Inspiring Stories

Miss Marty

Miss Marty was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes a month after she turned 3 yrs old. She got the chickenpox from her older sister and never seemed to recover. I took her to the doctor 5 times during a two week span, they kept sending me home telling me to give her popsicles and Gatorade, that is was a stomach virus. The last visit on Thursday they drew blood, but told me to keep giving her liquids and popsicles. Friday evening she was not responding, her eyes were glazed over. I already had a feeling something more was going on, but when that happened I rushed her to the ER. And what a shock it was when I found out she had Diabetes! Her blood sugar was over 800! She weighed 19 pounds, she was 34 pounds. They rushed her to a pediatric hospital where she spent a week. (btw, on Monday the doctor called and said to get her to the ER and fast, a little too late) I remember crying as she cried when I had to chase her down to give shots with her older sister helping me hold her still! She has been through so much, many seizures, and a diabetic coma. And then at the age of 12 was diagnosed with JRA. She is now 19 years old and going to college to be a Pediatric Neonatal Nurse!! She is a fighter and I could not be more than proud of her!

Kristie
Denton, TX

Diabetic Since Three, but not Letting it get the Best of me.

I write this, not so I can get sympathy, but so I can inform. When I was 3, I almost died. My parents, both drugs addicts, were too self absorbed to noticed that their three year old had lost 20 pounds. They didn't noticed that I threw up everything that touched my stomach. They could not tell that I was dying of thirst. I lived like this for well over a month. When my aunt came to visit me, I looked so awful that she immediately snatched me up and took me to my general doctor. I couldn't walk, was too drained to talk, was broke out in bad rashes, and she said I had a greenish tent to my skin color. She said that I basically looked like death that day. When I got to the doctor they drew blood work and within an hour had called and said that I needed to get to the emergency room as soon as possible; however, they did not say what was wrong. When we got there, all we had to do was say my name and they took me right back. They said I was a type one diabetic. They claimed my blood sugar was over 800 and said that if we would have waited a day later, then I would not have made it because they said that I had gone into DKA (diabetic ketone acidosis). On July 23, 1999 y aunt was my guardian angel. As I'm in my first semester of my senior year, I am so grateful for every moment and never take a day for granted. I strive to do my best so I can make my aunt proud. It may be tough due to the fact that diabetics go through more than a healthy person can imagine; however, it makes us stronger in the end. Being a diabetic may slow you down sometimes but you should never let it stop you from reaching your true potential and being the best you, you can be.

Shelby
Trenton, SC

Learning to live freely with type 1 diabetes

My daughter had been not active for about two days & would barely eat. She vomited before bed one night & finally I decided to go to the hospital. I advised that she had been urinating & drinking more than usual. Her sugar level when checked was over 400. I immediately began to cry & worry, since diabetes is in my family history. I still keep wondering is it something I missed or did wrong. At the age of 2 we were then rushed to another hospital & stayed for a few days until her levels were normal & I learned to give insulin & know what symptoms to look for or pay attention to. At the age of 4 now, my daughter knows how to check her levels, let you know if she is sick or her sugar is low. She knows what to drink & not to, to ask someone to check carbs when she eat, she can tell you what she needs to bring her sugar up, she'll remind me mommy is it time to get checked or time for my shot. I'm blessed to have such an intelligent angel, that knows her health condition at a young age. We may have emotional times but, we're getting through this together. She asks though mommy when will my diabetes go away? It hurts me to have to tell her it won't or just wishing I could trade places with her. Overall I'm glad to see all the supportive websites and stories of others with type 1 diabetes. (;

