I wish I was Type 1 Diabetic

Recently I have found myself wishing I had Type 1 Diabetes.

I would like to spend the day worrying what my blood glucose levels are. I want to have to prick my finger and take a blood test first thing in the morning, and last thing at night. And before every meal, and usually two hours after a meal. And any other times of the day, if I start feeling a bit queasy, or sweaty, or headachy.

I quite like maths so I would like to have to do loads of it before each meal. Calculating the total amount of carbohydrate on the plate in front of me. Making sure it was accurate. And reading the labels on the side of foods, I always do this anyway, so it’d be great if I could do it for my diabetes!

I really wish I had to do a blood test every time I went for a run, or ride, or swim. And often to test myself whist I am exercising. And certainly after. I like the chalky, dry taste of glucose tablets, so having to eat them to keep me from going too low would be no problem at all.

I don’t know whether I would want to use a needle to inject myself with insulin, or whether I would prefer to be permanently attached to a pump with a cannula stuck on my side. But I’d love the opportunity to get to choose. If I had type 1 diabetes, I’d get that chance.

And I’d like the shadow of long term complications hanging over me. Blindness, nerve damage and kidney disease are things I would like to worry about having in later life.

Yes, I wish I had type 1 Diabetes…

With one condition….

I’ll have it, if Samuel could be free of it.