Adjusting
In a way I think I felt better now knowing what I had and how to treat it. I just wanted to get back to feeling myself again.
I took the diagnosis on the chin and moved forward as best I could, but diabetes has a big impact on your life.
I’ve got the 24-hour slow acting insulin Lantus, and I take three injections at mealtimes. I weigh my food and manage my carbs as much as possible, which my girlfriend supports me with – and we also use apps to help with this.
I was on a trial for the Freestyle Libre before my son was born and still use it now. It’s a good bit of kit. Now if I go for a night out or if I’m playing sports, life is so much easier as I don’t have to be pricking my finger; it’s just a case of scanning my phone to check my levels – it gives me peace of mind.
Family life
Four months after my diagnosis my son, Ronan, was born. Again, I think having the Libre really helped me manage my diabetes during this more intense time. Doing feeds, getting up in the night, and having a newborn wake up at all hours, made managing my diabetes a bit more stressful, especially as Ronan had colic so didn’t sleep very well.
Given that we were in a pandemic, we did feel more vulnerable with a newborn and my type 1 diagnosis. Not many people could see and cuddle our baby. Perhaps we were overly cautious and did miss out, but we felt better when vaccinations were introduced.
Ronan is now 20 months’ old, and I’ve managed to do everything with him so far. He’s a very active child, so I’ll often be chasing him around the house or at the park. We like to get out as much as possible and often go on long walks together.
As he grows up, I want to be able to do sports with him. My motivation to manage my diabetes well is so that I can do these things with my son.
I’ve always enjoyed football, cricket, and squash, so would love to eventually see if he shares the same interests.