My name is Shannon and 2007 brings me to my 20th year as a Type 1 diabetic. We should have reunions/celebrations for these types of things, come to think of it. Anyone up for it?
I was 12 when I was diagnosed in 1987. I took injections for 17 years and then began insulin pump therapy in 2004. What stands out most to me was early on feeling like I was the only one with this disease. Today, we live in a much different world, where diabetes is a very familiar disease. I'm thankful for not feeling alone, but also sad that so many more of us now struggle with this condition. I am grateful for having found this website because it reminds me that I am not alone in this fight.
Anyhow, typical diabetes history, really. I have gone through the young childhood years of "doing everything by the book", the teenage rebellious "never-check-the-BG & ignore you have a chronic disease" years, and the "I'm now an adult and want to make up for lost time" years. It's amazing how throughout all those different times my A1c has not changed much. Whether I am trying hard or barely trying, my A1c still seems to be much higher than I would ever want. I have heard that catergorizes me as a "brittle diabetic", but I continue to fight that theory. I still believe that, with the right tools, all of us can achieve a healthy A1c. I continue to try to gather all of the tools available to me to improve my health. I have yet to reach my goal, but working hard makes one strong, right? I don't want things handed to me. I currently use the Minimed Paradigm 522 (with the continuous glucose monitoring system) and I check my BGs between 6-10 times daily. I use humalog and a few meds to control my high cholesterol and early-stage Diabetic Neuropathy. I am very eager to see how the new MiniMed CGMS system works for me, but have not yet taken my eye off of the new Animas 2020. I love the life-altering technology that MiniMed packs into one little pump, but I also adore the visual & audio technology that Animas offers. I long for the day when we can download our own ringtones to personalize our pumps, yet still have the immediate feedback offered in today's latest devices ;o)