The beginning of my journey on the craziest roller coaster.

13 years ago my pancreas decided to go on early retirement and leave its job completely in my hands.

At the age of 6, I started wetting my bed, running to the toilet very often, and I had a very fruit smell on my breath each day. My parents took me to a doctor and told the doctor all the symptoms. Immediately i was sent to give a urine sample. The doctor put a stick into the sample and, after a few seconds, looked up at my parents with a look I will never forget. What he said after that look is completely blank. My parents and I got into the car. I didn’t know what was happening and where we were going. My parents phoned family and the words “…we are taking her to the hospital now” were spoken, as tears rolled down their cheeks. My heart dropped. The rest of the journey to the hospital is completely blank, as is the whole process of me being admitted into hospital.

The next few days I had doctors pricking and poking me very often. And as a 6 year old girl, I was scared and confused. I had people come in to explain to me what diabetes was and how I was to deal with it. I was told I had to prick my fingers with a needle numerous times a day, inject myself numerous times a day, and change my diet and lifestyle completely.

Before going to the doctor, I had no idea that my entire life was about to change. And as I sat in the car after I was discharged from hospital, nothing felt the same. I remember getting home and sitting on the carpet in the lounge and I just felt different.

This was just the beginning of my journey on the craziest roller coaster.