Hi Allison, and welcome to the forums. I was diagnosed 26 years ago at age 9.
Much like you, Mike and others who were diagnosed a while back, I learned to inject the orange. I think the question of "what would you do differently" is kind of a difficult one, because the knowledge we had back then as compared to now seemed way more limited. I would have liked to start using a blood checker (meter) sooner than I did, but the costs for them were higher back then, making them more difficult to obtain.
I think we did pretty well, given the situation and the means we had then. We had a local support group, which was wonderful. Families could communicate with one another about their doctors, treatment regimes, etc.
That said, I do wish that we had internet support groups back then also, as there's a wealth of information I've been able to obtain and learn on the 'Net. I'm just glad I've been lucky enough to have experienced both over the years.
The one biggest thing I would have done differently over the years, is getting an insulin pump way sooner (and seeing the doctor who helped me get on a pump way sooner!). The comparison of control through pumping vs. MDI (multiple daily injections, for those who don't know) is and has been phenomenal for me. There is another technique I'd love to try as of yet: The Untethered Regimen...but without the insulin I once used (& liked) on the market (Ultralente), I'm leery about trying it.
Hope this is of some help and please keep us posted on your progress with your project. Once again, welcome to the forums.
