I was diagnosed with diabetes when I was nine years old. I think my parents were more worried than I was.Up until now, I've had only positive experiences. Friends and strangers are really interested and admire thefact that I can live this way and still be so athletic. It has never been seen as a handicap in the sports arenaand I've always been told, 'Wow, it's awesome the way you deal with this!' One advantage for me is that Iknow I have low blood glucose levels long before the other athletes do!

I started out back then with the pen therapy and always did my own injections. I've had an insulin pumpfor four years now and I'm really happy with it. When I'm doing sports I can reduce my basal rate and ofcourse that is a big improvement and relief. I take the pump off when I swim and, during a triathlon, justleave it on my bike and put it back on after I get out of the water.

My diet is high in carbohydrates and low in fat because of all the sports I do. I really don't eat much pizza,but rather pasta. The pump makes it possible for me to regulate my basal rate and that works really, reallywell. So for sports and for my daily life, the pump is perfect. I don't really think my life has been restrictedin any way by diabetes, but then I've never known any other way of living.

When I have hypoglycemia I always get really shaky. When I was a kid, I would tell my parents that I had 'rubber legs'. When my blood glucose is too high I get really thirsty and I feel super weak. Once you come to terms with diabetes, you really can live a perfectly normal life.

My advice to you: Check your blood glucose levels regularly and keep on living a normal life.