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| 01 Dad worked sugar cane, Mum in markets. Father strict. England aged 22. Siblings left too, because employment limited. Worked as maid before came to England. Left school early… | |
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| 02 …No-one made me stay on. Loved running. Attended Anglican church. Childhood seemed happy at time. Children in St. Kitts now… | |
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03 …imitate American TV – guns etc.
Ate sugar cane, fruit.
Diagnosed after big baby. Mother died 1982. Diagnosed after return from St. Kitts, 1983. Don’t know re family diabetes – questions discouraged. | |
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| 04 Came here 1960. Mother diagnosed, St. Kitts, 1965/6 - bad treatment. I visited before she died. Doctors said kidney trouble. Dad said shouldn’t ask questions. | |
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| 05 Mum died before my next visit - on insulin 1st, then tablets. Questions discouraged – so I won’t live there. Family didn’t take illness seriously. Illness causes shame – even for West Indians here. | |
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| 06 As mobile carer, I visit West Indian lady – secretive re illness. I know what’s wrong from 19 years caring. West Indian people use illness against you in argument. Shame prevents help. | |
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| 07 Arrived here 1960 – thought houses factories. Laundry, then Birmingham factories. 2 children in 1st marriage, divorced, then 3 children in current marriage. Cleaned Selly Oak Hospital, then nursing home… | |
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08 …then mobile care. Took son with me. Always working.
English people nice. Ignore racism. | |
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09 Knew husbands from West Indies. 1st started having affairs, so divorced.
Felt thirsty. Working at Selly Oak – nurse asked re urine. GP had said OK. | |
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| 10 Nurse said ask for blood test. Instead, visited St. Kitts. On return, diagnosed during D & C. Symptoms months before. Children banned me from kitchen; lost weight; then tablets gradually increased. | |
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| 11 Doctor recommended insulin year ago, but I wasn’t ready. Now going on insulin. Was on insulin 1997-8 during cancer treatment. | |
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| 12 Had lump but didn’t want to take doctors’ time. Had part removed… | |
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| 13 …cancerous. Chemotherapy. Told everyone – no shame – helped recovery?. Tell everyone to get help. Husband didn’t accompany me to hospital – children did. | |
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14 Treatment made sugars high, so went on insulin. Didn’t work - because injected at wrong times? Hope better this time.
Tested blood frequently - fingers infected – now test twice weekly… | |
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15 …new machine.
I decided blood sugars justified insulin year after suggested by consultant. Medical staff nice. | |
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| 16 1983, didn’t ask questions - do now. Doctors know more than nurses. Specialist nurses will give insulin training. Don’t need to alter type of food - just eat less. | |
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17 Dieting difficult – hungry.
Steam food, separately from family food. | |
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18 Won’t adjust insulin – I’d eat more.
Always had exercise. No car in St.Kitts. Aged 9, did housework – punished if done badly. Here, sewed to 2/3 am then back up at 5 am. Didn’t have car. Now cleaning supervisor & mobile carer. Leave house 4.30 am 6 mornings, clean, then breakfast, then caring. | |
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| 19 Sleep in afternoons, then caring 4 evenings. Only had 1 hypo – recognise symptoms. | |
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| 20 See GP re colds. Hospital twice yearly for diabetes, once for eye check-up after laser, once for cancer – now unnecessary. No other problems. Relatives now have diabetes. | |
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21 Husband now diabetic – doesn’t take my advice!
Advice: know your body.
Without diabetes would eat more. Diabetes & cancer didn’t stop me working.
Children helped diet. Diagnosed in 1983 after big baby in 1979. | |
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| 22 Now aged 66. Hoped to retire to West Indies, but not since cancer. Clients deteriorate after retirement. Still have much to give to them. Christian faith helps. | |
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