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LIVINGLIVING
the Adults' Clinic we speak every six
months, but I can reach out to my
lovely DSN whenever needed. My
HbA1c has always been relatively
steady and we are all more than
happy with the results. When I was
diagnosed, my DSN said: 'you control
it, it doesn't control you". This has
stayed with me ever since and has
shaped my mind-set when it comes
to my diabetes: it doesn't stop me
doing anything - my diabetes just
comes with me."
Mitchell attends the Stephanie
Marks Diabetes Resource Centre at
to ask for advice and for us to share
our experiences. I can have a laugh
with them too, and know they are
laughing with me - at things like
knocking a sensor off when walking
through a doorway. In fact, it's
because of these people that I now
have a Libre as I saw them wearing
their sensors so confidently. I was
quite happy with my finger-pricking
routine and never wanted anything
'attached' to me, yet here I am now
with a FreeStyle Libre on my arm and
I love it!"
In 2020, Mitchell started to work
for NHS 111 in order to help out in the
pandemic, saying that she wanted
to 'give back' and 'help folk out'. "It's
different to anything else I've done
before," she says, "We had training
to triage callers, which means we
needed to know about not only the
symptoms of Covid-19 but of other
medical situations such as stroke,
heart attack and even hypos - that
was an odd session. The trainer was
very good, allowing me to comment
on the training as - unfortunately - I
had first-hand experience."
Mitchell is still using NovoRapid
for her short-acting/bolus insulin.
After using Lantus and then Levemir
for several years, she recently started
using Tresiba for my long-acting/
I was keen to keep
it really upbeat
and positive, as
I'm a glass half full
kind of person,
so we made sure
everyone was
learning, but
having fun and
a laugh at the
same time.
St Peter's Hospital, Chertsey. She
went from the children's clinic direct
to the Young Adults clinic in order
to stay with the same consultant.
"In paediatrics, my experience had
been really positive, but I didn't
really bond with the consultant in
the Young Adults clinic, so I asked
to to be moved up to the adult clinic
in order to stay with a consultant
that knew me better. She is kind and
understanding and recognises that
we are all human, so I really look
forward to attending clinic."
Another change has been the
matter of carb-counting. As she
says, "When I was diagnosed in
2007, there had been no mention of
carb counting. However, I attended
a DAFNE course in 2015, as I was
keen to learn how I could gain better
control. It was a brilliant course and
I really enjoyed meeting other people
with Type 1 diabetes."
Since then, times have changed.
"In the last year, since I turned
26," says Mitchell, "I have entered
a new chapter in my diabetes life.
I discovered the online diabetes
community - it was the first time
I felt totally understood. Although
I have always done what I needed
to do in regards to managing my
diabetes, I hadn't considered how
isolated I felt. I think that humour is
the best therapy; it has been amazing
to share experiences and laugh with
fellow Type 1 diabetics.'
Helping out
As with many of her generation,
Mitchell is very aware of, and a
user of, social media, but even she
says, "I have my own personal social
media accounts, but they are private
and so I had been a bit worried
about starting a diabetes-focused
account. However, I decided to go
for it and started an account called
@TheGuiltyDiabetic on Instagram
during the lockdown last summer.
As a result, I've met so many
incredible people who have T1D, as
well as parents of children with the
condition. It's wonderful to be able