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| 01 Father army. I was born 1944. Educated England, then Cyprus. Started work at 15 numerous jobs. Worked 5 years after marriage, then housewife plus evening jobs 2 daughters youngest, Joanne, has diabetes. | |
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| 02 Joanne healthy until 4, then ill. Thirsty, wet bed, lost weight, breath & urine smelt. Doctor said nothing wrong over-anxious parent, advised giving Joanne medicine for anxiety. | |
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| 03 That night, Joanne very ill. Locum came, smelt breath, ambulance almost in coma. Hospital doctors horrified by GP. Nearly lost Joanne. | |
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| 04 In hospital couple of weeks to stabilise her & educate us carbohydrate booklets, injecting orange. Paediatric ward no specialists, no other child with diabetes. | |
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| 05 Return home frightening. Joanne hungry. Sister could have what she liked, Joanne couldn`t had to make choices. Joanne said It`s not right felt different at school. Teachers & mothers ignorant. | |
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06 Headmaster apprehensive. I said I`d do all 3 injections bringing her home for lunch. She`d need snack at break Head didn`t want to make allowances. I was angry. Health visitor saw him.
Joanne exploited illness to miss lessons. Hard to discern truth. | |
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07 Scalpel blood test or urine test testing strips. Big syringes & needles Joanne needle-phobic. Disposables arrived.
Measured food. Joanne had to make difficult choices. | |
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| 08 Aunt & mother had age-onset diabetes, but infantile different. Once fetched her from school & sent her to bed, thinking she was pretending Had to use Glucagon, ambulance, guilt. Didn`t pretend much after that. | |
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| 09 1978-84, other illnesses affected diabetes admitted to hospital. Doctors gave insulin, not glucose ignored parents. | |
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| 10 A couple of years after diagnosis, met other mother of diabetic child more laid-back than me, learnt more from her than from professionals felt less guilty. | |
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| 11 While Joanne still at primary, DSN came wonderful. Tried to persuade her to change to 2 injections. Joanne eventually agreed to go on secondary school trip. | |
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| 12 Aged 7 or 8, went on BDA holiday unhappy, but started to inject herself still preferred someone else to do it. | |
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| 13 Secondary school field trip forced change to 2 injections. Joanne tried to hide diabetes. Teenage rebellion. Faked records for diabetic clinic. | |
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| 14 Youth training scheme - bought motorbike for journey limited licence until left home. She`s now responsible attends clinic. Changes injections, insulin diet. Injecting through clothing horrifies me! | |
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15 Told to use white spirit for years, then told it makes skin hard. Seeing injecting through clothing, I fear germs.
I`m still emotionally involved. I sometimes accompany her to clinic she hates clinics make her feel like child. | |
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| 16 Living with diabetes different from book. When sugars wrong, doctors blame parents. I got angry with good doctor he admitted doctors follow text-book. | |
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| 17 Ignorance among family & friends. More known know. | |
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| 18 When niece diagnosed 10 years later, more support, specialists, information. Still mother asked me frightening when alone. Doctors should imagine not like textbook. | |
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