“I feel like a cyborg with cool devices.” Minchanka with diabetes frankly told about life at maximum

She can't remember herself without insulin shots, but that doesn't stop her from flying a zipline, diving eight meters deep, riding a motorcycle and building relationships and a career. On the eve of World Diabetes Day, the correspondent of the Minsk-Novosti agency spoke with Veronika Lastovskaya, a 24-year-old Minsk woman, for whom the diagnosis did not become an obstacle to a full life.

The little brother no one asked for

We meet in one of the capital's cafes. The girl immediately notes that she is a little worried, but for her it is a new and interesting experience.

- I have been living with diabetes since I was born, Veronica begins her story. More specifically, I was diagnosed in one year.

Shortly before that, the baby was seriously ill with rubella. For years, relatives thought that it was the infection and severe stress that provoked a failure in the body. However, three years ago, diabetes appeared in the 54-year-old father of the girl. Given the fact that his uncle and cousin were also diagnosed with diabetes, the family began to suspect that a hereditary factor played a key role, just Veronica was the first who had to face this test from infancy.

- I don’t know life without diabetes, so I have nothing to compare with, says Veronica. To be honest, I didn’t really care about it until I was 20. When people ask me what it feels like, I always make a comparison. Imagine that suddenly there is a younger brother in your life, which you never asked for, but your parents just put it before the fact that now you live with him and are responsible for him. And you take it for granted because there's no other way.

Rebel with a gold medal

Veronica did not go to kindergarten - her grandmother studied with her, but already in the first grade the girl went along with everyone.

Of course, having a diagnosis required some self-discipline. However, as Veronica herself admits, she has a rather stubborn character, so she often went against the rules.

- My mother says that my teenage rebellion began from birth, the interviewee smiles. I thought I learned to control my blood sugar in the third grade, but my mother recently clarified that by the age of 14. Before that, I often consulted her about her insulin dose. I remember doing my homework and running to the yard for a walk. A plum tree grew near the entrance, and my friends and I ate its fruits clean. Of course, I forgot about the glucose meter and insulin at this point. Mom just sighed afterwards..

It is worth noting that the presence of the diagnosis did not affect the school performance of the heroine. She graduated from school with an average score of 10 and deservedly received a gold medal.

Freediving, Chinese mountains and flying over Dubai

One of Veronica's bright hobbies is freediving. She discovered all the charm of scuba diving as a child, during family trips to Egypt, where she was once and for all conquered by the rich underwater world of the Red Sea. While this is just a hobby, but the girl plans to transfer it to a professional channel, especially since Minsk has deep specialized pools.

- I easily dive eight meters, two years ago even arranged a beautiful underwater photo shoot, says Veronica. The main difficulty underwater is that you do not physically feel the drop in sugar. If on land you begin to shake and sweat breaks, then in the water these symptoms are lubricated. I used to go swimming for an hour and a half and then go out on the pier and fall from hypoglycemia. Now I just clearly calculate the time, before swimming I eat complex carbohydrates and check the glucose level immediately after going ashore.

Another hobby of Veronica is snowboarding, which she has been doing for six years. Last winter, she and a friend went to storm the high-altitude highways in northwest China, near Urumqi.

However, the most striking test of strength was a zipline flight in Dubai last February. The launch pad was right on the roof of the skyscraper - at the level of the 43rd floor.

- I was terribly afraid, two hours before the flight went pale as a wall, she recalls. - Worried that you can not take bags with you: what if I get stuck in the middle of a rope above the abyss and sugar drops sharply? I ended up stuffing a small handbag with candy and imperceptibly fastening it behind. When before the start I was laid on the edge of a cliff and began to swing on the count of three, I just read a prayer out of fear. But as soon as she flew, she let go of her hands and experienced unreal delight.

According to Veronica, the main difficulty in traveling is unfamiliar local food and the need to count carbohydrates literally by eye.

- In Armenia, Georgia, Turkey, delicious food, but to calculate the dose of insulin is incredibly difficult, says Minskanka. - The thing is that in many establishments the menu does not indicate KBZHU (calories, proteins, fats and carbohydrates). - Editor's note. In Batumi, I even slightly argued in a restaurant, trying to figure out the exact weight of the dish and the composition. The waiters sincerely did not understand why I needed this with their hospitality and desire to feed from the heart. In the end, I learned not to scold myself for spikes in sugar when traveling.

Speed, sport and character without brakes

This summer, Veronica successfully passed the category A and got on a motorcycle (she has been driving confidently for five years). As the heroine herself notes, this became a kind of challenge: any stress and a strong release of adrenaline instantly provoke a sharp jump in blood glucose, and the development of a new one is always exciting.

- The first five classes in driving school, I did not understand what was happening, says the Minsk woman. I go into training with perfect sugar, and in an hour it creeps up. Then it came to me that the body subconsciously perceives driving as stress. At the exam itself, which lasted from ten in the morning to two days, I was so excited that the sugar jumped and did not get knocked down by any doses of insulin. But as soon as the inspector said the cherished "You passed," I relaxed and my glucose levels immediately went down.

In parallel, Veronica manages to go to the gym for strength training, and she has been engaged in dancing for more than 12 years. Started with pop and High Heels, and today she enjoys dancing bachata.

From bank accounts to Toronto interiors

Not so long ago, Veronica decided to leave a stable career as an economist and engage in interior design. To change pushed the online school of diabetes: there the girl realized that you should not waste time on an unloved business.

- Since childhood, I dreamed of empty apartments without decoration, as a sign of fate, Veronica smiles. I am currently actively building my portfolio. The most interesting case was a project to arrange an apartment in Toronto for my high school friend who moved to Canada.

Stylish hand sensors and solidarity

For the past two years, Veronica has used a special sensor that transmits sugar data every five minutes to a smartphone, and an insulin pump that helps to do without constant injections with a syringe pen.

The girl does not think to hide her gadgets under long sleeves.

- In the summer, I wear them with pride, I feel like a cyborg or a gladiator with cool devices. In the bachata class with us dances an amazing woman of 70 years. She took a long look at my symmetrical sensors on both hands, and then admitted that she was sure they were such stylish modern jewelry!

When a loved one becomes a reliable home

The diagnosis did not stop Veronica from building a personal life. She told a young man about diabetes on a third date.

- We went to the cinema, the guy bought popcorn and, while the movie was going on, he kept offering it to me. - I said no five times. I just didn't want to give it another shot of insulin for a handful of popcorn. He was astonished, thought he had bought a bad one or I was on a cruel diet. On the next date, he honestly asked what the reason was, and I calmly explained everything. He listened with sincere interest and without a shadow of rejection.

Over time, the young man became a reliable support for her. Veronica herself sleeps very soundly and as a child did not even notice how her mother checked her sugar at night and gave her injections. But her boyfriend has a sensitive dream - hearing an alarm signal from the sensor about a jump or fall in glucose, he immediately wakes up the girl and helps take action.

- I have seen stories on social networks about how couples break up due to diabetes, says Veronica. I always say in such cases: if a person left because of an illness, then it is simply not your person. The universe has saved you from a weak partner. A true satellite will protect and support you.

The main advice to those who faced a diagnosis

On World Diabetes Day, Veronica addresses those directly affected by the diagnosis.

- Diabetes is not a cross on dreams, our heroine is convinced. In the near future, I have plans to swim in the ocean with wild whales. I also believe that scientists will successfully complete cell therapy trials, and soon there will be a way to get rid of type 1 diabetes forever. But even if it doesn't happen, I've already learned to live with him in complete harmony and take the most out of life.

Photo by Irina Malinovskaya and from the archive of the interlocutor