Hello, I’m Cat and I’m 12 years old. I like to draw, read and play video games. I’m a Guide and I love camping, especially the big international camps.

In January 2009 I was hospitalised for three days and diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, I’m taking part in two major national medical studies to help find out about the causes of type 1 diabetes, to help improve the treatment and maybe even find a cure one day.

I decided to make this website to help people understand what it’s like to live with “The ‘Betes”.



Diagnosis Diabetes
(Maybe not for the squeamish)

I went to the doctors because I had to pee all the time. The doctor asked me some questions, checked me over and tested a sample then told me he thought I probably had diabetes and that I had to go to the hospital for a blood test straight away because my sugar level was off the scale! He said that I should drink plenty of water and have no sugar at all until things got sorted out. I was so scared, I had no real idea what it meant but while Mum and I waited for the bus to the hospital she explained what diabetes was because other people in the family had it and reassured me a bit more.

We got to the hospital and had to wait for 2 hours for the blood test, it didn’t hurt too much but they took a couple of tubes full. I felt kind of bad for Mum, she was pregnant with my little brother at the time and though she was trying not to show it she was so worried about me. We went home after the blood test to wait for the results and that evening I went to Guides as usual, it sucked to not be able to have sweets from the tuck shop.

About an hour after I got home two doctors turned up because my blood sugars were really high they asked me some more questions, checked me over and tested another sample. They were very concerned that they need to get me admit to hospital to get my sugar levels down so I got dressed again and we all headed to the hospital.

We got to the A&E department at about 10pm and only had to wait about half an hour to be seen by another doctor there, I had to answer more questions, have more checks and have more blood tests done. At about midnight I was admitted to the children’s ward where I was given insulin and had my blood sugar levels hourly until there was some improvement. My last checks were done by about 3am when I was finally allowed to get some sleep and Mum and Dan could go home to rest.

Mum and Dan were back to see me at 7am the next morning with sugar free drinks, some magazines and my DS charger (thank goodness) and had arranged for my grandparents and aunt and uncle to visit that afternoon and evening so I had much to look forwards too. The Diabetic nurse came to see me that morning, she explained to me all about diabetes and the treatment, she also demonstrated the equipment I would need and had Mum and I practice giving injections on a pad. Next, we had to actually do my blood sugar check and inject me for real, Mum did it for me first with my lunchtime meal because I was very nervous but at dinner time it was supposed to be my turn. As if all this going on wasn’t enough, I had school work to do in hospital too!

By the time dinner came I had so many visitors that I got a bit nervous again, Mum was really strict and said she would do that one for me but I had to do it myself for the bedtime one because if didn’t show the nurses I could do it myself I wouldn’t be allowed to go home the next day. Luckily at bedtime it was just Mum, Dan and I was able to do it without any worries, after also doing it by myself the next day for breakfast and lunch I was able to go home that afternoon all kitted out with everything I needed.

And that’s it. Things were really tough to start with but now I’m used to it and it’s just become a part of my life.