Inspiring Stories

I have Diabetes, Now What?

It was a just an ordinary day at the office with not much going on. I smiled and said a few hellos as I made my way through the maze of cubicles on my way to obtain my much-coveted second cup of coffee. Little did I know that in a moment my life would change forever. As I made the last turn before I hit the elevator bank I saw our receptionist, Carol, sitting at her desk testing her blood with a glucose meter. Carol shot a smile at me as she gestured for me to stop and summoned that I give her my hand so that she could test my blood. Startled, but not wanting to seem squeamish, I quickly complied as if it was no big deal.

Carol went to work daubing my finger with an alcohol swab and within seconds I felt a small sting of a needle. She then guided my finger to the meter strip. What happened next was an image that would be burned into my memory for a lifetime. The meter beeped softly indicating the test was complete as Carol slowly raised her eyes to meet mine. I could tell there was a look of concern in her eyes. Carol then asked me a couple of questions that seemed irrelevant at the time such as when was the last time I had eaten. She then stated that she would re-do the test. After repeating the procedure I learned that my blood sugar was 487, whatever that meant.

At the time I didnt realize that this number represented such a bad thing and was about 4 times the norm. I was instructed to schedule an appointment with the doctor immediately. The funny thing was that I had not seen a doctor in over 7 years! I did have a full physical when I turned 40 but other than an occasional cold I was never really sick. Within a couple of days I found myself...

Kevin Cross
New York, NY

Type 1 Diabetes - A Family History.

We have six type 1 diabetics in our family (on my husband’s side), my two daughters, their uncle and three of their cousins.

My daughters are identical twins. At 11 years old, one twin had lost a bit of weight, was feeling occasionally unwell, and was going to the toilet frequently. We used my niece’s meter to test her blood sugar and it was 28.5 mmol/l (513 mg/dl). My sister-in-law told us to go to hospital immediately. My daughter yelled and screamed at everyone to leave her alone, saying that there was nothing wrong with her. She slammed her bedroom door in typical teenager fashion (or was that a high blood sugar level rage that we now have come to recognise) and refused to come out. My sister-in-law was able to coax her out of her bedroom and into the car. She was admitted to hospital and our diabetic journey began.

We informed the Paediatric Endocrinologist that she was an identical twin. The other twin’s chance of getting diabetes was 50%, substantially higher than a regular sibling so it was recommended that the non-diabetic twin take part in the INIT Study where she would be under close observation.

Ten months later the Paediatric Endocrinologist called to inform us that the recent blood test undergone at the research lab indicated the second twin had type 1 diabetes. When I told the second twin she had diabetes she burst into tears. Her twin tried to console her by telling her it was really not that bad but she had seen what her sister had gone through and didn’t want injections.

That was 3 years ago now. My girls are otherwise healthy 14 years old teenagers. They are very independent with their diabetes management program and we are proud of the way that they have taken this all in their stride. They have not let diabetes control their lives. It can be an inconvenience at times but generally does not stop them doing what they want to do, living life and having fun.

(Photo: Twins 11yrs old just before diabetes diagnosis)

Alyson
Melbourne, Australia

my beautiful wife

I have been married to my wife now for a little over three years, and in the last 11 months her type 1 diabetes has tried to take her life numerous times. She has now lost both legs above the knee and has to be fed through a surgically placed feeding tube, but she refuses..no, we refuse to give in to the diabetes.

Mack Shults
Murfreesboro, TN

Diabetes and Motherhood

I was diagnosed with Type I diabetes when I was 25. I thought I was too "old" for juvenile diabetes. My fasting blood sugar was 545! My world changed in a minute. I was mad, I was sad, I was scared!! I didn't want a disease! Since that day I have learned so much about how to manage my diabetes but it is a daily struggle. When I was diagnosed my husband and I were trying to start our family. All of that had to be put on hold until I got my diabetes under control. We now have two beautiful girls but each pregnancy was a struggle and each of my babies were born early each around 10lbs. My second baby spent the first 2 days of her life in the NICU because her blood sugars were in the 40s. Her little body was producing a lot of insulin to keep up with my high sugars. Once she was born, her body continued to produce too much insulin. We made a decision to not have more children because it was too hard on me and the baby. I struggle knowing I won't have more children but I know it is best and I am blessed with two little girls I love more than the world. Being a busy mom of two pushes my diabetes management to the back burner and I know I have to put it front and center if I want to live a long life to watch my girls grow but it is hard. As parents we tend to put ourselves second and a diabetic can't do that. I pray every day my girls don't inherit my diabetic genes because I wouldn't wish this disease on anyone else. People think diabetes isn't that bad but it's a forever disease that you battle every single day. I hope and pray for a cure!!!

