Hi There. I have had T1 now for 57 years, and I am strong and healthy with very few complications. I worked for many years as an engineer/ project manager, which meant that I spent a great deal of my time travelling. Over the years I have seen many changes to my regime, but the things I truly believe in are daily exercise, which I NEVER miss, and healthy eating, although I don’t, and never have, dieted. I’m just mindful of what I eat, and rarely do “rubbish” food. About 4 years ago, I started to use an insulin pump, and this has been excellent, and the change, pretty much seamless, so I have been fairly fortunate. I would really enjoy meeting up with other “long termers”, as in my small country, I don’t get to chat to many people like me. I have a lovely wife,grown family, a labrador, poodle, and a cat, who all enjoy walking, although the cat’s his OWN master.
Hello @Weston,
hey it’s great to hear from you, there are a lot of us who have had t1 a long time. I have about 37 years. hope you like this site and looking forward to talking.
Joe
Nice meeting you @Weston, and welcome to this group.
“Listening” to how you summarize your lifestyle living with diabetes leads me to think that you will have much sound advice to share here with the many “newbies”. Like you, I have just begun my 60th year with diabetes, I find that I have learned much over the years about how to live AND enjoy life and that learning never ends. Like you, I watch closely what I eat and haven’t strictly “followed a diet” since the 1950’s and I get plenty of moderate exercise - although my wife of 50 years keeps telling me to don’t overdo.
I expect that, if you have the time and inclination, that you might enjoy visiting this site often; and don’t just stick with the “adult” pages but look at all the lifestyle sections, especially the newly diagnosed and caregiver pages, and offer words of wisdom. And like @Joe, I’m looking forward to talking with you.
Dennis
Hi Dennis
Thanks for your friendly welcome.
I do have the major benefit of having a Paradigm Insulin Pump and this has made my life so much simpler to control. That and regular blood testing allows me to live as close to a normal life as possible.
This is all I know so this is my life. And thus far, in my mid 60s, it’s been a pretty good one, all considered…
I’m still busy working (have never hit the jackpot) but I’ve also always tried to be extra active with walking the dogs in the morning (5-30 am start) and then a lunch time walk (if it’s not hosing down - as it often is during our southern winters).
I’ve got an app. on my phone which counts steps and I’m currently aiming for 10,000 steps a day. With dogs we need to go out everyday so there are no days off for me!
Next month Lauren and I are off on another overseas trip (6 weeks) which will include a 12 day cruise. I just have to keep up the testing as sometimes its hard to gauge the carbohydrates in a meal especially if it is a local foodies masterpiece that is presented.
The cruise visits cities from Copenhagen to Barcelona along the West Coast of Europe so we are expecting to try some interesting foods along the way. We try to look for busy restaurants with lots of locals in it and go there.
We are traveling through Houston (to visit NASA), Boston and New York, Copenhagen (to start the cruise) and then through Belgium back to London (to meet the Daughter on her first visit to Europe) and then to Johannesburg (for an animal safari), and home via Perth.I have been used to travelling all my working life as a project engineer, so ironed out most issues over the years.We have also travelled widely over the years. Nothing like a long trip far away from home and in a strange country to make you stick to the rules…sort of…
I live by the creed, Just live healthy, my other option is…???. You have to smile, don’t you? What else is there?
Hi Joe, thank you for the welcome. It’s winter here, and we’re all immersed in rugby, of course NZ is rugby mad, including me. Can’t say that I have , or have had, many difficulties, and life is generally pretty good. I think everyone has hiccups through their lives, mine just happens to be making sure I don’t get too low to help myself, because I’m pretty independent. Look forward to talking to you