Anonymous
Utica, NY

The Girl Who Knew

Growing up as a bullied child isn't exactly a life I enjoy remembering. Especially the summer of 2005. I had thought that I finally was not going to be bullied my 5th Grade year. I had just turned ten years old when I began losing weight rapidly. I was drinking 2 gallons of water daily, throwing up and once school started, the school notified my mother that they thought I was anoerix. At the end of October, I saw an ad on tv that I'd never seen before or since, this ad listed symptoms of diabets. Although the ad was for type 2 diabetes, I ran and alerted my mom that I was diabetic. I told her I was 100% sure I was. She told me we'd wait a week to go to the doctors. The day we went to the doctors, I couldn't walk into our local Wal Mart without being out of breath. Here is my mother carrying a ten year to the pharmacy, embarassed because her daughter couldn't walk. November 13, 2005 at the doctor's office, I laid on the bed wondering what the doctor would tell me. When my blood sugar was tested, my level was 585 and the doctor told me I was type 1 diabetic. My mother began crying hysterically and the only thing I did was look at her and say "I told you so." I was immediately transported to Womens & Children's Hospital. I was admitted for a week. Over the past eight years of living with diabetes I learned many things. People have difficulty understanding what it's like to be a diabetic. They think we can't consume sugar and we're these disabled people. No, we're strong individuals. If it wasn't for my mother, I wouldn't of gotten my licence, graduated high school and I'm currently in a pre-med program in college to become an Infectious Disease Specialist. Living with diabetes everyday has made me stronger and more focused to live a life without a disease beating me up. Yes, it's difficult somedays and yes, I struggle but this is my life.

Christi Straight
East Concord, NY

A Prom to Remember

"You need to go to the Children's Hospital in Temple, now. They have a room ready for Jackie and are waiting for you to get there. Jackie's blood sugar is 603. Pack a bag for her and you'll need one too, they will at least keep her overnight." Is what my mom heard from my doctor on Wednesday May 1, 2012. We had gone to the doctor earlier that same day for my ankles and my regular doctor had run some blood tests to check for something to explain why my ankles were swelling so bad. One of those tests was a standard blood sugar test. I am only 17 and still considered a minor so I had to be taken to the closest children's hospital, which was 45 mins away. My mother and I were at the high school, where I go and she teaches Spanish, getting ready for prom that weekend when she got that call. We left right away and picked up my father at home. We got to the hospital and I was admitted within about 8 mins. Let me just say, I have always been extremely afraid of needles and an IV needle is quite big. They wheeled me up to a room in the central hospital where I spent the next 3 days. The first thing my mom told my doctors was "She has her junior prom on Saturday, will she be able to go?" They said they would do everything they could to get me out. Within those 3 days they took like 14 vials of blood from me for different tests. My diabetes nurse was really nice and helpful, he was actually a diabetic too. He taught us how to give me shots and told us all about carbs. On that Friday I was released at about 4 PM and sent home to get ready for my prom. I went to prom with my date Jacob (in my picture) and a couple of my friends and had a great time.

Jackie Horn
Taylor, TX

I am stronger than Diabetes

It all started In 2000, at the age of 8. I had been throwing up and laying around for a few days and all I kept eating was popsicles. My aunt called my dad that morning and he came home from work and took me to the doctor in my hometown. They checked my sugar and it was in the 300s. The doctor told my parents that I was a Diabetic and they rushed me to St. Bernard's where I spent the next 2 weeks. I remember it like it was yesterday. Having to learn how to give shots, check my sugar, how to adapt to this new life. My child hood was hard growing up and it seemed like my life was ending. I remember crying many days and nights because I kept asking why did God do this to me. I played Softball, Basketball, Track, and I was a normal teenager. I got my license when I turned 16 and If you seen me you would have never guessed I was even a Type I Diabetic. I struggled for many years with my sugars all over the place and when I turned 19 I finally got my sugars under control. I do every thing any normal person would do except I check my sugar everyday 4+ times and I use an insulin pump. I am very grateful for my weight to be healthy and to be able to do the things that I do. I am a fulltime college student and I work fulltime and Diabetes is never going to get the best of me. My mom has helped me struggle with my lifestyle and I would have never have made it this far without her. She literally is my rock and I am so glad I have had her to stand beside me through this journey.

Heather Dildine
Pocahontas, AR

Happy 5th Birthday Sweetie, You Have Type 1 Diabetes.

“Tyler’s results came back. I don’t want to alarm you, but you need to rush to the ER ASAP. He is very sick and could be in a coma. Pack a bag. Tyler has Type 1 Diabetes... his blood glucose is over 840. I’ll call ahead… go right now.”

Our doctor was speaking a foreign language. I only heard terrifying words like ‘coma’, ‘diabetes’, ‘keto-something-a-dosis’, ‘ER’ and NOW.

