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Ambassador : Jenny Dalton

I have been a Type 1 diabetic for 45years, being diagnosed at age 18. In those days diabetics on insulin had to use glass syringes which had to be boiled for sterilisation and testing was done, not with blood, but with urine tests.

Over the years, great improvements were made as syringes became disposable and more sophisticated, and discreet insulin pens were introduced. Blood testing became easy to do with new models all the time.

Despite all these advances, diabetics still had to eat regularly and if they were like me would have many hypos. The regimentation was continuous – having to eat even if one did not want to, having to inject 4 times a day, never being able to sleep in and having to carry emergency food and sugar at all times in case of hypos.

After breast cancer, I wanted to simplify my life. A chance remark from a friend about seeing a young person who used a pump, inspired me to do some research on the net. I attended an evening on pumps at our state Diabetic Association and I was sold. It was the right time for me as Private Health Funds were now covering the cost of the pumps.

I had the desire to use one – all I was concerned with was that I might be considered too old for one.

There were no problems and I was soon booked in for training for pump use. I am sure that young people would probably have learned how to use the pump far quicker than I did. I made mistakes initially, but often it is only by making mistakes that one learns. However, 45 years of checking carbohydrates made it easy to count them. It was so automatic.

Life 18 months after pump treatment is such a breeze. I don’t have to clock watch. I can eat that lovely Tiramisu by merely having a bolus (extra insulin) and I rarely have a hypo. If I do it is usually a mild one.This is a huge relief as hypos were so demoralizing and inconvenient. My levels are far more controlled whereas life before pumping was haphazard at all times.

As well, I am really healthy.

If you get the chance to try pump therapy, give it a go!