Inspiring Stories

A Sweet Little Girl- Diabetic at Age 7

A chubby little girl started to lose weight, wet the bed after several years of never missing the bathroom once, and asking for food ALL the time. Tired and restless and grumpy was not in her genes. In December, 1957 her parents decided it was time to visit the country dr. and see what he had to say. The child was pee tested and sent directly to the hospital and after several gruelling tests and hours passed the parents were told the verdict was diabetes. Her blood glucose test was 430. The child had no idea what that meant but soon needles were being stuck into her, she had to pee whenever the demand came, blood was being taken from her arm several times a day and the orange was the way to learn to give the injections. My mother was responsible. I was that child. I learned I couldn't eat sweets and soon, I realized this routine was here to stay. I spent time in the hospital with tonsil removal, colds, flue and infections. The children at school didn't know what to do so they teased me and took my snacks. In my teen years it was so hard. I managed my food very well during the week but on the weekend I didn't want to be different and so would indulge with my friends...french fries, hamburgers and Mountain Dew. I went back to school and after 15 years I graduated at age 48 with a Ph.D. in counselling. Now I am looking forward to retirement. I have had cataracts removed from both eyes and suffer from weight gain, thyroid disease and neuropathy. Diabetes is a silent killer. I have an insulin pump and I give it much credit for my health. I live in Edmonton, Alberta and do find that the very cold and the very hot weather affects my blood sugar control. I depend on the diabetic team I work with through the University of Alberta Hospital. I am grateful for my life and I try to stay positive. Life is good.

Eva Shaw
Edmonton, Canada

Living Stable In An Unstable World

Being a Military Wife is not easy. Being a Military Wife with Type 1 Diabetes is almost impossible. When that Lifestyle involves 3 beautiful children and 2 wacky dogs, things can get very complicated very fast!

I was diagnosed with this disease at age 16, married at 18, and became a Mother a year later. I knew how dangerous Diabetes was to my own health, but I had no idea how risky it was to my unborn children. Despite the fear and anxieties I experienced through three High-Risk Pregnancies, my babies were born healthy and active. It was because of them that I focused on turning my health around and being the healthiest me I could be.

With my Husband serving our wonderful country, I am literally all my children has to depend on. I am their Mother, but I am also their Protector, their Nurse, their Driver, their Cook, and their Best Friend. We are a unit, and we keep each other going.

It has been 9 years since I first heard the dreaded news that my body was giving up, but I'm still going. I finally have an insulin pump. I am finally getting stable. I finally have hope.

KATLYN SPENCER
CLARKSVILLE, TN

My story

Hi, my name is Carla Fontanez. I'm a type 1 diabetic. I was first diagnosed when I was 14 when I was a typical, candy loving, young teenager. I'm currently 20 so I've been dealing with it for about 6 years now. It has been a very hard thing to keep up with and deal with everyday of my life because its something you must take care of. I cannot say I haven't cheated on my diets and on making sure I shoot my insulin. Because I have plenty of times. Still to this day have days and moments I just act like I don't care or I forget. It upsets me so much because it has changed my whole life. Nothing's the same. Everyone says you are still the same person but I'm really not. You have more responsibilities. The meals you must eat are different. You have to be checking blood sugars every time you eat, every where you go. Your health depends on it just like every organ or anything that has to do with your body. I've had 3 DKA's so far and those are by far the worse. Sometimes I get really depressed and emotional because of the diabetes and how it affects me in so many ways. But yet it's still hard to take care and control. I could probably go on but I would like to wrap it up with its very hard to know what's right to eat and what to do to stay healthy but that shouldn't be a reason to not take care of myself. I would love so more support an to hear about others with my same situation.

Carla Fontanez
Lowell, MA

MY DAUGHTER, MY HERO

My daughter Dee was first diagnosed with gestational diabetes while she was pregnant with her first child. After the birth of her beautiful son she and he both were tested and she was told that she no longer had diabetes. She seemed to be fine. Then there was a sudden weight loss. I remember going to breakfast with her and her husband and she ate three of everything. Three glasses of orange juice, three pancakes, toast, eggs.............it was amazing how much she was eating and losing weight quickly and when I asked her she would tell me she was losing weight quickly because she was breast feeding. She would also tell me that she needed to see an eye doctor because her vision was blurry. This went on for maybe two months and one day her dog got out and she went out looking for him and passed out. She was taken to the hospital and there she was diagnosed with Type I diabetes. Her sugar at the hospital was 800. She was lucky. That was 11 years ago. Since then she has given birth to a beautiful daughter. She is truly blest. She watches what she eats and she is doing wonderful. Neither one of her children show any signs of the disease and my daughter keeps watch. I am very proud of her. She definitely is my HERO!!!

Meredith Faunce
Philadelophia, PA

This is ME!

Hi im Emma. Im 14 years old and was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when i was 4 years old. August 16th 2004 the day i can never change. It seemed like a normal day a 4 year old going to day care well it did not turn out so normal. A kid went to daycare sick and i ended up catching it. Yea so what a cold that's what your thinking and thats what everyone else thought too! But guess what while i was sick the cold attacked my pancreas and my pancreas stopped working. By the time i was out of the hospital i was doing my own finger pricks! But i was not doing my own shots. When i was around 5 or 6 i got my first pump! It was amazing so much easier then shots!

