Gangrel
01-18-2006, 10:56 AM
Figured I'd write up a little intro for me since I've been visiting the site since Christmastime and actually posting!
I'm originally from Halifax, NS, where I was diagnosed T1 at the ripe age of 7, 1983. So, that was the end of the Kit Kat bars and the Coke, to be replaced with Diet Kool Aid and Graham Crackers.
When I started, I was on Toronto and Lente insulins, in one of those old horse needles we used back in the early 80's. I tested my blood sugar using Chem-Strips, which for those of us who have used them, were a fun 2-3 minute exercise (depending on how high you were) in colour matching! Ooohhhh, so precise! Is my blood 13.7 or 11? I can't tell! ;)
Oh, and to test for Ketones, I would use an eye dropper and place my, ahem, "sample", into a test tube. I would then put in a tablet which would then fizz like some science experiment gone crazy. Then, guess what.... more colour matching!
Life was ok as a kid..... aside from being injected all the time (and then learning to do them myself-oh, how i cried the first time the evil doctor made me do it myself!) and no fun foods. It was only later on in childhood that I realized my dreams of being a firefighter or pilot were dashed. And no NASA career. (I even sent NASA an email asking if they'd allow diabetics in space..... of course, they replied very politely to this 12 year old, no.)
Fast forward to Saint Mary's University, whereupon I used most of my student loans to pay for my CD addiction (as in music......) and copious amounts of Alexander Keith's India Pale Ale (as in getting loaded all the time)...... I managed ok, with only a handful of diabetic episodes related to alcohol overuse. (i.e, i'm too drunk to test my sugar and eat something!) Thank god for moms........
Now, i'm 30, and living in Ottawa (my 8th year here). A lot less drinking, and I sit in front of a computer all day at work (still dream of being a firefighter tho. ;) My A1cs lately have been in the 6.5-6.9 range, and we're trying to get it down lower. I've been doing carb counting for the past year and a bit, and I wonder how I ever did without it? You mean I can eat an Oreo cookie if i want, and just give myself some extra Humalog? Cool!
I play hockey any chance i get (but still skate like a one legged man) My visits to my endo are usually very short (which is good news I suppose.... means no problems!)
Heck, I can even still feel my lows, which my endo told me is very rare for someone who's had T1 for 23 years like I have! Good genetics I guess.....
Hmmm, what else can i bore you with? Jussssttt kidding. I'm here all week, try the veal...........
Now, to be serious, over the past few years, I have wished for a place for us "diabeys" to get together. I've been wondering if the diabetic association here in town would do anything like that, but I find most of their events are for Type 2s, and mostly old people. ;)
So, if there are any T1s in Ottawa, feel free to give me a shout! Maybe we can start a cult or something........
Now back to your regularly scheduled broadcasting...............
(did I ramble enough?)
I'm originally from Halifax, NS, where I was diagnosed T1 at the ripe age of 7, 1983. So, that was the end of the Kit Kat bars and the Coke, to be replaced with Diet Kool Aid and Graham Crackers.
When I started, I was on Toronto and Lente insulins, in one of those old horse needles we used back in the early 80's. I tested my blood sugar using Chem-Strips, which for those of us who have used them, were a fun 2-3 minute exercise (depending on how high you were) in colour matching! Ooohhhh, so precise! Is my blood 13.7 or 11? I can't tell! ;)
Oh, and to test for Ketones, I would use an eye dropper and place my, ahem, "sample", into a test tube. I would then put in a tablet which would then fizz like some science experiment gone crazy. Then, guess what.... more colour matching!
Life was ok as a kid..... aside from being injected all the time (and then learning to do them myself-oh, how i cried the first time the evil doctor made me do it myself!) and no fun foods. It was only later on in childhood that I realized my dreams of being a firefighter or pilot were dashed. And no NASA career. (I even sent NASA an email asking if they'd allow diabetics in space..... of course, they replied very politely to this 12 year old, no.)
Fast forward to Saint Mary's University, whereupon I used most of my student loans to pay for my CD addiction (as in music......) and copious amounts of Alexander Keith's India Pale Ale (as in getting loaded all the time)...... I managed ok, with only a handful of diabetic episodes related to alcohol overuse. (i.e, i'm too drunk to test my sugar and eat something!) Thank god for moms........
Now, i'm 30, and living in Ottawa (my 8th year here). A lot less drinking, and I sit in front of a computer all day at work (still dream of being a firefighter tho. ;) My A1cs lately have been in the 6.5-6.9 range, and we're trying to get it down lower. I've been doing carb counting for the past year and a bit, and I wonder how I ever did without it? You mean I can eat an Oreo cookie if i want, and just give myself some extra Humalog? Cool!
I play hockey any chance i get (but still skate like a one legged man) My visits to my endo are usually very short (which is good news I suppose.... means no problems!)
Heck, I can even still feel my lows, which my endo told me is very rare for someone who's had T1 for 23 years like I have! Good genetics I guess.....
Hmmm, what else can i bore you with? Jussssttt kidding. I'm here all week, try the veal...........
Now, to be serious, over the past few years, I have wished for a place for us "diabeys" to get together. I've been wondering if the diabetic association here in town would do anything like that, but I find most of their events are for Type 2s, and mostly old people. ;)
So, if there are any T1s in Ottawa, feel free to give me a shout! Maybe we can start a cult or something........
Now back to your regularly scheduled broadcasting...............
(did I ramble enough?)