My Type 1 Diabetes Diagnosis Story

I had even learnt about the symptoms of type one in school one day (extreme thirst, extreme tiredness, peeing frequently-like every 5 minutes) & I knew I had this, so I went back to the doctor and said I think I might have t1 diabetes...oh no no no, you Defo don't have  that, you just need to get help because there's a reason your losing weight intentionally...I felt lost, my mum knew something was wrong.

I was 7 stone and this wasn't my doing. This went on for months, I grew sicker and sicker, then eventually one night I was trying to walk up the stairs back to my bed and I had shooting pains in my chest, I couldn't breathe, I screamed for help and mum and dad rushed me to the hospital...and on that day at 16, I was wired up,  doctors rushing around telling me I was lucky to be alive..it was hello t1 diabetes. 

I had to grow up fast, there is a lot of information and honestly a massive lack of support for people my age. Everyday is a struggle, everything affects blood sugars, not just food (and carbs cause me more problems than sugar lol), different types of exercise, stress,  time of month, heat, cold.

Diabetes is just a constant balancing act 24/7- it doesn't sleep. I don't just get some insulin and my body is like yup cool you're all good. It doesn't work like that, I have have a job to keep myself alive for the rest of my life. And some of you actually think I gave myself it because of sugar? 

And others make immature jokes about it, yet anyone joking about cancer would be shot.  I never ask for sympathy, all I want is people to know the truth. My future isn't certain, I live in fear I could lose my eyesight? What if I can't have kids? What if I cause a baby complications? What if I lose my limbs? When I sit and think about these things it kills me, but I have to stay strong, motivated and that's why I created dream big travel far, I wanted to inspire fellow type ones that life doesn't have to stop with diagnosis, it's a bitch, but with hard hard work you can achieve what you want.

 Diabetes has strong links to depression and anxiety and they are both bitches in their own right. Some days I want to give up, and I would give anything to not be diabetic again. So it's never easy, but that doesn't mean it can't be done. 

So thank you to my family for whom I wouldn't be here without, thank you to my friends who have helped over the years, and thank you to my boyfriend who really has to deal with it all- but would do anything to help me and keeps me rational when I'm going crazy. And thank you to insulin for keeping me alive. You really do only get one shot at life, do things your unsure of, take risks, mess things up, and do your wildest dreams, you have nothing to lose but everything to gain.

For those of you who don't know very much about my condition then you can find out a little more about type 1 diabetes here.

If you would like to share your diagnosis story below in the comments then please do. I would love to hear it :) xx