Sept 10 was my birthday, 72 years old. Today (Sept 15) completes my 66’th year of T1. I am sill healthy and do not have any diabetes related complications, except for mild nerve damage. There had been a diagnosis of autonomic neuropathy, but that is false. My cutting down on my BP med to minimum dosage has almost eliminated my dizziness, and my BP is still good. I do not have symptoms of autonomic neuropathy now.
Working out at a gym 3 days per week has greatly increased my stamina and given me some extra muscle. I painted two sides of my house this summer. I know I will start to slow down one of these years, but I hope it will not be any time soon.
Happy Birthday, Richard and congratulations on 66 years of hard work and success at managing this crazy condition, many of them without benefit of all the tools we spoiled D’s have today! Keep on enjoying your life as you are now - for those of us like me who are just a little younger than you, (I’m 62 though I have no clue how that happened!) you are a great role model for aging gracefully!
Way to go Richard! Looks like you picked this up on my Birthday! I hope to catch up to you …but I have a few years to go! Keep up the good work! Belated BD to you my friend.
Wow 66 years of suffering. Clearly not a statisic I want to brag about. I’m at 36 and at whits end. Your lucky your still in one piece. My dad who is also insulin diabetic is your age though he got it in his late 50’s.
Hi Richard: Happy belated birthday and congratulations! Thank you so much for all that you contribute here on TuD, and for being such inspiration for us “young pups” who are following behind you.
Whooooo-You are THE Man, Richard. Anytime I start to get down and out and discouraged-I think about you and I get up and keep going. After all, I’m still new at this-what’s 36 years? Just a drop in the bucket-
Proud to call you a friend!
Thank you, Richard. I don’t know if you saw my blog post about the Gashlycrumb Tinies and my parental paranoia, but next time I go there, I’ll think about you and remember that you made it this far WITHOUT the benefit of insulin pumps, CGMs, Humalog, Lantus, BG meters, test strips, or frigging Medtronic for most of your life. My little Eric is so blessed to have what you did not, and if you can manage it, so can he. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Your life is the greatest gift all of us could have.
Happy birthday, Richard. Sept.10th is my husband’s birthday, too. Clearly, a date when wonderful men were born.
Thrilled to hear the autonomic neuropathy dx was false & also of your good BP.
Sixty-six years of health with T1 what a wonderful thing celebrate! You can’t keep a good man down & you’re not going to slow down. Keep on going strong & be a beacon for us.
Happy Birthday and Much Respects :). Can you please advice how your A1C measures have been during those year? And is there any special diet (low carb or high fat), that you have followed?
Joanne