Im going to skip a few years to the summer of 2012 when i was 12 years old still on my pump but i went through a lot and my doctor took me of my pump and put me back on shots. I was super upset but i understood that he was doing it for my health. I was doing well my a1c was 10.3 but came down to 9.9. Then down hill i went again :( and my a1c went back up! Urg this sucks! how do i face my doctor with a a1c of 11.4!!

Summer of 2013, 13 years old. I went to a diabetes camp called camp care free best camp in the world! I talked to my doctor every day trying to get him to let me go back on my pump, As soon as i got home BAM! Im back on my pump! ahhh i want to scream im soo happy! I have been doing great! And feel like im bringing my a1c down!

Diabetes is a scary thing but its a part of me and im going to have to face the world and not let diabetes control me. This is ME! and diabetes IS a PART of ME!

Emma Robinson
lancaster, NH

How diabetes change my sons life

My son Alex was 13 when he was diagnosed with T1D. He had been ill the weekend before with vomiting,urinating alot and very thirsty, he also complained of stomach pain. We just thought he had some kind of stomach illness. We took him to the dr. the following Monday and they gave us the life changing news, our son had T1D! We were devastated,our athletic son whom played baseball,basketball and soccer was ill??? We were sent to Riley Hospital in Indianapolis,Indiana and were trained to start this new life. Alex did so well learning how to calculate carbs and give injections! We were so proud, he was taking this news alot better than his Dad and I. Alex is now 16 and continues to play baseball,basketball and soccer. He has to check his blood sugars many times during games, making sure his BS doesn't go low or go to high, a slight change in numbers could effect the way he performs during games. Alex is very brave as he battles this disease and he lives a normal life everyday!

Leona
Bedford, IN

I thought my life was over

I was diagnosed with type 2 about 10 years ago but was not on any meds till the last 7 years. I responded well at first and always had sugars below 100 and a a1c of below 6. Within the last 6 months they was upping my meds and I ended up getting sick. I went to the er and I had lactic acidosis. I am an otr truck driver so to go on insulin would kill my carrier. They took me off the metformin and put me on glipizide. My sugars shot up to over 300! I was being told by my dr that I was going on insulin. I fought with him on this and he set me for some education. I Thought I was going to lose my job for sure unless I could get my sugars under control. After my education I was told about byetta. This has been a byetta drug for me. I eventually went back on metformin and got my sugars under control. I was at 7.9 and after the new med change I went down to 6.5! I am now starting to lose weight as is one of the side effects of the byetta. As a constant reminder to myself and to raise awareness I went and got my first tattoo as you see in the picture. I am not one to ware id bracelets and this can never be lost. There is hope for everyone and you just need not take no for a answer. I did research and found a solution so I could keep my job and support my family.

David Maklary
burlington, WI

Rachel's Story

Rachel was diagnosed at age 2 with type 1 diabetes. At that time her blood sugar was 1,389 and we almost lost her. 26 years later, diabetes has taken a toll on her poor body. She is blind, in complete kidney failure, lost half of her left leg and is on the national kidney transplant list waiting on a life saving kidney. We pray everyday for a cure for this horrible disease. Rachel is a fighter and we will beat this disease.

Barb
Frankfort, IN

67 My hero

Rob was 9 years old on a Tuesday night when we went out for dinner after his baseball game. He ordered a lot of food and didn't eat much. Driving home, while passing the hospital, Rob grunted in pain. I pulled in to the ER. Type !. His sugar was so high, they transported him to a pediatric hospital. 3 days of education and treatment and they released him on Friday .At 8:30 on Saturday, Rob caught a baseball game for his all-star team. 2 hours after that game ended, he pitched a game. He has never missed a beat! He is #67 in that pack of college football players 2 years ago at 19. He is now a senior in college and still playing and beating this disease!

Anonymous
Estell Manor, NJ

Peyton- The bravest boy I know!

Peyton was 6 years old when we found out he had type 1 diabetes. He was thirsty all the time, and started wetting the bed which he never did. One day while at Charleston WV to visit my mother who had just had surgery noticed how he looked sunk in and his bones were showing terribly. He started throwing up and decided to take him to to the children's hospital right away. His sugar read off the meter, and with blood work found it was 1,365! Everyone was in shock, wondering how he was talking or walking. This was one of the highest readings they've recorded.They said if I would of put him to sleep that night that would have been it. He was immediately hooked up to IVs and was in the hospital for 5 days. We were educated and introduced into a new way of life. We were so thankful that he was alright, but devastated for him. He takes 3 to 4 shots a day now. He's still currently in the " honeymoon stage" where it's up and down- crazy. He has a aide at his school and nurses come in to administer his shots there. He's adjusted well with it and has been such a brave little boy! We hope to soon get a pump and keep praying a cure is found! He is my rock, my miracle! He is 8 years old now and still going strong! We hope more parents get educated and know what to look for in their children. I feel so very lucky we caught it before it was more tragic! Praying for all those affected by diabetes!

Ashley Taylor
Mount Lookout, WV