Inspiring Stories

Fighting For A Cure

My names Jordan Moore known by the name Jyawdy.

I'm from New Zealand and I'm 19 years of age and was diagnosed with type one diabetes when I was 11 years old.

Although through the many struggles and ups and downs diabetes brings, I haven't let it stop me from doing what I love.
I loved to dance and danced hiphop, contemporary and even ballet (believe it or not) throughout my teenage years. I attended many performing arts schools, won scholarships and performed in front of thousands of people.

Moving on to the age of 18 I decided to move on to the next stage of my life which focused more on fitness and boxing. I am now currently studying at university to become a personal trainer/P.E teacher or something along those lines. I love boxing and am now a current corporate boxer.
Fitness is my passion and I especially love the outdoors! I have stayed in snowy mountains, rain forests, kayaked, hunting etc.
A type one diabetic Bear Grylls I like to think of myself haha.

I am also a youth leader under PrimalYouth. I love to work with young people and show them the joys of life and help them through everyday teen struggles. I attend an awesome church... "C3 South Centre" in South Auckland, New Zealand; just one of the world wide C3 Churches.

Living such an active lifestyle requires me to be on form with managing my diabetes. Even though I never get my diabetes perfect, I always try my best to make sure I'm on top of it all. I always remind myself that if I don't manage my diabetes properly, I won't be able to perform physically to the best of my ability. Diabetes can be very frustrating when living such an active lifestyle, but it's in the low and hard times of diabetes and life in general that I find develops and grows your character.

I always say that one day diabetics will rule the world, because when we get cured, we will be the strongest people in the world.

Jordan Atama Moore
Auckland, New Zealand

No Ordinary Life

This story is about my daughter, Carol. Her story is not really much different from those who live with diabetes every day, but it is HER story.

Carol was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 10. She got very ill, but it came about slowly. She was so sick that she ended up being airlifted to Chicago to be stabilized and then our diabetes lifestyle began.

Yes, I said diabetes lifestyle. Living life with Type 1 diabetes is no ordinary life. You have to be conscious of what goes into your mouth. Each carb counted and weighed. We always told Carol that having diabetes does not change WHO you are, it just changes HOW you take care of yourself. We decided early on that Carol could, and would, live her life like her friends did, no limits. She went to diabetes camp as a camper and a junior counselor, and attended a basketball camp for kids with diabetes. She went on a trip to Arizona with people from the diabetes camp. She went on 3 mission trips with her school. During all of these events, Carol managed her own diabetes care, making decisions on how much insulin she need, what to change in her regimen depending on what she was doing and maintaining a lifestyle that was (and is) uniquely her own. We taught her early on about managing her own care because I knew that someday, she would have to be able to live on her own.

Fast forward 10 years. Carol is now a junior in college. She lives away from home 9 months out of the year. She carries a full load of classes, goes out with her friends, is active with the student leadership organization at school AND managing her own diabetes. She is my inspiration because she lives her life the way SHE wants to live it, NOT how she is told to live it by those who don't know her and have preconceived notions about how diabetes "should" look.

I am proud of Carol and hope you are inspired by her.

Debi Qualls
DeMotte, IN

Diabetes: A Family Affair

I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in 1988 while a Freshman in college at Virginia Tech. I had a lot of symptoms but didn't recognize them as there is not a history of diabetes in my family (My maternal grandmother was diagnosed while in the hospital after age 70 with Type 2). I ended up being ambulanced to the county hospital after a night of throwing up, dry heaving, etc. My blood sugar at the infirmary at school was over 900 and I was in DKA and in the hospital a week. So I began the usual insulin regimen and eventually have gone on and off a pump. I am very happy to say that I was able to have 3 precious, healthy children despite my diabetes. They are now 19, 17 and 12 but have seen me at my worst with low blood sugars and DKA. Numerous ambulance rides and hospital stays through the years.

My second husband of 14 years was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and is on insulin and a year and a half ago my youngest daughter was diagnosed with Type 1. So hear we are, a family bonded by the diabetes curse. This Summer, my youngest daughter went to a diabetic summer camp (Camp Little Shot) It was an eye opener for her and for us as well. As the years have gone by, I can only hope that in my daughter's lifetime, there will be a cure. In the meantime, I am grateful for all the research that is being done and the development of insulin that allows us to lead fairly normal lives.

