my story: type 1
odd hours. When I go high, I
tend to feel really tired and sleep
a lot. It’s a struggle to keep my
eyes open.
Did having doctors in
the family help?
My dad and his doctor friends
have always looked out for
options to make my life easier.
When strips for blood glucose
tests became available, about
two years after my diagnosis,
they ordered them from abroad.
About a year after that, they got
me my first glucometer.
I had very bad control of my
blood glucose levels when I fell
pregnant with my son, so they
thought I’d manage better with
a pump. I was very careful then.
I was testing my blood glucose
levels every two hours – day
and night – so it wasn’t really a
joyride, and I was strict with my
diet. I had a problem with the
cannula, so my baby boy was
delivered early, but he turned
out fine.
When I moved to Australia in
2014, I took a photo of all of the
devices I had used – syringes,
air pumps with aerosols.
Things have changed so much
over time.So you’re not using
a continuous glucose
monitor with the
insulin pump?
No. I don’t like the idea
of having two cannulas.
Even with just one I
have to tell my six-year-
old son to be careful
not to knock it. I don’t
like that. I want to
play with him and
have spontaneous
fun together while he
is still young.Any tips for others
with type 1?
I’m busy working,
studying and being a mum, so
I’m not always perfect at
managing my diabetes.
In Australia, I love eating food
from different cultures, like
sushi and kebabs, and being
spontaneous, which can make it
a challenge to get the carb count
right. However, I’ve noticed areal change in my blood glucose
levels since I’ve started eating
Betaglucare. It’s like an oat-
based cereal. I don’t like the
taste of oats, but I quite like the
taste of this when I sprinkle it
over yoghurt. I have it every
second day, dividing
a sachet into two and
having half in the
morning and half
in the afternoon.
Since I started
eating it, my blood
glucose is consistently
lower – around six –
when before I was a
bit over seven.What are you
studying?
It’s a Masters bio-
research degree and
I’m trying new approaches for
blood glucose monitoring as it
may simplify life for future
diabetics. Every time I step out
of home, I need glucose, a
glucometer, a phone and
emergency ID. It’s a subject
close to my heart because I
live with it every day. ■When I go
high, I tend
to feel really
tired... It’s
a struggle
to keep my
eyes open.
LEFT: Prachi and her son Vihaan.
ABOVE: Prachi, her son and her parents.
RIGHT: Prachi when pregnant.WORDS^ HEATHERWISEMANPHOTOGRAPHYSUPPLIED^BYPRACHIPARANJAPE,^GETTYIMAGES120 MAY/JUNE 2019 diabetic living