Beth Hodge, one of the Office Managers at Afon Technology talks about her personal experience of living with Type 1 Diabetes.
I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in September 2017. It was a year after the birth of my second child, with whom I had gestational Diabetes.
I was working for Afon Technology at the time and in slight denial about the fact that something was wrong with me. Despite some very obvious symptoms, I was explaining them away down to my current life circumstances. For example, I was extremely tired, but I put that down to being a mum of 2 young children. I was also losing a lot of weight, which I have to admit, I was quite enjoying. I was exercising a lot, but also eating a lot and not putting weight on! This was also a symptom of the Diabetes.
I was due to take part in an in-house trial one day so came into work fasted (not eaten breakfast). On my first blood finger prick, my blood reading came back at 19.1mmol. It should be between 4 to 7mmol. I instantly knew something was wrong but insisted on washing my hands and being tested again! The second reading came back just as high. After eating some overnight oats, my bloods shot up to 28mmol! So I headed off to the GP and then into hospital where I was diagnosed.
Seven Years Later
Fast forward 7 years and I’ve now (mostly) got my head around living with Diabetes. Whilst there are many times when I wish I didn’t have this condition, I occasionally think it has been a blessing in disguise. When asked what it’s like to live with Diabetes, I say that of all the diseases I could have, it’s a very liveable disease. When well-managed, it does not stop me living a full and active life.
However, I appreciate that the care and technology available to me living in the UK is far better than for so many living with Diabetes around the world and for whom Diabetes has caused a lot of health complications.
The Lows Of Living With Diabetes
It Can Be Relentless
There are days when managing my Diabetes seems hard, frustrating, and more mentally wearing than others. There is no off switch or ‘days off’ from Diabetes. It requires a lot of extra decision making every day which can be tiring. When you’re busy running around after children this can be even more difficult. Sometimes, I want to just be able to grab something to eat without having to calculate how much insulin I need for it. Or other times, I may just want to go and do something active without worrying about my blood sugars going too low.
You Always Have to Plan Ahead
As someone who loves food and eating out, Diabetes can be frustrating when I want to enjoy a nice meal without having to worry about how much carbohydrate is in a meal or having to give a dose of insulin 15 minutes before eating. This isn’t always easy when eating out in restaurants. It does often lead to either hyperglycaemia (high blood sugars) when I don’t give enough insulin. Or hypoglycaemia (low blood sugars) when perhaps I give myself too much insulin, or I inject too early. Especially if food takes longer than expected to arrive.
Low blood sugars are particularly unpleasant. They can lead to feeling disorientated or confused, frustrated, hot and sweaty and really need to be treated very quickly. They also make me feel hungry. It’s very easy to ‘over fix’ a hypo by eating way more than is needed, ending up with high blood sugars.
No Two Days Are Ever the Same
Some days it feels like a fine balancing act. When it’s going well, it feels good, and I feel in control. But on the days where I can’t seem to balance my blood sugars or get them stable, the readings on my glucose monitor look like some sort of rollercoaster ride and by the end of the day I feel completely exhausted and sometimes quite despondent. No day is ever the same with Diabetes. Whilst I have learnt a lot about how my body works and what may cause the rises and falls, there are still many times where I can’t explain what has caused my bloods to behave in the way they do.
My younger sister has Diabetes so I’ve grown up very aware of the condition but its only since having it myself that I’ve learnt about all the different causes of blood glucose variation. For example, stress always causes my glucose levels to rise as does certain types of exercise at certain times of the day. And it seems strange but I could do a workout first thing in the morning which will make my blood sugars rise but the same workout at lunchtime could make them drop. It’s been a real learning curve with a lot of trial and error.
I’m a mum to three young children who all deal with my Diabetes really well and understand that sometimes when my blood sugars are low, I may just need a few minutes to sort them out. This can be hard when we are out and about or rushing to get somewhere but I know they will grow up with a good understanding of Diabetes and I hope that they will help to educate others.
The Highs Of Living With Diabetes
For all the lows and hard days, there are days when I see that having Diabetes is not all negative.
The Community
I feel part of a big Diabetic community with people from a huge variety of backgrounds but bought together by the shared experience of living with Diabetes. The moral support, tips, advice, and general understanding found in this community is amazing. There are good days and some not so good. Frustrating days when I can’t explain why my blood sugar levels may be sky high or dangerously low. Being able to share those days with others who have experienced the same really helps!
A Healthier Life!
I believe Diabetes forces me to make healthier choices and generally, I take better care of my health. Even with Diabetes, I’m in a healthier place now than I maybe without it.
I really enjoy good food but when you have to think about how much insulin you’ll need for everything you want to eat it makes you think twice about whether you really want (or need!) it and what the effect on your blood sugars may be.
I’d even go so far as to say that having Diabetes has pushed me to get fitter and challenge myself. I’ve always enjoyed sports and keeping fit but I’m now part of a Diabetic accountability group led by a Diabetic health coach who helps me with training and nutrition plans and helps me set goals. This has given me the motivation to do more running. As a result I entered the ballot for the London Marathon and somehow got a place for 2024! So, I am now training for this, something I had never entertained before! This just goes to show that Diabetes does not need to stop anyone from challenging themselves.
And the bonus is that keeping active helps with blood sugar control. Going for a brisk walk after a meal, I find, is one of the best ways to help keep my blood sugars stable and the fresh air always feels good.
I feel lucky to be able to be a part of a company working to develop technology which will be game changing for those living with Diabetes and I know that being a Diabetic myself has made me even more passionate and motivated about what we are doing at Afon! Being able to use my personal experience and knowledge about living with Diabetes to help inform the project, has made me feel that my contributions are valuable.
Beth Hodge
