Roxy Horner has revealed that she feared becoming a 'burden' to her husband Jack Whitehall after being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes five years ago. The 34-year-old model experienced symptoms including extreme thirst and fatigue that left her 'unable to get out of bed.'
After taking herself to hospital, a blood test showed her glucose levels were 'really really high,' leading to her diagnosis. She now manages her condition with a continuous glucose monitor and a hybrid closed-loop system.
In a candid interview, Horner shared that her diagnosis brought her and Whitehall 'closer together,' as she felt he was 'taking on a lot' by supporting her. 'I think that brought us closer in a way because he was so amazing. He was there by my side the whole time,' she said.
She added, 'I do think it takes a lot for a family member or a partner to be there for you. Because you're taking on a lot by being with someone with Type 1 diabetes. It's a lot.'
Speaking on Olivia Attwood's podcast, Horner explained, 'I try not to put it all on him obviously. I don't want to be a burden, but he is amazing and always there for me. The other night I was going low again, and he said, "I'll go downstairs and get you something." He doesn't need to do that, but he does.'
Detailing her early symptoms, she said, 'I went from being really active, working out every day, to having zero energy. I couldn't even go for a walk around the block without feeling like I'd collapse. I was also really thirsty, drinking four litres of water a day and still feeling gasping. I remember not being able to get out of bed one day and thinking, "This can't be normal."'
Horner was repeatedly told by doctors she was 'fine,' but after going to hospital, she was put on a drip and diagnosed. 'Weirdly, I felt relieved because I thought, "I'm not crazy." There is something wrong with me, and now I know what it is, I can treat myself,' she said.
She discharged herself from hospital to attend an awards event, but that evening suffered a hypoglycaemic attack, where blood glucose drops to unsafe levels. During such attacks, she becomes 'shaky, unable to talk, and can't see properly.'
Horner previously shared anxiety before her wedding due to managing diabetes, especially after her pregnancy with daughter Elsie, now two, when her glucose levels became 'crazy' and unpredictable, requiring weekly scans.
She regularly schedules insulin injections before meals, noting, 'Sometimes we're at a restaurant and Jack's eating and I'm like, "Hmm. Can you wait?"'
