'I think I am getting on with my life just the same as I did before I had diabetes.'

Diagnosis

I knew I hadn’t been feeling myself all summer. I was always tired. I was tired playing cricket, I couldn’t be bothered to go to water polo and when I did go I would get into trouble from the coach for being so slow. It didn’t matter what I did, I was getting more tired.

I started back at school and immediately noticed that I couldn’t see properly and I couldn’t understand why my Mum wouldn’t take any notice of me. I couldn’t sleep for wanting to drink and go to the loo and I thought that was making me tired. When I went to the opticians I was quite pleased that I needed glasses only if was to say to Mum that I hadn’t been making it up.

Our family aren’t a family to go to the doctors but I had been pleading to go as I knew something was wrong. Mum made me an appointment and I came out of school. I don’t think the doctor realised how ill I felt as he said I had to go back for blood tests and go back a week later for the results. I didn’t know how I was going to get through another week.

My appointment was 8.30am. Mum took my brother to school first which turned out to be fortunate. I was slightly worried about having a blood test as it was the first time I’d had one, but I don’t think anything could have prepared me for what I was going to be told about 15 minutes later.

When we had to wait for the nurse to see the doctor, I was really worried and I knew something was wrong. Although my Dad had been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in January last year, I didn’t know there was a difference between Type 1 or Type 2, in fact I didn’t know there was Type 1 and Type 2.

I thought diabetes was what my Dad had and he was OK watching his diet and cutting out all the unhealthy foods and drink. When the doctor told me I had to go to hospital, I felt sick.

When I got to hospital, the staff were waiting for me and I just seemed to be shown a bed. I was surrounded by doctors and nurses asking me loads and loads of questions.

My first insulin injection

The last person to come and see me was Chris Kirby who is now my diabetic nurse. He is such a brilliant man. He calmed my nerves down straight away. He gave me the facts which I needed to know but anything I asked he didn’t hold back on.

It was soon lunchtime and before I could have anything to eat he showed me how to take my first blood reading. I can’t remember exactly what it was but it was in the high twenties. He then showed me my insulin pen and to show me that it didn’t hurt, he first injected himself, then asked Mum and Dad to do it. Then I had to have my first insulin injection. The first of many.

If I have high blood sugars my vision becomes blurry

Apart from actually being told that I had diabetes, which was an illness I would have for life and that I had to have injections after every meal, the worst point was when Chris told me I wouldn’t be able to be an RAF pilot which is what I’d wanted to be for as long as I could remember. I’ve watched the Tornados take off and land from RAF Lossiemouth since I was born and just before being diagnosed I was at a Friends and Family Day at RAF Leeming.

There had been times during that day when I hadn’t been able to focus properly. Chris explained the reason for this was the build-up of sugar crystals behind the retina and as soon as I had given myself insulin my vision became clear. Now I know that if I’m naughty and have high blood sugars my vision becomes blurry.

Going back to school after diagnosis

The first hurdle I had to overcome was going back to school and I was petrified. It was as bad as walking into hospital. I had said I didn’t want anyone to find out, but by the end of the first day it felt like everyone in the school knew. The teachers were all very understanding and most of the students were quite sympathetic but wanted to know everything.

I did get a few cruel comments and one of my peers would sing songs which had the word sugar in, like 'A Spoonful of Sugar Helps the Medicine Go Down' and 'Sugar Sugar'. However, it was this same person who, when we went to Berlin, realised I was in a hypo and he got me a drink and food.

I consider myself to be quite lucky in that usually I am aware when I am having a hypo. I don’t think I have had a blood sugar reading under two and I usually know as soon as it goes below 4.2; I become very lethargic and can’t think clearly

Fundraising for Diabetes UK

I think I am getting on with my life just the same as I did before I had diabetes. Two weeks after being diagnosed I went on a scout camp. I started back at water polo training after about six weeks and I have learnt that I am OK if I do as Chris says and take extra carbohydrate half an hour before I go.

I went on a school trip to Berlin just before Christmas and endured temperatures of –18°, and also a 12-hour traffic jam. You can imagine how worried my Mum was with this one.

I have just come home from a weekend residential with Duke of Edinburgh which was in preparation for my silver expedition in July. This was the first time since being diagnosed that I had been hiking and it taught me a lot in the way of needing extra carbohydrate to increase energy levels.

Swim22 is the first time I have done fundraising on this scale. Obviously I have done fundraising at school and with my scout group but never on this scale so I am unsure how it will take off and how much I will raise. The idea came about as I needed to do something for my physical challenge within Duke of Edinburgh and swimming 22 miles in a week, I think, is definitely a challenge.

It was my brother’s idea to raise money for Diabetes UK, in fact he said he wouldn’t do it for any other charity.

We haven’t done any additional training for the swim. I go training three times a week anyway and managed to swim 6000m in two hours two years ago. My brother has recently increased his training to five or six times a week but he has been training for the under-14-year-olds' national water polo championships which were held in Manchester this weekend and which he did very well in.

My daily routine

As with most teenagers, I won’t get up on time in the morning so although I know it’s not the right thing to do, most mornings I don’t have breakfast but I do take a blood sugar reading before going to school which is usually between five and six.

At break time I have a scone from the school dining hall. This helps especially if I have PE. At lunch time I do a blood reading, and then have lunch, quite often I have a baguette, and then take my insulin.

It is usually when walking home from school that I have a hypo so I always try and walk home with friends. When my Mum makes me a meal, she knows the carbohydrate values of food. The majority of foods you buy from supermarkets have the carbohydrate values on the packet, but when you have school dinners I sometimes have to guess on portion sizes etc. It is the same routine at teatime.

If I am going swimming I tend to decrease the amount of insulin I take or have a snack half an hour before I go. I wouldn’t dream of going swimming without a supply of dextrose tablets and an energy drink.

I try and take my night time insulin at about 10pm (17 units of glargine). I go to a diabetes clinic every three months and Doctor On Tin is more than pleased with my progress. My last HbA1c was 7.2 % which was satisfactory.

In the Easter holidays I am going go-karting with other diabetics from the area. I have had my first retinopathy check which was fine.