps
John Newman
Lawson
Little Mix
Jason Derulo

 

 

Before I left the house to drive to the O2 my levels were 20+ because I was so excited. It was the first time I was going somewhere that far away without my mum because I was going with a friend and her parents. The only reason my mum was letting me go without her is because I can now change my own line, carb count on my own and look after myself. I was so excited and my emotions were playing a big part in why my levels were so high.

Every time I tested my levels when we were out they were 15+ because I was so excited. I kept giving myself corrections, after I gave the correction and tested my levels again two hours later, my levels sometimes went down or they stayed the same.

When we were driving home I was so tired because it was really late and I had had a really busy day. My friend made sure I checked my levels as I hadn't eaten anything in ages and it was getting late. When my friend asked me to check my levels I couldn't seem to be able to prick my finger because I was so tired I kept missing my finger. My friend ended up pricking my finger for me, I thought it would hurt when she pricked my finger because she had never done it to me before but it didn't hurt at all. My levels were still running a bit high so I put another correction into my pump.

My friend pushed the car seats in the back of the car back so that we could lay down and talk because it was more comfortable. It was so funny because I started to fall asleep while she was talking to me so she shinned a touch in my eyes to wake me up. So I put the hood of my jumper over my head and fell asleep again. While I was asleep my friend took pics of me.

Over all the day was amazing and I will never forget it. I saw some of my fave singer and I was able to keep my levels under control. So if you ever go out on days out or you know you are going to be excited about something all you need to do is check your levels more and give yourself corrections or you could put a temp basal on your pump. Your diabetes doesn't have to stop you from having fun and enjoying yourself

Life with diabetes

Life with diabetes can be really hard and challenging at times, it can sometimes feel like diabetes is a obstacle that keeps getting in the way of your day to day life which can be really annoying. You can have a day of really good levels and then the next your levels can be really high and you have no idea why. It can sometimes feel like its never ending.

Lots people get confused about what type one diabetes is. So what is type one 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.

So what was life like before I was diagnosed with type one diabetes?

 I didn't have to prick my finger 5-8 times a day
 I didn't have to check my levels 5-8 Times a day
 I didn't have to change my line to your pump every 3 days
 I didn't have to stick needle in myself everyday
 I didn't have to work out the carbs in everything I ate
 I didn't have to worry about my levels
 I didn't have to take insulin everyday
 I didn't have to get my levels between 4-8
 I didn't have to correct high levels
 I didn't have to correct low levels
 I didn't have to give myself insulin every time I ate
 I didn't have to check I have enough insulin
 I didn't have to make sure I have enough test strips
 I didn't have to always have my bloodcount on my
 I didn't have  to go to hospital apt every 3 months
 I didn't have to have a hba1c every 3 months
 I didn't have to order supplies 
 I didn't have to know the symptoms of low blood sugar,
 I didn't have to know the symptoms of high blood sugar,
 I didn't have to wear medic alert bracelets
 I didn't have to worry about DKA
 I didn't have to have sore fingers from finger pricks
 I didn't have to have sore arms, stomach or legs from your line 
 I didn't have to change your own line
 I didn't have to tuck in pump-tubing for fear of it being ripped out
 I didn't have to have a pump attached to you 24/7
 
As you can see I have to do a lot more things now than I did before I had  type one diabetes but it doesn't change who I am. I am still the same person I would have been if I didn't have Type One diabetes, diabetes is only a small part of me.

I know this post isn't like my normal posts but I just wanted to show other people what it is like to live with diabetes and because its diabetes month, I thought I would write a post that would spread awareness of diabetes