I often read other people's stories and it amazes me how this disease affects so many people and how positive and uplifting they are to read. I hope my family and I can be inspirational in some way to some one too! We are survivors and won't let diabetes interfere with a active, happy life!

Jennifer
Dublin, GA

Turned around

I was first diagnosed at age 17, I was 274 lbs and over the years my weight started decreasing and my blood glucose readings that stayed in the 400-500 range dropped. Now at the she of 32 I just got word from my doctors that my hemoglobin A1C numbers are closed similar to a person who doesn't have diabetes. All by the grace of God, continue to be strong and don't let this disease kill you.

Tiffany W
Baltimore, MD

I am blessed I can manage my Diabetes

Diabetes is strong in my family. I hope this helps you to understand this disease, overcome it or be able to manage it. I have been a diabetic since 1992 age 32. I have done the pills, the surges, the scores, the tears, ask why ...me?, the blurr vision, crashing of tiredness, the insulin and all the physical restrictions to make my life unfit .. from normal life. Let's not forget, how many different doctors and the job FMLA assistance's I had to use. Then at age 55 I said enough. For me, I took ownership of me and not let Diabetes have no longer control over my life. Because there is no cure for Diabetes but what there is ... your own personal live strong attitude. My brother helped me to understand it, believe in hope and something called: self-deterrence attitude. And you know something .. it worked. I am down from 100 units of insulin a day .. down to 20 units a day - still improving each day. My A1C Diabetes testing is lowered from 11.2 to 7.2. So I am sharing with you there is hope and you don't give up. Today, I am in better health, I get to do things like everyone else and I am blessed with my results to manage my Diabetes.

Mark Critser
Portland, OR

Loving life

I was diagnosed with diabetes in 1995 and have struggled ever since, I have went through a divorce, weight gain and high sugar counts you name it it. I have a wonderful wife (Paula) and 2 wonderful children one boy (Connor) he is 8 and one girl (Kenzie) she is 3. I have struggled for years with keeping my numbers in the normal levels. I have been very lucky going through seizures several times with "STACKING INSULIN", too much guessing and not enough knowing how to control my diabetes. I have since gotten a Endocrinologist and on a pump and found a eating program and supplements that works for me. I used to eat everything I could get my hands on so I know what it is like to "Like" eat and even "LOVE" to eat even though it was what was killing me. I feel so much better now and I know that I will be on this earth a little longer than going down the road I was on, with all of that going on my Dad was diagnosed and a good friend of mine and we have combated this together and they are no longer in the diabetic struggle and that is very awesome! We are all very active now because since getting rid of this disease and an better controlling it we have the ENERGY to live instead of sitting on that couch and thinking about what can I eat today even though I just ate. So with that being said I just want to say "I love you all" because I know that you struggle, I am a brother in arms so to speak so keep up the good fight and DO NOT let the reaper in because he will knock on the door with arms full of cakes and cookies just send him away and say "NOT TODAY" I hope this has helped someone. Let's finish the race and finish strong.

Diabetic Dan

Daniel
BENTON, TN

Pray for a cure

At the age of 37 years old I was diagnose with a pancreatic tumor the size of a baseball. This was 23 years ago. Back then not much survival rate for someone with a tumor in the pancreas. I was told I wouldn't survive the surgery but my faith in God and I new in my heart I would live. I thought I would become diabetic right away but it wasn't until 2004 I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. I also found out its genetics so not much I could do. So I learned how to manage it. At first I was taking oral medication until it effected my liver and now I take insulin and no fun there ;( . Now only was I diabetic but my husband too. I hope someday there will be a cure for Diabetes. So for now I just pray and have faith in God to help me live threw this disease. So I continue to live and do what I love my art, my modeling and most of all spending time with my family. God Bless from Texas

