18 November 2023 , 20:45
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A woman who suffered a chest infection and found herself in a coma, is now sharing her journey to raise awareness. 28-year-old Sarah Mather from Widnes went back and forth from the doctors with symptoms including feeling tired and extra thirsty.
She was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2010 having been "told a multitude of things", the Liverpool Echo reports. During the diagnosis, Sarah was also experiencing a chest infection and given steroids as she is asthmatic.
However, the following morning she found herself in a coma because of severe diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) which is a serious complication of diabetes which can be life-threatening. Sarah is a British Sign Language (BSL) song sign performer.
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She was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2010 having been "told a multitude of things" (Getty Images/Hero Images)She said: "My blood sugars were 55 mmol/l. It took me in total about 12-18 months to fully recover from the coma. It hasn’t been straightforward over the years, I have found it tricky.
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"I’ve had many different factors that have affected my control but, I have found getting involved in volunteer work with diabetes charities really helpful for me. This is because you get to meet others with type 1."
"Only those with it truly get it. Because of volunteering, I have met some of my best friends."
Sarah is autistic, deaf and a type 1 diabetic. She is sharing her journey to try and raise awareness, by supporting the Medtronic #BlueBalloonChallenge to help others know there is more to life than a diagnosis. The recent campaign urges people to perform a regular daily task while keeping a balloon afloat.
She added: "The turning point for me was getting the Medtronic 780G system. I have been on a pump and Freestyle Libre sensor, however, I have unaware night-time hypos. I also don’t hear the alarms at night.
"This has resulted in multiple trips to hospital with unaware low blood sugars and not waking up. It is terrifying and has happened when being away. The 780G system has the closed loop element linked to the continuous glucose monitor.
"If I’m dropping low overnight, my insulin gets suspended to try and prevent these hypos. It’s great, as I feel safe and like I can go about my life again. I would be lost without my pump and CGM now. It has been great for my control."
When giving advice to others, Sarah, who has accrued a following on social media as Song Sign With Sarah, said: "For anyone who has just been diagnosed, know that you can do anything. Type 1 diabetes is tough, it is gruelling sometimes.
28-year-old Sarah Mather from Widnes went back and forth from the doctors with symptoms including feeling tired and extra thirsty (Getty Images)"You will have good days and then bad days. But know that you are more than diabetes. Never give up on your dreams as you can achieve anything with it. May take a little extra planning, but you can do anything.
"Look after yourself and be kind to yourself. You are more than the numbers. You may have type 1, but you can be an artist, mathematician, engineer, dancer, singer, writer, sportsperson etc. with type 1."
Alongside raising awareness for those with a disability, she asked people not to "fear" their dreams. She said: "For me personally, as a hard of hearing sign song performer, performing makes me feel free.
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"I struggle to hear all the words, due to my hearing loss, but I feel the music. I grew up performing on stage too, and it’s something I’ve always loved. When I perform a sign song, I give it everything, I feel free. It’s like I feel free from not only diabetes and health, but it’s just such an amazing feeling to do.
"I think the Blue Balloon Campaign is a wonderful initiative. Not only, is it raising charitable funds, it is a great way of showing in a visual context, of what type 1 diabetes is. You are doing so much in life, whilst juggling the balloon (diabetes).
"The balloon (diabetes) is always there, it may not go in a straight line, it make fly around and you feel out of control. It’s always there. I’ve had some of my friends without diabetes saying that it helped them to understand how diabetes actually is constantly something you are juggling.
"The blue balloon helped them to see that. It’s been amazing to get involved with the blue balloon campaign to raise awareness of type 1 and also be a voice for others. I have loved watching so many people’s diabetes journeys through this campaign."
Help Sarah support National Diabetes Month with the Blue Balloon Challenge.
Find out more: https://www.medtronicdiabetes.com/blue-balloon-challenge