Obviously not getting any better, on a second visit, the GP did a urine test but again we were sent home. This was a Friday. My parents received an urgent call on the Monday from Kingston Hospital saying I needed to go straight away! And there it was – I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.

What ensued over the next 9 days in the hospital was my parents being educated into what this meant: insulin injections and glucose monitoring to keep me alive! The two things I remember about being in the hospital were that I had a grid drawn on both thighs in biro. This was to mark out where each injection had to be done to ensure the sites were rotated. The second thing was that I needed to experience the feeling of low blood sugar. I wasn’t allowed my breakfast one day and had to watch the other children on the ward eat theirs. Now I’m a girl who likes her food and someone denying me of that is probably why it particularly sticks in my mind.

At home, Mum and Dad adjusted to a new way of life. I hated the injections, and my Dad would have to hold me still whilst Mum injected me, with me crying – “please don’t hurt me.” It must have been heartbreaking for them, but it is a matter of life and death, so they knew it had to be done.

Then one day, I was brave enough to do the injections myself!

I was a very quiet little girl and hated drawing attention to myself, so having to put my hand up in class to be dismissed when I was low and needed to go to the school office for Lucozade was awful for me.

Fast forward to secondary school, and I was put on 4 injections a day for better control and management. Fast forward a bit more, and I hit puberty! WHOA watch out for the stroppy teenager that gets even worse when her blood sugars are too high or low. Hormones play havoc with glucose levels, and this was a battle (still is!). Fast forward again to the age when I wanted to go out pubbing and clubbing. I knew I had to do my insulin to keep me alive, but I didn’t eat very well and, of course, I couldn’t be told. I was 18 and thought I knew better! So after a night out drinking, I ended up collapsing with very high blood sugar levels and was taken to the hospital. This was the lesson I needed, and from then on, I endeavoured to take good care of myself and my diabetes.

Many years ago, it was advised that women with Type 1 diabetes shouldn’t really have children. I wasn’t sure it was possible for me. After expressing my desire for a child, the Diabetes Consultant and team at Worthing Hospital helped with getting my diabetes as controlled as possible to ensure a healthy pregnancy and baby. This went on for 5 years! I am very sensitive to change and absolutely EVERYTHING affects my glucose levels. The change in weather, emotions, hormones, stress, activity—you name it! At this point, I was injecting up to 8 times a day.

It was agreed with the Diabetes Consultant that I was probably as well controlled as I was ever going to be and to try for a baby!

In October 2010, my gorgeous boy arrived. He was 6 weeks early and spent 2 weeks in Special Care. He is healthy and my biggest achievement in life. I feel so very blessed each and every day.

Yes, having diabetes makes pregnancy high risk, but it can be done, and the support available is amazing. I will be forever grateful to the Diabetes and Special Care Baby Unit teams.

About 8 months later, I was given an insulin pump. I had a lot of scar tissue due to the number of injections each day over the years, and the insulin I was injecting was sitting in the scar tissue, not being able to work properly.

I was really reluctant because I didn’t like the thought of having something attached to me all the time. But I needed to try it as I was really struggling with huge swings from very high blood glucose to very low ones. This was a real game changer for me, and I couldn’t bear the thought of being without it now.

I was also lucky enough to get funding for a continual blood glucose sensor, meaning that I no longer have to finger prick multiple times a day. Just a quick look at my phone and I know in an instant what my glucose levels are and whether they are going up, down, or staying the same. This information is invaluable. I am so grateful for the technology and advances helping me try to control this condition!

Knowing how difficult and misunderstood diabetes is, my chosen path is raising awareness, helping others living with it, educating and signposting people recently diagnosed and supporting their loved ones too. Using my personal experience and knowledge to help others.

Diabetes is relentless, hard work and exhausting. But never have I allowed it to stop me from doing the things I want to. It is a part of me. I am proud to have Type 1 Diabetes and am passionate about helping others. Living with this has helped me be empathetic, and whilst I face daily struggles, I appreciate that there are many people worse off than me. I am grateful for my life, my family, friends, and the advances in diabetes care, knowledge, medication, and research, which have changed greatly over the years and continue to change and get better.