Patient Stories

Diabetes never stopped me achieving what I wanted

15 November 2006

Lesley Molloy grew up in London and was first diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 13 at Barts Hospital. She had symptoms of weight loss and thirst. However her only concern at the time was "I won't be able to eat sweets." Social problems developed for Lesley though "I felt awkward in front of my class mates having to have regular snacks." Lesley was prescribed twice daily insulin that she injected at home and she used urine tests to check whether her sugar was ‘high' or 'low'. Interestingly, it was her experience with diabetes that first gave Lesley the ambition to become a nurse. Unfortunately, she was told at school that she was 'too thick to become anything much!'...

Becoming a nurse - Lesley left school at 15 with no specific qualifications, but with the lasting desire to become a nurse. After working in a paper mill and then in a solicitor's office for three years, Lesley applied to Barts (the hospital that still treated her diabetes) to train as a State-Enrolled Nurse. Being a first class teaching hospital, Barts was oversubscribed with applicants but Lesley convinced the teaching staff of her genuine ambition. Lesley's doctor endorsed her application and said that her diabetes should not stop her becoming a nurse as she was well controlled and ‘hypos' were not a significant problem. Also, Lesley had a good mental attitude to the disease "I was determined that it wouldn't stop me achieving what I wanted."

So against all odds, Lesley began training as a nurse, and when she qualified it was one of the proudest days in her life. She first worked in Intensive Care and then became a Theatre Nurse. She went on to qualify as a State-Registered Nurse after she had returned to work following the birth of her daughter. Lesley is now a nursing sister in charge of the day centre at a hospice. She finds this a very satisfying job, as the hospice is a cheerful and optimistic place to work. As she says "Patients can come here for palliative care or just to feel 'at home' with other people who are going through similar experiences. People don't feel alone with their illness anymore."

Being in control - Lesley left full-time nursing in 1981 to have her daughter and thereafter worked as a supply nurse to fit in childcare with her nursing job. While pregnant, Lesley became very aware of the need to test and bought her first blood glucose meter. This meter took 60 seconds to give a result, required a large droplet of blood and it ‘bleeped' during the test. "How things have changed," says Lesley, "Nowadays, I have a new meter and it's fast! I can squeeze it into a pocket! I can test and get on with life."

Looking after yourself - Lesley got interested in karate initially as a form of self-defence. Her brother-in-law ran a club and so she went along to give it a try. As a very petite woman, a lot of her friends and colleagues said she wouldn't make the grade. Of course, Lesley proved them wrong by becoming a black belt and she is now a Fourth Dan. However while studying karate, which requires a considerable amount of physical effort, Lesley was very careful to avoid hypos. Lesley has subsequently become interested in Kendo, which is a traditional Samurai martial art. Everything about Kendo, from the uniform to the actual moves, is very ritualistic and is steeped in symbolism. There are no shortcuts to becoming proficient in any aspect of it and the discipline of taking the time to ‘get it right' holds great appeal for Lesley.

"Kendo is physically more demanding than karate and requires greater mental maturity" according to Lesley. So, while Lesley's physical abilities are not as great as they were when she was in her twenties, she finds that her mental focus has now become more important to her success in this martial art. Lesley continues "I also find it very relaxing as my day-to-day worries are left behind as soon as I start to put the Kendo uniform on."

Lesley's advice to other people with diabetes - ‘Don't let diabetes stop you from achieving anything you want in life.' In some ways Lesley has found having diabetes a positive experience. She is now more mindful of how she feels physically and is more in tune with her body. A state of being which could benefit anyone, whether they are living with diabetes or not.

Leslie Molloy

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