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LIVING
A diabetes story - Wayne Sexton
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Roche's new micropump:
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Writing on social media, Wayne
Sexton said, "We all have a story on
how we started our career journey,
but do you remember the day and
where you were? I do… well, the day
that led to it anyway. It was 14,610
days ago today (counting back from
the 26th November) - Saturday
26th November 1983 - 40 years ago.
This was the day I was rushed into
hospital in a coma and diagnosed
with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 11.
"The training, treatment and
management of diabetes has changed
in many ways over the past 40 years,
much like my career path. I was in
hospital for around three weeks.
Today, you would be treated at
home in the vast majority of cases.
Imagine being told as an 11-year-old,
'You will never eat sweets again.' I
can still remember that being told
to me - it's stuck in my mind. This
was to a child whose favourite film
was (and still is) Willy Wonka and
the Chocolate Factory. I was told, 'If
you do eat any sweets, by the age
of 30 you will be blind, have had
both your legs amputated and will
be on kidney dialysis.' I'm sure it
was meant to be a scare tactic, but
it didn't work. I remember thinking,
'30? You're nearly dead then anyway.'
The perception of a child is not that
of an adult. I can remember being
fascinated by everything that went
on around me. Many different people
going about their day. One door
sign that stuck in my mind, said, 'No
unauthorised access'. What went on
behind those doors?
"Ten years later I was at catering
college training to be a chef, silver
service waiter and wine sommelier
(an unknown part of my life to many
- great days!) Next to the college was
the hospital I had been treated at 10
years earlier. I knew I didn't have
the academic mind (or qualifications)
to be a nurse, doctor or any other
healthcare professional, but maybe
I could work within the support
functions such as catering, cleaning,
portering? Then maybe I could find
out what went on behind those 'No
unauthorised access' doors, still
etched in the back of my mind.
"I joined the hospital's bank
staff and started working as a
housekeeper in the evenings, serving
patients their meals, cleaning and
giving each patient a hot drink
before bed. I found it one of my most
rewarding jobs I've done in the NHS.
I have never forgot those days. Yes, I
did learn what went on behind those
doors once I had authorised access -
some things were very interesting...
some not so much! And as they
say, the rest is history…. A 31-year
diabetes history."
Update
That was then, this is now. Sexton
continued, "Today, I am not blind,
I have both my legs and my kidney
function is good too. I'm on the
most advanced diabetes treatment
using 'closed loop therapy' (recently
approved by NICE in England) the
nearest we have to an 'artificial
pancreas'.
"My career journey to date has
had many ups …and a few downs,
twists and turns - much like blood
glucose levels when managing
diabetes, but I have never forgotten
about those early days of working
in the NHS. Serving patients and
hopefully making their time in
hospital a little more comfortable.
"I'm not sure if my story has any
meaning to others, but for me it says:
be inquisitive; show kindness; don't
use scare tactics, and ride the rollercoaster
of your working life - you
never know where it will take you.
Thanks to everyone I have worked
with or known on the journey so
far! You'll never know the difference
you've made. Here's to the next 40
years (…maybe)."
Sexton is currently Chief
Commercial Officer at Moorfields
Eye Hospital, London.