Sylvia R
Houston, TX

the ups and downs

I was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes 3 weeks before my fifth birthday nobody in my family had diabetes so it was a shock to my whole family. my mom took me to the doctors for a visit because I was acting funny and they told her I needed to be rushed to the hospital my dad was working and my big sister was at the babysitters, the doctors called my dads boss to tell him to get to there office right away my sugar was around 600 at the time and I was only 33 lbs. when my dad got to the doctors my parents loaded me in the car and rushed me to the hospital when we arrived the doctors were already waiting for me. they rushed me into a room and started giving me ivs and insulin and the whole time I was singing to the nurses while my mom cried in the corner. growing up became difficult I could give my self shots and check my sugar by time I was 6 but the kids in my class weren't as understanding as adults they wouldn't include me in many activities and they were afraid they would catch diabetes. although diabetes used to hold me back from doing many things it doesn't anymore. im on the varsity golf team and in the drama club and diabetes doesn't hold me back at all. the kids in my class now are much more understanding now that im older and a senior in high school. I've had diabetes for 14 years and I have experienced the ups and downs and now I know that anything is possible if you don't give up the fight

kristin higgins
okeechobee, FL

I have Type 1 Diabetes, it doesn't have me!

At 15 I was diagnosed with Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes. All I knew about the disease at the time was I was going to have to inject myself with insulin on a daily basis. Little did I know, it was going to be more challenging than that. Highs and lows, hospital stays, fainting spells, frequent doctors appointments, doing more damage to my body, bringing out other autoimmune diseases, and much more. It was and still is the hardest thing I have ever had to deal with.

My parents are my support. Since the moment the doctor turned around, looked me in the eyes, and told me I was diabetic, they have been there for me. Ill never forget the night I was diagnosed. I cried myself to sleep. All I thought was that I am going to die from this. I didn't let anyone see me cry. I wanted people to think I was handling this well. During the first few months after being diagnosed, my weight dropped dramatically. I was extremely afraid to eat anything. My diet consisted of salads and water. I was making myself sicker than I already was. I wasn't getting the proper nutrients that my body needed. After learning and educating myself on what I could eat, my weight went back up and I was placed on the insulin pump. But still can't find control with my sugars no matter how hard I try.

Type 1 diabetes will never go away. People think its all about what you eat. The body is so sensitive that any type of stress, infection, inflammation, or hormone imbalance will set your sugars off. I wake up every day wishing I was cured. Because if I was cured, I could do what I want without hesitation. Feeling well is my biggest wish. Nausea, weakness, exhaustion etc. I'm sick of it. Everyone sees how you look on the outside, but no one sees what you feel on the inside. It's difficult, but I will keep on pushing through it!

I have type 1 diabetes, it doesn't have me!

Renee
Staten Island, NY

The Neverending Story

So when I was 8 years old, I did not want to eat, play with my friends, and always wanted to drink something. I lost 12 lbs. in one week and did things like fainting in church, falling on my way home from school, and whining a lot. I was diagnosed with Type I, referred to as Juvenile at the time. Fast forward to now. I am 51, have 2 children, a boy 20 and a girl 17, both born healthy with minimum damage to me. I have had 2 heart attacks (I have a stent in the left "widow maker" artery), had a 5 hour surgery for a completely torn retina and a vitrectomy (replacing all the fluid in your eye), which made me stay with my head looking at the ground for 3 weeks 24/7, two frozen shoulders, some neuropathy after a twice broken foot, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and depression. And I am a very conscientious diabetic!! I am not going to sugar-coat it (pun intended!)--it's been nearly 44 years and I am tired! But I have to say that I am proud of myself for getting married, having my children, raising them till now, while taking care of myself so I can be around for them. I am at every school or sporting event they have, even when I had to keep my head down and watch through a three-way mirror! We go to concerts together, vacation in Disney whenever we can, and try to live as normal a life as possible. I take between 5-7 shots and 17 pills per day. I probably test my blood sugar at least 12 times a day. I have had an ambulance called in a variety of places. All of this is tough for the kids, but they are very responsible and we do our best. My son told his friend I am the strongest person he knows and that is one thing that keeps me going. It is certainly better than the alternative! :)

Linda Babusci
Park Ridge, IL