Day 19 A New Carpet

As we left our cabin this morning, the maintenance team with a roll of brand new carpet were waiting outside the door to recover the floor. Apparently they have rolls and rolls of the stuff tucked away in the ship’s equivalent of the basement. Take note ‘Carpet Right’, a new carpet fitted in less than 24 hours. This cruise has been full of unexpected excitement.  Last week we were not allowed out of our cabins due to bad weather. This morning we are not allowed in due to carpet fitters. I shall head up there in about an hour to see if the work is finished.   

So I have time on my hands. Tomorrow I will write a short review of Sabbatinis, the speciality Italian restaurant, and then give my overall impression of the cruise and the ship, which, although rather eventful, is largely positive.

For today, I will take a detour into the world of diabetes, and explain why it is my chosen charity for this blog. Diabetes has many forms, but can be divided into 2 main categories, Type 1 and Type 2. The most common, Type 2, usually affects people as they get older and is frequently, though not always, linked to lifestyle choices such as diet and body weight. Type 1 diabetes is a far more serious chronic condition, which is usually diagnosed before the age of 30. The cause is unknown, but because the pancreas becomes so ineffective, it can only be treated with daily injections of insulin, and requires frequent measuring of blood sugar levels. It is this condition that my husband, Chris, has dealt with for over 30 years. He gives himself at least 4 injections a day, and now suffers from some side effects such as retinopathy which has badly affected his eyesight. In addition, Chris often receives no warning of hypoglycaemia (low bloodsugar) so can unexpectedly drop from consciousness at any time. This means that they took away his beloved driving license, and he retired from work earlier than most people. Nevertheless, partly thanks to DiabetesUk, the condition is now easier to manage. Large sterilised needles have been replaced by insulin pens, and new treatments are likely to emerge in the next 20 years, giving hope the unlucky numbers of children who are diagnosed in  their teens or even at primary school.

If you have enjoyed reading my blog, then please consider making a small donation to DiabetesUk. You can do this by visiting www.justgiving.com/ClaireBaldry , which is a secure site for charity donations. If 200 people donate at least £5 each, I will reach my £1000 target. Your donation, however small, will make an enormous difference to the quality of life for thousands of diabetics throughout the world.