I was diagnosed with diabetes when I was 12 years old.
I'm now 44. I never thought I would live this long. Everyone I knew that had
diabetes when I was a kid has passed away. There used to be a commercial on at
Christmastime that went through all of the statistics about how diabetes would
shorten your life span. My doctor told me at age 25 that I should never have
children and I should have my tubes tied. I'm glad I didn't listen.
I spent years doing the "Why me," feeling sorry
for myself. Then I spent years with a "what-the-heck" attitude. I was
going to die early, anyway. Well, I have survived a retinal hemorrhage and was
very fortunate to get my vision back. I've survived a heart attack. And I have
a beautiful 4-year-old boy.
Looking back, I've learned a lot from my diabetes. I had
to learn better self-discipline and management skills than most kids, and I had
to learn it at a very early age. I read once, and I don't remember where, that
most diabetic kids score higher on achievement tests than their peers. I believe it is because, in the long run,
diabetes teaches management skills most people don't learn until later in life.
You learn that you can overcome and succeed. It makes you stronger and better
prepared in life. You build self-discipline skills that can cross over to other
areas of your life. If you can fight diabetes, you can do anything.
I write this note today to all those kids that have just
been diagnosed, hoping that they realize diabetes will teach you a lot.
Sometimes we don't like the lessons, but in the long run, the skills you are
forced to learn will give you strength and abilities to defeat other challenges
that arise in life.
They always told me that I could have eye problems, but I
always believed that it would occur slowly over time. I always thought,
"Well, when things start to go wrong, I'll be a better diabetic."
What I didn’t know was the process is ongoing over time. When my retinal
hemorrhage occurred, I was being my best diabetic, but I had done damage over
many years' time. One minute I could see, and then I thought I must have a
piece of mascara in my eye. I had a small black line in my vision, then it
began to blur. Then I couldn't see out of my right eye. I was terrified. It
happened in a half hour.
So, my advice is: be good, be strong. You can do this. It
will make you stronger than your peers and you will be able to do anything.
Suzy M, 44
Coer d'Alene, ID
133027