Your Stories – Experiences With Diabetes

My story is about never giving up. Tomorrow is a new day and a new beginning.

My life was forever changed when my father passed away suddenly on December 18th, 1973. I was 5 years old. It is a day that my mom, my 4 brothers and I rarely discuss because it is too painful. My dad also had diabetes. Like father like daughter, I was diagnosed at age 14. I was a freshman in high school. Back in 1982, I had to test my urine to find out my blood sugar. I remember the strip always seemed to turn dark and would always be around that darn 240 number. Normal blood sugar is between 80 and 120. It was very defeating. I didn’t have access to an endocrinologist or any other specialists at the time. I went to a Physician's Assistant. After less than a year, my vision already began to blur. I was always frustrated, ashamed, and felt very alone. I felt as though I was the only person with diabetes that could not control my sugars, my eating or my weight."
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"Talking to medical professionals and reading a couple of books can make you feel that managing diabetes should be pretty simple. Just test your blood sugar before and after meals, eat the appropriate amount of food to go along with the insulin you’re taking, and you’ll live a happy, healthy life. Well, I guess that’s true on paper. If a person had nothing to do but to be diabetic, then it would be simple. But the fact is, if you have anything going on in your life like a job, a spouse, kids, social life, your life does not fit into the neat little boxes of a blood sugar log and food diary."
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It’s spring and the last double-header you went to was a visit to your endocrinologist and cardiologist. You think a lunch date is when you schedule your medical appointments around the clinic cafeteria specials. You call your pharmacist more than your friends. You might want to consider attending the upcoming workshop “Feeling Good Again: Breaking the Diabetes/Depression Connection!”

I’ve attended twice and will be attending again. Can it really be that helpful? In a word…YES! I’ve been asked to share my experience with you. Let me begin by describing some of us and perhaps you will see a glimmer of recognition.
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My story is meant to show people that diabetes is not a death sentence. It can actually be a positive thing if you have the right attitude. The right attitude is not what I had!
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