Type 1 for 76 years, life is good!

Welcome to FUD @sincerelyejay! Thanks for posting.

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I just had to point that out, Richard. In any case your journey as a type 1 diabetic is amazing. Keep telling it. I think it would be eye opening to some teenage type 1s.

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Thanks for the notice.

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Well I am not near the storyteller that Richard is. That was a wonderful life tribute, was so happy to hear it.
54 years type 1 juvenile diabetic here (diagnosed at 4 months)
The " low life expectancy"doom and gloomers in my case were my parents and older siblings.

My older siblings thinking they were leveling with me… Were telling me I’ll probably never be able to have children because I will have Ed due to circulation and nerve damage. (They didn’t use the term Ed back then, something a little more vulgar) They started telling me this when I was 7 years old… Well three kids later and 30 years of happy marriage … I have realized… Everything that I knew about diabetes growing up was wrong.
Good thing I had ADHD as a kid and I didn’t pay much attention to them LOL

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Absolutely!

I hear so many of them crying about how they’re going to be sick for the rest of their life and seeking pity and feeling sorry for themselves.
I’m sorry I know I sound a little angry about it I’m sure it’s very traumatic to get a diagnosis
I got mine when I was 4 months old so diabetes is not second nature it’s first.
But so many of them act like it’s the end of the world

It really isn’t
Muscular dystrophy
Leukemia
Cystic fibrosis
COPD
Cerebral palsy
I tell them diabetes is only as bad as what you let happen to you

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So you really can’t relate to the adjustments, physical and emotional, that others go through when diagnosed later.

I was diagnosed at 5 yo, 55+ years ago. Single injection/day and occasional urine tests to be reviewed by doctor, who may then suggest change in dose.
DCCT changed things significantly, and led to more effort at achieving lower bg/A1Cs. But transition takes awhile, and not everyone has access to best care.

Generally this may make them mad rather than motivate them.

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I haven’t found that to be true at all.
In general it makes them stop to listen about all the success stories of people who did not give up. Of people who worked hard to keep their diabetes under control and eat like everybody should eat to begin with.

And as for not being able to relate. One of the younh people I was speaking of is my own son who was diagnosed when he was 8.
He got into a group ranging from 10 to 20 year olds that was on Facebook this was years ago mind you. And that was very negative for him everybody recognizing his battles and recognizing his anguish over having diabetes and sympathizing with him… Relating to him… when I took him out of that and quoted exactly what I quoted here. And told him of the success stories and told him to look at me. I’m not dying when I’m 30 I strength train. I ride the elliptical. I eat good food… I don’t appreciate being chastised for having an opinion take that somewhere else

It depends on the person who delivers the news to you. And if you’re willing to listen how to take care of yourself.
The injections aren’t fun for small ones I’m sure. That’s why I said I’m sure it’s very traumatic to get a diagnosis.

However my son…
Was diagnosed at 8 years old and giving his own insulin at 8 years old no pump. Don’t tell me that is impossible for people to take a different perspective to do what they need instead of wallow

Maybe you should copy the end of my paragraph there… And compare your disease to those to appreciate where I’m coming from

@Richard157
Thanks for the upbeat inspiration! I have other chronic health issues too, and sometimes they get me down. I love your attitude!

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