A woman from north Cumbria is offering an inside look into her journey with insulin as she receives an award for managing her condition for six decades.
Anne Bone, from Irthington, near Brampton, has lived with type 1 diabetes for 60 years. Diabetes UK has awarded her a medal to mark her achievements of managing her condition as long as she has.
To mark diabetes week, she explains her six decade long journey with insulin and the changes she has lived through since her pre-school diagnosis in 1961 at the age of three.
“I can still remember some of the time leading up to a fairly lengthy stay in hospital,” said Anne.
“I recall that mum took me to the GP, Dr Scott, and the next thing I remember was waking up in a hospital bed with other children around me. Eventually mum came to take me home.”
Methods back then were a little different than today and patients, families and carers were expected to learn quickly. It was a steep learning curve for Anne’s mum who had to administer her with insulin as soon as they got home.
“Unbeknown to her, the hospital had purposely let me go into hypo so that mum had to deal with it straight away,” continued Anne.
“They were somewhat harsh in those days – no messing. It was only ever mum who cared for me and she did an amazing job. Mum had to practice on oranges and the insulin then had to be drawn and mixed together in the same syringe.
“I cannot actually ever remember crying due to the injections but how dreadful it must have been having to inject your three-year-old daughter every day with one of those.
“The whole thing then had to be sterilised by boiling and the needle sharpened before the next jab. Blood testing was done at the diabetes check-ups every six months but you could wait hours for your results before you had any chance of seeing the consultant.”
To check that a person’s diabetes is being managed properly, urine tests are undertaken. These measure glucose and an acidic chemical called ketones that the body produces when there isn’t enough glucose.
Anne explained: “Back then we then tested urine at home with a pipette, a test tube and poisonous caustic soda tablets, said Anne.
“Together they effervesced quite violently and then indicated the glucose levels.
“The physical side of treating Type 1 was very different to today’s standards but it was all we had. In my humble opinion, something that was barbaric even to look at, was the Palmer Injector, invented in 1955 by Charles Palmer, a Scottish farmer.
“He preferred this method as it shot the needle through the skin at lightning speed. I have to admit that I did own one but I was too squeamish to use it more than just the once when it left a nasty bruise. I much preferred my own gentler way of injecting.”
Over the years Anne has learned how to live with and monitor her diabetes and she had to learn quickly that these things change over time.
“I had one of just two major hypos in my life in 2017 where the paramedics basically saved my life. My husband Trevor did warn them that when I came round I would be quite angry at myself – how right he was.
“I did apologise to them though.
“It was this event that made me realise that I needed to pay closer attention to the insulin and its’ reaction to food and timings as my system was obviously changing quite dramatically.
“I now keep my own personal notebook on carb amounts in the foods I eat. I also didn’t realise that there was a glucose pen available before this – but I keep one in the fridge now just in case. There have been few have been quite a few changes of fast acting insulin and lots of adjustments in amounts and my routine before I found my niche.
“In 60 years insulin development has really moved forward. I’ve learnt an awful lot about the mind boggling evolution of insulin; it has been a fascinating journey and one that I will continue.
“I now use the new Libre Sensor as it is so versatile, especially when out walking with my dog. It can also be used as an app on your phone.
“My husband Trevor has learnt and put up with so much during our 38 years together with my other ‘companion’ always being there. He puts up with the mood swings due to blood sugars and has looked after me brilliantly. What a guy.”
Annette Routledge, specialist diabetes nurse at the Cumberland Infirmary said: “It was a pleasure to apply for Anne’s 60-year Diabetes Medal from Diabetes UK.
“For a good proportion of the time Anne has had diabetes there was little in the way of accurate blood glucose monitoring.
“It is absolutely impossible to maintain target blood glucose control all the time and Anne describes the challenges of teenage rebellion, feeling tired and burnout with her diabetes. Even with these hiccups it is absolutely inspirational that Anne has virtually no diabetes complications.
“There has been a great deal of research and development in diabetes to look at how people living with diabetes, their lives can be made easier while maintaining target blood glucose control.
“This has involved the production of new insulins and the design of new technology to deliver insulin and monitor blood glucose.”
