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Family memberBorn in Bolton in 1944.
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Overview:
Mo Linton`s husband, Douglas, was born in 1926 and diagnosed with diabetes aged three. He kept his diabetes secret and became a racing driver, ensuring that his urine tests would pass medicals and keeping his blood sugars high during races. Mo met him in early 1967, when he was 40 and she was 22, but didn`t discover he was diabetic until four years later. They lived together from 1973 and married in 1981. She found secrecy difficult and they both relaxed when everyone learnt he had diabetes after a newspaper reported his opening of a new diabetes centre in 1998.
Please note that Overview relates to date of recording Wednesday, September 5, 2007
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1 She only learnt his secret when he went into hospital for an operation on his thumb. When she visited him, a doctor mentioned his diabetes and she at last understood some puzzling behaviour. [ 56 secs ] |  | 2 She learnt that Douglas was treated by R.D. Lawrence, co-founder of the British Diabetic Association, who arranged for his wartime evacuation with other young patients to Hutton, near Brentwood. At 16, he worked for Dr. Lawrence as a lab technician [ 5 secs ] | |
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| 01 Brought up in Farnworth near Bolton. Didn’t get on with father’s 3rd wife, so went to London. Worked in tax until I retired. | |
| 02 Inherited money at 21 & bought car in Bolton – garage premises shared with racing car company - Doug a director. Met Doug 1967. He also worked as musician. Visited me in London. 1971, I transferred to Manchester. 1973, Moved together into present house.
1970s - Doug’s first heart attack & diabetic coma. | |
| | 03 Never told anyone re diabetes - wouldn’t have been allowed to race cars. I learnt after 4 years. Had wondered - didn’t ask. | |
| | 04 He still kept diabetes secret from others. Had always adjusted insulin to forthcoming meal. Only had 2 or 3 hypos. | |
| | 05 Diagnosed aged 3 or 4 – due to shock? Saw Dr. Lawrence. During war, Dr Lawrence evacuated him & other children to Brentwood. Aged 16, worked in Lawrence’s path lab. Later went into music business. | |
| | 06 After war, big bands in London, Birmingham, then Manchester – stayed. Married - no children - divorced in early 60s before we met. Got racing car licence – made sure urine tests OK. Raced once after we met, 1974, came third. | |
| 07 Kept blood sugars high during races. Mid 1960s changed from big bands to clubs. Became director of racing car company. Nobody knew re his diabetes. We married 1981. He had 2nd heart attack 1988. 5 heart bypasses at Wythenshawe, 1989.
I watched diet. Travelled. Secrecy made me tense. | |
| 08 He’d begun going to clinic. They asked Doug to open new clinic. People learnt he was diabetic.
Hadn’t been to clinic in past. Took more care late 70s/early 80s. Changed from urine to blood testing. Problems when U100 introduced. Liked pork insulin. | |
| | 09 People knew re his diabetes from 1998. Knee replacement, 2003. In hospital for fluid on lung, got blister on heel - district nurse’s emulsifier caused weeping & ulcers – admitted, 2004. Healed 2005, though lost 2 toes. After 80th birthday, broke hip – got ulcers in hospital again. This July, broke collar bone – now in hospital. | |
| 10 Podiatrist, Simon Goodwin, saved leg. Wythenshawe’s Dr Younis great. Since 2003, district nurses wonderful.
Diabetes fits round our plans. | |
| 11 Early on, restricted diet; diabetes considered a disability or catching. He became successful racing driver.
Uses disposable syringes, not pen; blood-testing meter.
Modelled himself on Dr. Lawrence, who broke own rules. Doug was large drinker. Does own injections & blood tests. | |
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