Well lets begin. This first memory I have of diabetes is when I was 10 and diagnosed with the disease. I had been really sick for a week and my mother was really woried about me. I was sent to the our doctor who had blood test done. I remeber it was a Tuesday because my mother was out when the doctor rang and said could my father please take me to the hospital because he thought I had diabetes. No one in my family at that stage new anything about diabetes because I was the first case of diabetes in the families history. So my father packed some clothes and took me to the hospital they then took some more blood and Then they came back and said my doctor was right and so I was ammited to the hospital to learn about diabetes. I stayed for a week because I remeber really clearly because the sunday that was coming was going to be mothers day and I really didn't want to be in hospital. It took me quite a while to learn to do my own injections because I didn't want to do them and my mother wouldn't because she is so scared of needles. So my father learnt first and I did finally do them before leaving the hospital but my father had to do them at first for a little while after first returning home. They are my first few memories of having diabetes. The other main memory I have is when returning I hated doing injections in front of people and because at that stage I was sharing a room with my older sister we would have arguments because she would not want to leave the room which in the end lead to my parent extending our house so we wouldn't have to share a room.
My next main memory was my first day of high school. I remeber it really clearly because I was so scared because I had diabetes of high school. My other main memory of my first year of high school was having a hypoglycaemia experience after not been alowed to eat my lunch because our whole class had been put on detention by our PE teacher when some of us hadn't done anything wrong. I remeber having it then my PE teacher was so nice to me because my PC teacher and the school nurse had gone and told him of for not allowing me to eat so every time after that I didn't feel well my PE teacher would be so nice to me so I could get away with a little bit.
Then the next memory was been but back into hospital when I was 13 because I was not on enough insulin so I missed out on a family holdiay which I was really annoyed about. I had to be placed on more insulin because I was growing at one stage in my life I was on 180 units of insulin per day.
My next main memory was getting really sick when I was 15 and in year 10 at high school. I hadn't had a proper hypo nearly for 5 years when I had my first when I was 15. I had just started year 10 and nearly evry day from the first three weeks I was having a hypo and been taken home from school. The was very difficult for my mother because she had to come from work to get me and my father was in Singapore so he couldn't help her. So then for about another 2 weeks my mother was coming into school at lunch time and taking me home just to stop me from having another hypo at school. Then my diabetic doctor who was the biggest ashole decided I shuld be admitted to hospital that was in march. He admitted me and they started looking after me but he then decided even thought I was in hospital I should still do things that I normally did so I was been sent back and forth form school every day which mae me really tired. He then thought it was a good idea that I saw a psychologist which didn't last long because I just didn't want to be their. I then latter in that year got a new doctor because I didn't like that doctor anymore and I have never been happier.
The last two years:
My College years started out ok and things with my diabetes started to get better up until halfway through year 11 when I started to get complications which have mainly been with my feet but are still a problem now nearly a year later. The other main problem I have had is in late 1997 I gave up on life and everything and was diagnosed with sever depression which lead me to trying to overdose on insulin a couple of times and just giving up on everything. With the help of my psychologist I have been able to deal with this problem and things are know looking up the thing that I could have had depression for upto 4 years before it was diagnosed. I now am get things back under control and hoping to live a normal and productive life from know onwards. My main dream at the moment is to finish of year 12 and going to University to study Nursing.
My Advice about camps:
The best advice I can give anyone is if you are ever given the chance to go on any kind of diabetic camp take it you learn a lot about yourslef nad your diabetes. I have know been on 4 different diabetics camp.
My first diabetic camp I learnt a lot about my dibetes on it.
On my second camp I learnt a lot about myself. I have always been terrified of highest but with the help and support of lots of other diabetics on this camp I came over my fright of highest by going absailing and on a flying fox. This was a very important growing point in my life. I was very grateful for that experience.
My thired diabetic camp was an International Diabetic camp run by Lions in Melbourne Victoria. This was all so a great camp because it taught us how to take care of our own diabetes and other stuff. I really enjoyed this camp because I got to meet lots of wonderful people and that was fun. I also learnt a lot of things about myself on that camp.
My Fourth and last camp I went on was in December 1997 and it was a camp run by the Royal North Shore Hospital at Glengary. This camp showe dme that I could achive anything that I put my mind to because again I was very scared of highest and they got me to go swing of a ledge and abselling. It was a great experience and I also learnt a lot about my self and the strengths I have.
So to anyone out there don't be afraid to have a go. Go out there and go on these camps you will enjoy yourself and make wonderful friends and have a wondeful time.
The other thing is the internet is a great way to make friends I have meet a lot of nice people through the tiem I spend on the internet. I know have friends from lots of different places in the world and in Australia so I never complain about meeting new people because everyone I have ever meet has all was been so positive about having diabetes they don't care what other people thing.
The other most important bit of information I think I can give you is be yourself and enjoy your life and remember you are not the only with this disease and nothing is ever as bad as it seems (I can prove that one). The other most important never given up on the hope that one day we will find a cure for this disease.
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