[mtendler]

Has anyone on this forum had diabetes for 50 years? What was the technology like when you were first diagnosed?

[bthornby]

My first syringe was made of glass (pyrex?) and had to be boiled once a week and stored in an aluminum case with alchohol saturated cotton balls.
At first the needle had to be sharpened on a whetstone but then I got a new syringe with a lure-lock from BD and disposable needles. The gauge was very large compared to today.
I lived in Maryland but had to go to DC to see the only doctor that would care for juvinile diabetics.
I would test my sugar with a urin test kit that had a test tube, and you counted out drops of urine and then added a reactive tablet that changed colors. Blue was good.
Insulin came from pigs or cows and was either slow acting or fast acting.
Somehow I survived my teenage years.

[dano]

bthornby;

Welcome to the Forum!

Thanks for sharing your story, you are an inspiration to us all!

[grahambartle71]

Been a type 1 since 1971 and went through most of what 'bthornby' mentioned. It was very hit and miss in terms of control. You had a whopper of an insulin injection in the morning and then tried to control via diet for the day, needless to say a lot of test were orange to dark green (bad) with the occasional blue.

Thinking back i'm amazed I got through my teenage years!!

Hello btw

[leeard]

I was diagnosed in the early 80's, and am all to familliar with the urine testing, had to be careful where you touched the test tube since the chemical reaction made it HOT. Being a teenager I had a lot of oranges and dark greens to. When they came out with the urine test strips I figured out how to cheat them.

I used to dread going to the Dr because I knew they were going to stick my finger with one of those metal blades that left a mark kind of like a w on your finger, and it hurt like heck and stayed sore for days.