What happened

I was just recently diagnosed with Type 1, having little information ( no one in my family has any form of diabetes) the diagnosis was a huge shock to all.
I have always been a health coienscience person, eating weird things my family couldn’t pronounce and would get many strange looks and “what is that !” Comments :slight_smile: I was an avid runner ( when life didnt get in the way of it) and drank very seldom, which for a 26 year old seemed strange to some. I just finished a year of uprgrading to get into university and sas enjoying a relaxing, carefree summer.
Everything seemed to be going well and I was happy and stress free. It was victoria day weekend ( for us Canadians) and I had made no plans but to vegitate and get caught up in a book. I had been feeling a bit tired coming up to the weekend, so I decided my body was telling me to slow down; which for me i took that opurtunity and gave it some TLC. When going up the stairs became a chore and I seemed to be drinking a lot more, I decided to make an appointment the following week with a Dr. I was on medication and I assumed it was a side effect. Within a day my thirst became unbearable, i was drinking close to 7 liters a day and going to the washroom every 1-2 hours, this a knew was not normal, but I attributed it to the medication and the change in weather. I looked on the internet to see how much water was too dangerous and I kept getting hits for diabetes when i looked up my symptoms. I was 26, healthy…no way was it diabetes…crazy internet.

When the Tuesday rolled around I was feeling a bit spacey, still thristy and against my husbands recommedation I was going to wait for my appoitment later in the week. I decided it was mostly in my head and if i just got up and moving I would feel better; just needed that kick in the butt. So we headed to the store to pick up some things. As we were walking in the store, i noticed things getting blurry…it alarmed me a little but as I have anxiety I assumed it was in my head and my eyes needsd to adjust from my low lit house to the flouresent bulbs of the store. As we were walking I noticed it wasn’t going away…if anything it may have been getting worse. I calmly told my husband not to worry but after this shopping trip I should probably go get checked out. I have a blind eye, so i really thought my good one was finally having enough with all the work and i hadnt been to the optomatrist in quite some time. We waited for the Dr. For a couple hours ( walk-in clinics after holidays are packed). The Dr. Assest me, no high blood pressure, heart rate normal, coherant; however, It all seemed to point in one direction, diabetes. She assured me it probably wasn’t, heck your fit and healthy but she sent me for blood work and results STAT to see what may be going on. Told me to stop eating the mounds of fruit i had recently been craving.I sat at home on Dr. Google and things started getting scary…everywhere I looked said the same thing, how is that even possible I wondered. I was really more annoyed I couldnt see the T.V as i was trying to keep my mind clear, knowing that lab results can sometimes take days.

I finally got to sleep and woke up hungry and craving eggs, my husband and I made a breakfast date and as we were getting ready the phone rang. I answered " hello", " hi is this coffeeadict" ( i swear thats my real name;) ) " yeees". A short pause " this is such ‘n’ such from place ‘n’ place" pause…" did you know you have diabetes?" …" uuuhh…no?" " alright, pack up all your things and head STRAIGHT to the Hospital Emergency, do not stop anywhere, let them know I called and they will know what to do, okay?"…" uhh… okay". That was almost word for word what was said…including my shocked uhh’s ( I’m a horrible phone conversationalist). After all that i slowly walked to the bathroom where my husbands was showering and sais " baabe…I have to go to the hospital" there was more spoken but its irrelevent…a what the bleep a small tear as i tried to keep my composure.

So we waited for another Dr. to see me, and at the point i was nervous and feeling a bit naseaus, mostly due to the extremely ill people coughing aroud me ( I had not been sick for sometime, and I didn’t want to catch something and miss some weeks of my summer ). Finally after hours I was taken in, and extremley awesome nurse; will call him joe, was talking me through the suspected diabetes I may or may not have had…most of it did not retain in my memory, due to my space cadet state…but he made me laugh and feel carefree ( probably helped the state i was in). Dr. Came in and left with few words…blood glucose 20…fluids…ketoacidosis…it’ll all be good with some fluids…my only concern…is my vision going to come back?..after the fluids they said. So with my new false sense of security in hand I allowed a new nurse to rummage around in my hand with an I.V needle trying to find a vien, and hooked me up to two bags of fluids. I realized after the first bag I must have been dehydrated because I didn’t need to pee. At the end of all of the fuids my blood sugar was 14.2… they said they would give me insulin if fluids didnt get it down enough…they didn’t, but gave me a prescription for metformin ( which made me assume 14 was okay) and sent me off home, assuring me it should work. Lastly, to wait the next day for a call from a diabetic nurse. As i left the nice nurse gave some kind words of encouragment before I went on my somewhat merry way.

It wasn’t until the next dag when I got a call from the nurse telling me she was looking for me in the hospital and a sigh; that i realized 14.2 was not a good number. I went to see her ( the nurse ) that day and began my crash course on type 1 diabetes, blood glucose monitering and insulin injections. Oh, and don’t forget the paper work! :). I learned extensivley about the dangers of ketoacidosis ( something I had been very close to apparently) and was sent home with my new diabetic “paraphanalia” and information.

That night gave me a little taste of the complications of the diabetic world. I ate as I was instructed, veggies, carbs and protien. Ivshould add, i have has an undiagnosed intolerence to wheat/gluten and a diagnosed lactose intollerance; so most carbs were usually not my friend. Anyway, I did as i was instructed and at bedtime I checked my Blood sugar ( 16) and it prompted me ( the high tech meter) to check my ketones. Having the crash course just hours prior, I felt confident and did as that meter instructed…10…9…8…5…4…2…1, 2.4…hmm best check the chart to see what that means, scanned across the colour coded bar. 0.0-0.6 = Green check mark, 0.6-1.5 = Yellow caution and lastly 1.5-8.0=Red medical symbol. Seriously! I hummed and hawed about it for a couple mins, I felt fine, maybe I checked it wrong…so, like the logical person I am, I checked again…16.5…I decided the meter must be broken…I’m feeling fine, so it’s broken…but to heir on the side of caution we ( husband and I) reluctantly made our way to the hospital once again. After more hours of waiting and complaining because all I wanted to do was just go to sleep. I found out I had a urinary tract infection, now I am not new to these, as I suffered with them in my younger years, but I almosy didn’t beleive them because I could detect one days in advanced. How could I have one and not know?. “Because you have Diabetes” was the answer I got. Being a tired gal at 2 in the morning I decided questions could wait, i need my bed.

So, aside from seeing dieticians and an endocronologist to confirm what we already knew, that’s my story.

I decided to make a record of it, for myself and also for the newly diagnosed or potentially diagnosis…Diagnoses? I know when I was searching on the internet ( this is what I do ) to find relatable material, from similar experiances I couldn’t find many. It’s a bit long I know but trust me I left a lot out…things that were not as important…this happened over a 3-4 day period. I hope it helps someone or gives a little chuckle :slight_smile:

Thank you for sharing your "colorful" story CofeeAddict. Who would know so many interesting-life changing things can happened in just 3 days :) It will indeed help a lot out there newly diagnosed and much more those who have doubts...you had all the classic symptoms.
ps. You are one hell of a good writer too :)

The classics symptoms and yet I still couldn't believe that it was possible, and I have to give my husband credit for keeping on me. Thank you :)