Anniversary with D

[GrammyByer]

Well, in a few days it will be my 37th anniversary with diabetes. Technology has come a long way in those 37 years. I began with a glass syringe and a needle that my husband sharpened for me on a wet stone. Every morning I had to boil them before injecting lente insulin. I now use a pump!! Back then the only home test was a urine test which really was useless at letting you know how your glucose was. I am now going to be hooked up to a CGM which will help lots with my severe hypoglycemia unawareness. It is really a wonder that anyone diagnosed a long time ago is still alive!! I certainly am glad that so many of us are.

[JediSurfer]

Hey, I am totally with you there. I'm on my 28th year with diabetes. I remember those glass syringes but never had the benefit of a wet-stone to sharpen the needles. oooweee they used to hurt like ****. I had arms like Arnie but the time I was 4 from all the nasty big blunt needles.
Great to hear your doing well. the CGM sounds very interesting and would love to try one.
It truly is a wonder that we are still alive and we have no one to thank but ourselves. After all it was us the diabetics who revolutionized our care by ourselves before the medical profession caught on.
Many more happy, healthish years ahead of us.

[Penny]

Happy Anniversary Linda! I'm glad things are easier for you now, after all you have been through, they should be! :)

[cheryl]

Happy anniversary that is awesome 37 years and still going strong it gives us all a lot a lot of hope....

Cheryl

[RobiJo]

Congratulations, that is certainly an accomplishment. I do hope you have or will someday write down your stories. Even now people need to be reminded of what it was like and how far we have come to make D manageable to live long and healthy lives. Best of luck for years to come!

[Olidus]

I agree 100% with RobiJo.
Congradulations and good luck with the CGM.

[yourfavdiabetic]

Thats pretty awesome...My 15th aniversery with diabetes will be september 7th, and my birthday is the 8th, what a nice birthday gift hu? Diagnosed that day before my second birthday. My birthday present this year is an A1C check and im just thrilld *sarcasm*. Have a happe "d-day"!!!

[Jan B]

Congratulations!!! I remember seeing someone else use a glass syringe, but I didn't. What I remember, is that a bottle of Lente costs $4 about 28 yrs ago, and today a bottle of Lantus is about $30!

You young kids have it great (ha ha)!

[Wildbill]

Congratulations on a very difficult job well done. You are certainly to be commended and admired for your sticktoitiveness!!!!

Just to add some perspective, think about what diabetes was like before insulin. We sometimes forget what a wonderful thing we have, even when lente was the standard.

[GrammyByer]

thanks to all for the words of praise and understanding!! We are all to be commended for the hard work we do to keep ourselves in the best health we can get. It is a difficult and tedious task to keep good glucose control!!

One story I have is that at diagnosis, i slipped into a coma and I distinctly remember drifting slowly down a tunnel with a bright light at the end. I never made it to the end in my remembrance, and thus I am assuming that i snapped out of it in time to escape death. And thank God because i had at the time a 4 week old daughter and a 2 1/2 year old son and a loving husband.

It is so true that we all need to be thankful for insulin!!!!:) :)

[Gordonm]

I'm on 33 years now and do remember the glass syringes. I never used them I was on the edge with dispobables but do remember the urine testing. Looking back on it it was definitly old school. I can't beleive the advances and technological things we have compared to yesteryear. My control is 10000% better than it was as a kid of 11. BTW it was my 11th birthday present. Some present. No problems no complications and never been to the hospital or emergency other than diagnosis. I keep my fingers crossed on this. Keep up the good work.

[iDream]

I'm scared even thinking of those "glass monsters" you guys are talking about.

[iDream]

oh and you'll looooooove the cgm, its the most amazing piece of technology ive ever used. :)

[shockme]

happy d anniversary linda!!!!!!! congrats on the cgm,too! trish

[DanG]

I'm on 33 years now and do remember the glass syringes. I never used them

<SNIP>

No problems no complications and never been to the hospital or emergency other than diagnosis. I keep my fingers crossed on this. Keep up the good work.

I'm also on year 33, but cannot say all you say here.
I never saw glass syringes. Maybe I was too close to the high and mighty city to be allowed old technology.

And, never any emergency? WOW!!
Just yesterday I was discussing possibility of return to lente with my wife. Her only recollection is that near the end of my use of lente about 3 years ago, the paramedics were getting impatient coming to the house to revive me from lows at 3AM. I guess I recall several, but I didn't think it was as often as she and my son says.

So, another "historical" device is brought to mind.
Did anyone else wear a diabetic watch? It is a device developed by Teledyne Avionics and is like a watch that sets off an alarm when it detects perspiration - i.e. hypo. I bought a used one about 5 years ago for $70. There was another company making similar but new technology device that cost quite a bit more dollars. Interesting device - and it works. I gotta get a battery for it again, maybe.

[princesslinda]

Congrats on many years of successful managing of your diabetes. That's quite an accomplishment. I just had the one year anniv. last week, so i'm AMAZED whenever I hear of how long some of you have dealt with diabetes.

Here's to many, many more healthy and happy years!

[gettingby]

Well, in a few days it will be my 37th anniversary with diabetes. Technology has come a long way in those 37 years. I began with a glass syringe and a needle that my husband sharpened for me on a wet stone. Every morning I had to boil them before injecting lente insulin. I now use a pump!! Back then the only home test was a urine test which really was useless at letting you know how your glucose was. I am now going to be hooked up to a CGM which will help lots with my severe hypoglycemia unawareness. It is really a wonder that anyone diagnosed a long time ago is still alive!! I certainly am glad that so many of us are.
Congrats on 37 years. I've had it for 23 and it's been a wild ride. I've also had the whole coma deal with the tunnel and bright light. I spent my first year out of control because of a doctor who knew nothing about treating a T1 (pills !!!!!!!).

[Michael R Zeigl]

Congratulations on 37 years. I will be 47 years this coming spring. I have many of your memories also. The biggest change for me is that at my beginning there were so few type 1 diabetics. Without computers, you seldom saw or talked to another that was in your shoes. Today there is such a support system to talk to others with the disease. There are also greater numbers of us, which is not too good.