Jen
Story City, IA

Living with Betes

The fight against "Betes" is not an easy one at all! It has not been an easy one for me in the last year since I was diagnosed. Diabetes does run in my family. I was diagnosed last June, I had symptoms, I noticed I had been feeling thirsty & felt like I couldn't get enough to drink, the excessive urination, so I went to the ER, and I was admitted, my blood sugar was 648!! I could have went into a coma or even died! I was in the hospital for 3 days until my blood sugar levels came down. My A1C was 11.1 at the time. I was then told I needed 2 different kinds of pills for my diabetes, Metformin & Amaryl, also put me on Vitamin D because my Vitamin D levels were low, & a high blood pressure medicine, Lisinopril & a cholesterol medicine Simvastatin. They also put me on insulin Novolog and Lantus. Well I had side effects after a week, muscle and joint pain and aches, and blurred vision to where I couldn't even read a book I was holding right in front of my face. I was never on any medications before all of this. My doctor tried to tell me it was just my body getting used to the medicine, and my vision was blurred because of how high my blood sugar levels were when I was in the hospital. Well even before I was diagnosed I never had any vision problems. So I made the choice to fight my "betes" with diet and exercise, and a lifestyle change. Well now 45-50 pounds lighter I have a stranglehold on my diabetes, winning the battle thus far. My A1C count on my last blood work was a 7 so that was much better. Which I am sure now it is even lower, since I have lost a lot of weight, and been exercising and eating healthier. The fight isn't easy but I choose life over death that is my story I wanted to share.

Charles Massie Jr
Pittsburgh, PA

53 years and counting

In 1960, I was a scrawny 13 year old and was diagnosed with insulin-dependent diabetes. My parents were devastated. My mother was taught to inject me with insulin once a day, test my urine and monitor me for low blood sugar. In that era, children were not believed to be capable of managing their own condition.
The years following my diagnosis involved frequent hypoglycemic episodes, a few times requiring hospitalization, and I am sure at least as many episodes of extremely high blood sugar levels although the symptoms were less obvious. I married right out of high school, which meant I finally had to start monitoring my DM. My mother felt relief that she no longer had the responsibility. Although I had difficult pregnancies, I felt a push to have children, like “normal” people. I had 3 full-term pregnancies and ended up with 2 healthy children.

Going through life’s struggles, raising two children, divorcing, changing physicians due to insurance changes meant that my diabetes was not well controlled. My older brother was also diagnosed with type 1 diabetes within a few years after I was. I recall he had a rather “macho” attitude toward his condition, often ignoring it. As improved means of controlling the condition were invented, I took advantage of them. I started college, and got a better sense of the importance of managing my diabetes. In fact, my Master’s thesis was concerning long term diabetics, presence or absence of complications and their locus of control as it related to their condition. By the time I had my Master’s degree in Social Work, I had been working in hospital settings and was able to learn as much as possible about diabetes, but also, I was able to talk with people who had not paid attention to their condition and I saw the results. I lost my brother to long term effects of type 1. After 53 years with diabetes, I am healthy, with no major long term effects, and retired, enjoying my grandchildren, two dogs and my time with my husband.

Rita Whisman
Long Beach, CA

Getting fit, best shape of my whole adult life

Was diagnosed with type 2 in 2005. Convinced myself and my doctor that I could manage with diet and exercise. Did not happen.

On 12/12/2012 I had a stroke. Scary. 268 pounds, out of shape and poor eating habits. On 3/8/2013 I had a stent put in a artery on my heart (90%) blocked.

Today, 191 lbs, A1C 5.0, blood pressure normal. And in the best shape of my whole adult life. Yesterday I rode 35 miles on my bicycle at an average 10 mph pace. I FEEL GREAT!

At the beginning, I was angry, frustrated and scared. Now, happy and not so scared. I keep a bit of fear in my mind, so I don't backslide. As my doctor said, "fear is a great motivator".

The photo is of me at the YMCA during a workout. I get exercise every day. 4 days to the Y for the weight machines (cardio on a stationary cycle in poor weather). The other days I walk or ride my bike for cardio (at least 30 min.) and do simple exercises at home. While watching TV, I do crunches or some dumbbell work.

