What is diabetes? How do you get it? And what does it actually mean? Am I the only one in this new world? Will my life change, or can I continue as before? Am I marked forever? Different from others? Why are they pricking me right away, and what is all the fuss about?
These are the kinds of questions I was asking myself too, at the age of 15, at the start of my first year of high school. You can read below about the answers I found and how I cope with my lifelong companion.
How My Journey in the “Sweet” World Began
At the beginning of high school, around the start of puberty, I began eating a lot and was extremely thirsty. During the long school break, I could drink up to 2 liters of juice. My mother noticed that something strange was happening to me, that I was eating and drinking a lot and gradually losing weight. The most common reassuring response was: “He’s in puberty, he needs to eat.” However, my mother insisted that I have my blood tested, and a mother’s instinct does not make mistakes. The results confirmed it. My fasting blood sugar was measured at 19.3 mmol/L.
That news did not mean much to me at the time. The day felt almost like any other. I was riding to school with my best friend and telling him about some kind of sugar issue, but neither of us had any idea what it actually meant.
Genetically Predisposed or Something Else
I had never had any major health problems before, nor did anyone in my family have diabetes, at least not as far as we knew.
After the test results came in, the doctor immediately sent us to the hospital, where they gave me an injection within seconds and informed my parents that I had to stay in the hospital. That was a huge shock for both my parents and me. I did not understand at all why there was such a commotion. What confused me the most was that I felt completely fine. No discomfort, pain, or problems of any kind. Why would I suddenly need injections, and what would all of that bring?
But as the days went by, things became easier, although I still did not fully understand the whole situation. I handled the constant pricking of my fingers, arms, legs, and stomach before meals like a man.
However, one situation that really shook me was blurred vision, because the pupil of the eye needed some time to adjust to the insulin I had started receiving. But after two to three weeks, the situation stabilized, and everything has remained under control to this day. That was when I realized how frightening it is not to be able to see. That is why it is very important to take care of everything and have regular fundus examinations.
My Therapy… My Everyday Life…
My friend insulin — Humalog — is one of my longest-lasting companions, because I have been using it for 21 years. Humalog is a rapid-acting insulin that I take before main meals. In addition to rapid-acting insulin, I also use a long-acting insulin, although I have changed that one over the years. The first was Humulin, then Levemir, and for the past few years I have been using Tresiba, which reduced my daily number of insulin injections by one shot, so I am currently at four. Of course, along with taking insulin, diet, exercise, and a consistent lifestyle are extremely important.
My Life with the Libre Sensor
Since the very beginning, I have changed several devices for measuring blood sugar, and although I was initially skeptical about the Libre sensor system, despite all its errors and difficulties, it is indeed very good and makes everyday life easier.
Blood Sugar Control in Sunshine or Under Clouds
For the most part, I stick to all the rules of diet and lifestyle, so I can say that I am well regulated. Of course, there are also days when my blood sugar goes wild. Sometimes it happens for no apparent reason, but illness (flu, viral infection, etc.), stress at work or in private life, the environment I am in, and my psychological state all significantly affect my blood sugar levels. Sometimes blood sugar levels can even depend on the weather.
I often explain the unpredictability of blood sugar like this: if we lived through two completely identical days, blood sugar would almost certainly not be the same. The difference could be caused simply by sunny or cloudy weather. Interesting, isn’t it?
Diet
I would say that I do not think too much about food, but when I reflect on it a bit more, it seems to me that I eat well and relatively healthily. I always plan for my meals to include plenty of fruit and vegetables, and I make sure to watch my carbohydrate intake and insulin dosing. I do not consume anything with sugar in it, except in cases of hypoglycemia, and when buying products I pay attention to the food composition as much as possible.
Even after many years, I do not recognize hyperglycemia easily. My most common warning signs are dry mouth, slight pressure in my eyes, and a dominant feeling of reduced strength.
On the other hand, I clearly feel hypoglycemia. My symptoms are mild trembling and sweating of the hands, a rapid heartbeat, and a feeling of physical weakness.
Is Diabetes an Advantage or a Disadvantage?
Personally, I cannot describe life with diabetes as difficult. For me, it is a way of life, a choice of foods, a way of preparing those foods, and a balanced diet combined with exercise and sports. There is not a single thing in the world that diabetes could stop you from doing, and at the same time, it can teach you a great deal.
Although at the very beginning of my journey with diabetes I gave up sports, over time that changed, and today I am very physically active. Besides sports, I love traveling and take every opportunity to visit a new place, a different country. I often spend my free time in nature and photograph landscapes, and my beautiful homeland is an eternal inspiration to me.
If this topic interests you, you may also like our article “Top Dancer and Dance Judge Has Type 1 Diabetes! Interview”.
Author: Igor Mijatov
