Diagnosis
"I was diagnosed with diabetes when I was aged 11. I remember my mum going on holiday and I couldn’t go because I’d just started school so stayed with my auntie. The first day I started feeling desperate for the toilet every five mins and took two bottles of water in everyday and money which I spent on drinks. I even used to go around asking my friends for some of their drink!
It was horrible, then a few more days passed I started getting headaches, not eating and then started to vomit every time I even had a sip of water. That’s when I knew I had to tell my auntie everything. So I got an appointment with my GP and she did a urine test and from then it was like a mad rush. Straight into hospital, loads of blood test and onto a drip.
At age 11 I was terrified, but still managed to worry slightly about homework that was due in! I was in for a week and they told me I had diabetes. Everyone was mortified as none of us really knew about it, my mum was so shocked as no one we know in our family has it. I just remember thinking 'just my luck, me out of everyone'.
That’s when it hit home, ‘it will never just go away’
I went from two injections to four within two years. I hated it and ended up not taking my injections for over two weeks that’s when it hit home, 'it will never just go away' I lost so much weight and didn’t eat.
I remember watching an England football game and feeling terrible. I got taken into A&E and I was through within a flash (maybe one good thing about diabetes aye?) they told me if I didn’t come in I would have ended up going into a coma or dying, they said they had to tell me as it was so serious and I was such a young girl.
I no longer think 'missing one injection won’t hurt'
Now I’m 19, I still socialise and do normal things but I make sure I do all my injections. I just remember the fear I felt and the pain I seen in my mother’s eyes when they told me I could have gone into a coma or died, whenever I feel down and think 'missing one won’t hurt' I just remember that and think about all the people who have done everything right but are still on dialysis and have it a lot harder.
I’m a lot more confident about it now and don’t seem to mind people asking questions and I let my friends do my injections too. Some of them like testing their blood sugars which is fun because they moan and say it hurts ha ha. I’m glad I’ve matured and I hope younger people read this and think before doing something silly like missing injections/appointments etc and think for their future."
Words by Amy
