Mightier than Type One : So February is ending up being a 'rest month' First there was the problem with my foot, it wasn't a big problem, but as a Type one diabetic, any issue with my feet is a big problem. The feet, along with kidneys and eyes are the first things to be damaged with type one. The glucose in the blood 'scratches' the veins, arteries and capillaries and then scar tissue forms as it heals. The scar tissues cause blockages meaning that blood can't get where it needs to go. The capillaries are tiny little tubes and they allow blood flow into the smallest spaces, and these are the ones that bear the brunt of the damage. The feet have many many capillaries so great care has to be taken not to cause additional damage. Secondly, I have a cold. We all have colds, but I also have type one. How much can having type one actually increase the risks from having a cold? Well quite a lot actually. When you are sick, stress hormones raise your sugar by triggering a release of glucose from your liver (good job body) The body also creates ketones. Ketones are an acid created when The body burns fat for fuel (a standard response with sickness to help your body fuel through the illness) The level of ketones i like to see is 0 although 0 - 0.6 is considered normal. If Malaika has ketones of over 3.0, I am advised to take her to A+E as it's a sign that something is going really wrong in her body. My ketones on Wednesday were 4.8 - 5. If Malaika had this cold, and had ketones that high, the chances are that she would be in intensive care Thankfully as an adult, who recognises different symptoms, I was able to make an appt with the GP and self manage as much as possible and I am now on the mend, but the cold has settled on my chest. This has caused huge blood glucose spikes, meaning I need more insulin. Exercising when you have a lot of insulin on board is not at all recommended as the energy use can happen too quickly resulting in dangerously low blood glucose. I am not giving up, but sadly this month has not gone to plan. Type One is a very serious illness, it can cause a cold to kill. I will continue with the year long plan of 10000km, but may have to rethink the monthly challenges as I took my health for granted when I was planning this, and completely forgot how harsh T1 diabetes is.