Inspiring Stories

A Diabetic family....

In 1963 my father was diagnosed with type 1, they had no home machines to test your sugar then he had to "feel" his way through his disease. It was also thought back then that it "skipped" a generation. In 1981, my sister was diagnosed. In 1989, i was diagnosed and in 2000, my brother. We will focus on my story...I grew up watching my father test his sugar and listening to my mother try to talk him into taking better care of himself. My dad, my brother and i were all in the car on our way home from my grandparents house when a truck came across the double yellow line and slammed into us head on. I broke my nose on my brothers head and shoved his face into the gear shift. He had an eye injury and my dad was just shaken up. We thought we had gotten off pretty well considering that both cars were totaled. 2 days later i was using the bathroom and drinking water like crazy! I was diagnosed type 1 at the age of 9! No generation skipping here. Hoping for a cure in my lifetime! Just want to see it Happen!

Amanda
Hanover, PA

Brandon's Story

Thought I would share this story.

My Son Brandon was diagnosed with T1D in Nov.2012. He has had such a positive attitude about it from day one and he refuses to let it get him down and follow his dreams of becoming a Major League baseball player. He was chosen By Children's Healthcare of Atlanta as their Comeback Athlete for March and I wanted to get his story out and share with as many people as we can. I think he can be a big inspiration to others that just because you are faced with this disease you don't have to let it stop you from following your dreams.

Thanks
Amber

Amber Clinton
Bethlehem, GA

Its not easy but I do it for the ones I love

I was told at age 6 I would have to give myself 6 shots a day just to stay alive. As i got older i struggled to keep it under contol and spent many days in the ER and ICU. Now at age 23 i struggle with low blood sugar seizures. Just as it seems to get easier something new always drags me back down. I have a 5 year old daughter who i fear everyday she will have to do this same thing, and now a baby boy is due in June and i fear it even more. A Cure would be the best thing that could happen for me now, I want to be here for my family as long as I can, but not have to worry so much that something is going to happen to me to prevent that. I try not to limit myself on what I can do or use my diabetes as an excuse for anything, but we need a cure. I know im only one voice but im yelling at the top of my lungs for help in finding a cure, for the thousands who struggle harder then me, and the young children who are told the same thing i was at such a young age.

Lawrence Machen
Cheswick, PA

it happened to me

I was sick for about a month. When my boyfriend finally had enough of me throwing up and passing out when he said he was taking me to the hospital. When we arrived they took blood sugar test but the finger prick didn't register so they took a blood sample and told me my sugar was 900. But at that time I was so confuseed I didn't realize what they were saying but after 3 days in ICU I finally was able to understand what was going on and able to see clearly to start learning to give myself shots 4 times a day. Now I am feeling better and can handle having diabetes with the help of friends and family. Thank you

Anonymous
Las Vegas, NV

Sadness

As being a young child I always new there was this disease living inside of my father. He was 23 when the doctor told him he had diabetes. My mom tried to help by cooking better going on walks but most of all caring for him, he was active at work. 2 years ago at the age of 54 just turned he died. My heart will always fight for him every day to tell people how young he was how much this changed his life. There is not a day, week or second I don't think of him . Fight on people

Tammy
Perris, CA

Type 1 Diabetic since age 7

When I was 7 years old, I ran into my brother’s head, and it knocked me out. The next few days I was acting weird, so my parents took to the hospital, and it was discovered I had diabetes.

I started on NPH insulin twice a day, and learned how to give myself a shot (glass syringe and long needles at that time). During grade school, I would have reactions, and those were the really bad reactions convulsing on the floor, until I was given some food to bring me out of it.

I always seem to come out of them, and nothing serious happened to me because of a reaction. I did graduate from school, and eventually got a factory job, and worked there for 11 years, until another better job became available, and I took that. I spent 25 more years working in that factory, until I was laid off, and when I returned, they placed me in a job I couldn’t handle. I would have low blood sugars, and they wouldn’t let me check it.

I was on Lispro for a while, but made my blood pressure drop, and I would faint. I was switched to Lantus, however after a few years; I also fainted again and had to fine a different solution. After this, I was switched to a Medtronic Insulin pump, and that has worked well for me for the last 12 years or so.
My last 3 HA!C’s have been 6.8. Not bad for a diabetic of 53 years.

I do have sleep apnea, and do use a C-pap for this condition.

When I returned to work, and they wouldn’t let me check my blood sugars, I went on their disability coverage, and eventually did go on Social Security Disability. I’ve been on that now for about 2 years.

Take care, and I’ll keep pumping away!

Sincerely, Marvin Waid

Marvin Waid
Belding, MI

My Big Suprise!

During a routine exam by my general practioner. I was told I had type 2 Diabetes. Just like that! I was given a kit to check my blood with and sent home. I was told nothing about what I was looking for when I test or even diet. It was rather scary.
I went home and got right on the internet and educated myself. I thought about those with no computer skills or acess. How about those who were just not educated enough to know that there was more to diabetes than testing the blood.
I realised I needed to educate my physician in working with diabetic patients. And I did!!!

Patricia Stewart
Micco, FL

My Diabetes Story

I'm 17 years old and I had been admitted to hospital a couple of times. At first I got told I might of had meningitis, but after all different types of tests they diagnosed me with MODY diabetes which is Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young. It is sometimes compared to type 2 diabetes and shares some types of type 2 symptoms.

Getting the news I was shocked and confused. But now I have taken diabetes into my own hands and dont let it control my life. Having diabetes isnt the end of the world. Yes, its a disease but if you think about it your better off than most people.

Danielle Bostock
Cheshire, United Kingdom

fighting diabetes one day at a time

Hello my name is latoya, i am 34 years of age and have been fighting type 2 diabetes for thirteen years. When i was first diagnosed i didnt take my illness serious, i figured since i was so young and wasn't experiencing any sickness that I was ok.
Because of my neglect, my illness has gotten worse. My kidneys have began to fail, and i have developed neuropathy in my legs and feet. I have some good days and some bad, but for the most part alot of my problems could have been avoided if i would have taken my illness serious in the begining.

latoya sanders
eutaw, AL

Madden

It was thanksgiving of 2012 and we had just came back from spending the weekend in the mountains of East Tennessee. We had noticed that our 3 year old son Madden had been peein alot for a couple months. We had talked about it and decided we would take him to the doctor just to get him checked out. We went to the doctor and they told us that his blood sugar was really high and sent us straight to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. They ran some test on him and we found out he had type 1 diabetes and it scared the crap out of us cuz we knew nothin about it. They gave him some insulin and sent us home. The next mornin we came back to Vanderbilt for some schooling on diabetes and was able to get a better understanding about diabetes. Since then we have learned alot and met some other families of kids with diabetes. Madden has been doin great about checking his finger everyday and takin his shots. The hardest thing is snack time and him wantin stuff that has too many carbs in it but over all he has been doin great. We have been lookin at puttin him on a pump so we go back to Vanderbilt in 3 months to see about gettin him on one. I'm kinda nervous about puttin him on one cuz I'm just not sure how it will be with a 3 year old carrying around a pump at daycare but from everyone we have talked to they say it was the best thing they have done. But overall Madden has been doin great with his diabetes.

Dusty Gravens
Lebanon, TN