When I was 11 years old I was in the 5th grade. I had been loosing weight, extremely thirsty, having extremely bad abdominal pain, fatigue and very frequent urination. My mom's brother died from T1D at age 32; she recognised the symptoms. She took me to our local clinic where they informed us that I had type 1 and I needed to go to the hospital right away. The closest hospital was 2hrs away from our small town. I remember getting in the car to go pack bags and my mom crying. she looked at me and said " everything wil be ok." For many years I wasn't sure if that were true. I was hospitalised so many times from DKA. I came to find out my body went from ok to horrible real fast. With in 10 years i was hospitalised 23 times. Everytime I was in DKA. I have been depressed and I have been angry at times. It's never easy but its your choice of how to handle the disease. You can let it beat you and take you down or fight it and enjoy life. I now have a 3 year old son; I was told when i was younger that I would NEVER be able to have a child (WRONG.) I used to question why, why me? I have diabetes to help others, to be strong and responsible. Diabetes made me grow up rather fast. I had to be responsable. I am proud of who I am and I wouldn't be this way if I weren't diabetic.
My biggest lesson learned so far, its ok to be scared and mad, its ok to cry, accept your life and make it the best life you can.
Nucla, CO