As we enter a new
decade, it’s time to get
retrospective and take a
look back at the year
gone by. Reviewing
journals, records and
notes can be insightful
for anyone, but it’s a
particularly useful
exercise for people
Our diarist Geraldine,
with husband John.
with diabetes.
Why keeping a
diary is a good idea
Geraldine Millichip from Wiltshire was taken 24 April Early visit from Dr Higgs, increasing insulin doses. We were told that
by surprise when, last April and approaching consultant diabetic physician. She told me appointments would be made for me to see a
70 years of age, she was suddenly diagnosed that I had sudden-onset type 1 diabetes and dietitian, podiatrist, retinal screening unit and
with type 1 diabetes. She recorded major would be on daily injections for the rest of my Dr Higgs again. Sounds as if John has a full-
events during her fi rst year with the condition life. However, there would be a lot of help and time chauffeur job!
and is kind enough to share some of her support. Liaison nurse arrived mid-afternoon Pre-breakfast: 28 units
diary entries with us. Her specialist nurse, and went through routines of testing and Pre-dinner: 18 units
Bernadette Hall, explains why she feels the injections. Left around 7pm, once insulin pens
diary helped Geraldine get to grips with arrived from the pharmacy. 5 May Reduced morning insulin as pre-lunch
having to cope with diabetes in her life. Blood glucose 24mmol/l readings getting low.
++2 ketonuria Pre-breakfast: 26 units
3 April 2009 Can’t get rid of this cough: HbA1c 11.9% Pre-dinner: 18 units
dry throat is making me thirsty. Drinking more Insulin: Novomix 30 Flexpen
and more, losing my appetite. Jump on the Pre-breakfast: 24 units 13 May Phone call from Bernadette. As
scales: yippee, I’m a stone lighter than I was in Pre-dinner: 16 units pre-lunch readings still low, she suggested
January! If I’d known it was as easy as drinking reducing morning insulin again.
more water, I’d have done it years ago. 29 April My husband John and I had a Pre-breakfast: 24 units
consultation with the diabetes specialist Pre-dinner: 18 units
Over the next few days, Geraldine started to nurse, Bernadette, who answered all our
become concerned about her weight loss. When questions without making us feel ‘past it’! She 15 May Off to the Scilly Isles for a week:
she also had trouble reading road signs, she explained the Novomix mixture of quick- and a whole new ball game of how to fi t in my
visited her GP’s surgery. The duty nurse sent slow-release insulin and how it would affect injections! When eating out, it’s hard to
Geraldine to hospital… blood glucose levels, and so on. She advised establish when ‘10 minutes before a meal’ is,
84 Sweet Magazine
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