Tyler was asleep upstairs. Or was he? I rushed to make sure he was breathing, scooped him up, threw whatever I found into a bag and forced contacts into my already red eyes so we could go. If ever there was a perfect time to magically sprout wings on our SUV like some science-fiction superhero movie, THIS was IT.

Sure, Tyler had been acting weird – moody, dry skin, thirsty, peeing often, tired and skinnier. Maybe it was a phase. Maybe he was coming down with a bladder infection. But that’s why I took him to the doctor – so he could pee in a cup and they could call in a prescription.

Not so.

And in the days since, we have learned a lot.

While heart-breaking, you CAN give your baby shots with a syringe 6-8 times a day, or more often if the little meter says so. Even if they lock themselves in their room and hide under the bed, it MUST be done. Making your child’s blood ooze out of their tiny fingers 10x daily and reacting with insulin or a snack is just our NEW normal. His life DEPENDS on it now.

Now a mere 6 years-old, Tyler is the bravest kid I know. I still wish I could just wave my Magic Mommy Wand and make it go away, but Tyler's NEW wish is for a CURE!

Amy Lowe
Austin, TX

His diagnosis

My husband was diagnosed with diabetes around 1998. He was in the hospital for a different problem when the doctor discovered the diabetes. The doctor came into the hospital room with a look on his face that said "you are going to die." I was waiting for news like "you have incurable cancer." Only to find out that my husband was diabetic. I grew up in a family with diabetes, I could give my grandmother her insulin shots before I started school. I knew then that diabetes could be controlled with diet and exercise and in some cases medicine or insulin. To me this was not a dire diagnosis but the look on the doctors face would make somebody think it was. Today my husband is on two different types of insulin, slow acting and fast acting. He checks his blood sugar levels regularly and takes his shots as he needs them. Diabetes is not a death sentence but it is a life changing experience. It is simply changing your eating habits and exercising more. That's how it was for us.

Donna
Hersey, MI

Battles

I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes two weeks after my second birthday. Twenty years later and it is still an everyday battle. I grew up having my parents controlling every aspect of my life so that I could lead a healthy life, when I got into high school and was expected to 'take the reins'..I just didn't do it. I went through years of denial, believing that I could lead a normal healthy life without checking my blood levels, and boy was I wrong. It took a doctor refusing to prescribe me insulin (I hadn't been to an appointment in over two years), overhearing my boyfriend saying I'm slowly killing myself, and feeling 'normal' at 250 (no symptoms) to realize I couldn't live my life this way. I am now on the track to better management of this disease but the negative effects are already present.. high cholesterol, high thyroid, and joint pain to name a few. The message I want to share to anyone who will listen is STOP DENYING IT, YOU ARE A DIABETIC NOW FIGHT THROUGH IT!

Bridget M.
Effort, PA

Don't Cry Mom

My son was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes on March 17, 2011 at the age of 4. Sick all the time, you name it, he had it. Closer to his diagnosis, drinking excessively, going to the bathroom a lot and disorientation. I had them run some tests at the dr. I knew what the outcome would be, but you are never really prepared to hear it. "Yes, he has diabetes." His sugar is 600. I started to cry and my son looks at me and says "mommy don't cry, I'm going to be ok." Of course I knew he was going to be ok, but the initial shock I was not ready for. On the way to the hospital, my son still saying to us, I'm going to be ok, and not knowing what he was getting ready to endure, we say "we know son." Little did we know that we would now begin the roller coaster ride of keeping his Blood Sugars regulated. How to check blood sugars before you eat anything and after you eat, calculate insulin to carb ratios and give him the correct dose of insulin. The first step, whew, done. It was 12:00 am checks, 3:00 am checks and 6:00 am checks for the first month. Then mentions to us, "mom, I want an insulin pump. I won't have to get anymore shots." Great, I think to myself, something else to learn. We make an appt. with a specialist to teach us all about the pump, basal rates, bolus rates, insulin/carb ratio, sensitivity, etc. I had no clue what she was talking about. But after many classes, hands on training, I learned very quickly. He is now an extremely healthy, 6 year old boy, who has grew almost 3 inches and gained about 10 pounds in two years! He is amazing and full of life. My HERO!

Patricia Young
Benson, NC