Don't give up. Do something everyday, at least a little at a time. I find that the pains of working out are minor compared to the alternatives.

Get up.....get moving.....it will probably save your life!

I know, not so special......yet very important to me.

Jim "Pops" Barnes
Mentor, OH

WoW! I am A Diabetic?

Last December (2012) my wife said; She decided to look into Life Insurance Polices for us. I said "No Problem", but it turned out to be the start of my new journey.
Medical check-up, again I thought, No Problem; yea I was a little Overweight, I have been overweight most of my life.

Waiting over a month, the medical check-up results; the Insurance Declined me!
What! How and Why?
You see, the results showed that I was Diabetic, with an A1C of 12.7!
Of Course, I went into “DENIAL”, Not Me! They made a mistake!

My wife thought it is a good idea to make a doctor’s appointment, but I could not see our doctors of choice for at least 2-4 months. I asked my wife, being nurse; what should I do?
Go to the ER and they will probably bring your numbers down, and you’ll get to see a doctor, or
You can try to control it with diet and exercise until the doctor’s appointment. Well you guess it; I decided to start that very day by dieting and exercising!
I weighed 265, was eating “white” and “Rye” bread everyday!
I am 61 years old, I said; how am I going to do this.
I then went on the internet and surf the WebMD and ADA’s website for information. I started with a Very Low Carb Diet and exercised Daily. The good thing about starting to exercise was my wife, at the age of 60 started to run ½ marathons, so I had a good partner, and of course, with my friend Will Power.
I decided to cycle along with my wife’s running. After a couple of weeks and losing weight steadily,
After going to the doctors, and he ordering blood work that indeed proved I was Diabetic! There is however a Silver Lining; My A1C went down to 7.8; which was done by diet and exercising. I lost over 90 pounds and feeling great!
Yes, it is a battle daily, but I am going to win this battle with medication, diet and exercising, I am not a quitter!

Bill Szemcsak
Groveland, FL

Strength: It's the Only Choice

Alli was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes on June 12, 2010. She was 3 years old. I noticed her diapers got increasingly heavy with urine, and she started shying away from activities that I knew she loved, only to go lay on the couch. She came down with what I thought was a horrible diaper rash, but it was a yeast infection. Before Alli's doctor appointment, I narrowed down what would cause a yeast infection in a 3 year old. I couldn't rule out Diabetes. The doctor wanted to send her home with cream. I insisted that someone check her sugar and when they did, the results read "HIGH". After three days in the hospital, we were released with our "new" child and everything as we knew it was gone.

Three years later, we are making the best of it. She has great people looking out for her and her well being, and has formed relationships with some that wouldn't have been possible if she weren't T1D. She also has just started checking her own sugar which has given her INDEPENDENCE! Among the many lessons we are learning, we realized early on that no matter how hard we fight to take care of this disease, sometimes it has a mind of it's own. We just have to be strong and keep plugging away. We also have to trust our instincts and stand up for what we know to be true.

Alli feels pretty special being the only kid in the neighborhood with T1D, but she gets frustrated when a shot hurts, when she can't get enough of a blood sample to put into her monitor, or eat what everyone else is having (cake, popsicles, etc.) at the moment, and when she doesn't feel good. She said once, "Mommy, I wish I was like you." I told her, "You are like me." She immediately corrected me and said, "No. You don't have diabetes." When she says those things it tears at my heart strings. But, most days, it's a non issue. It's life. We are living it and loving each other.

Sasha Ebner
Westerville, OH

Diagnosed at 27 months old

My daughter was 2 years old and we started to notice that she started getting extremely thirsty and we were using more diapers than usual. I have a history of diabetes in my family, so I knew the symptoms. We took her to the Pediatrician and our worries were confirmed. She was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at 27 months old. We were sent to the hospital to have her admitted. She was in the hospital for just about a week while the doctors got her sugar under control and my husband and I had to get training in diabetes education. It has been a tough road, and she has been hospitalized for various reasons (stomach virus mostly) but all in all she's doing great! She turned 3 this past May and is truly our hero. She is so brave and has not let this disease get in her way of loving life as a 3 year old should. When it comes time to check her sugar, she picks which finger to test and she even picks out where to get her insulin injection. We really hope they find a cure but in the meantime, she's having fun and learning something new everyday! Next year we plan in taking her to a local diabetes camp so she can meet other children who are just like her!

Leslie Donaldson
Lawrenceville, GA