Recognition of milestones
“The old insulins back then were a byproduct of beef. I’ve still got hard lumps on my legs and arms where I used to have my injections, because of the impurities in it. Now it’s improved dramatically” – Frank Blake
Managing a life-long health condition has seen Murtoa’s Frank Blake awarded a Kellion Victory Medal, for 60- and 70-year milestones.
Diabetes Australia presents the medal to Australians who have lived with type-one or type-two diabetes for 50 years, or more.
Mr Blake, 74, said he had lived almost his entire life with type-one diabetes, facing early challenges due to ignorance of the condition, before going on to work in diabetes education.
He said he was first diagnosed with diabetes aged four, after appearing dehydrated before a Wimmera doctor.
“I was misdiagnosed about four times by a little country doctor,” he said.
“My parents brought me to Lister House Clinic in Horsham and the doctor took one look at me and said ‘this kid has got diabetes’.
“I was taken to Wimmera Base Hospital, they put some fluids back into my system and transferred me to Melbourne via ambulance, which in 1953 was quite the trip.”
Mr Blake said knowledge of diabetes and the ability of doctors to treat it was much more limited at that time.
“The old insulins back then were a byproduct of beef. I’ve still got hard lumps on my legs and arms where I used to have my injections, because of the impurities in it,” he said.
“Now it has improved dramatically.
“When home blood monitoring came out, it was the greatest asset to people with diabetes.
“It allowed you to monitor your levels, control your diet and monitor your insulin – if you understood it enough to do so.
“The body normally produces the insulin it needs to counteract the foods you have eaten.
“If you have a pretty good idea of the food you are going to eat and what your current blood sugar test is, you can take the relatively correct amount of insulin.”
Mr Blake said he eventually started to work in diabetes education, after beginning in medical care as a nurse, where he found the information provided to diabetics was ‘incorrect and upside down’, compared to his own experience.
“Initially, I started at Wimmera Base Hospital,” he said.
“I then wound up working for Diabetes Australia, establishing a regional clinic and travelling all over this part of Victoria.
“I had clinics up as far as Ouyen, down as far as Coleraine and across as far as Kaniva.
“I had regular clinics at Stawell, Ararat, St Arnaud and Warracknabeal.”
Mr Blake said he diagnosed quite a few diabetics through his clinics.
“There are a few telltale signs to look out for,” he said.
“With type-two diabetes, which is by far the most common, it is usually lethargy, weight gain and excess hunger, unfortunately because of bodies not working properly to produce the amount of insulin they need.
“The human body is a complex organ. It will wind up putting on extra weight instead of supplying energy to the muscle tissues that need it to keep working and living.”
Mr Blake said regular exercise, such as walking for more than 30 minutes each day, was among the best ways to prevent diabetes.
“Doctor clinics now have finger prick monitoring, so people can get checked out if they are at all susceptible,” he said.