Friday 14th November is International Diabetes Day and the birthday of Dr. Banting who discovered insulin. Im choosing to spread awareness of TYPE 1 diabetes. For those that dont know, type 1 diabetes is a disease caused by the immune system attacking and destroying the bodys insulin producing cells. There is nothing anyone with type 1 diabetes could have done to prevent or reverse their illness (unlike the far more common and more widely reported type 2). People with type 1 diabetes survive off insulin injections or a permanent infusion of insulin through a pump just to stay alive. This is a treatment but by no means a cure. For people with type 1 diabetes, every day and night is a constant, tremendous challenge to regulate their blood sugar levels. Despite their best efforts, people with type 1s blood sugar will fluctuate erratically throughout each day. This can cause serious illness in both the long and the short term. Despite their best efforts, less than a third of type 1 diabetics have an average blood sugar level within a range safe enough to prevent life altering complications such as blindness. Living with lack of public awareness and the misconception that we in some way caused our own illness makes living with type 1 diabetes even more difficult than it already needs to be. So with all this talk in the media about diabetes, DONT FORGET THOSE WITH TYPE 1. Copy, paste and share if you want to spread awareness. (written by Julia Newman, a member of a T1 support group on FB) Personal Note: I was diagnosed with diabetes (Type 1) the week before Thanksgiving, 5 years ago. Little did I know that I had been struck with something that has no cure, theres no remission and requires attention 24/7/365. If you know someone who has diabetes, please dont assume that it can be controlled by diet and exercise or some new super drug, etc. Type 1 has no cure, not even for one day. But, hopefully, one day, there will be. Until then, I thank God for this insulin pump. Sorry this post is quite lengthy...but tomorrow is International Diabetes Day and all my fellow T1s will understand. Thanks, Debra
Posted on: Fri, 14 Nov 2014 03:39:35 +0000
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