This story is about my daughter Elizabeth P., a
10-year-old elite tennis player. She has juvenile diabetes, type 1. I, her mom,
do not. This is her story.
Elizabeth has had diabetes for 8 years. She hated
diabetes when she was first diagnosed and could not understand all the changes
that were taking place in her life. She would say, "Why am I the only one
who has diabetes?" Or: "I don't want to take my blood sugar
(glucose)!" She was always an active child and was introduced to tennis at
the age of 17 months. Her life was already routine-based, so the diabetes was
one more thing that was added to the regimen. Tested 12 times a day, she was
tested throughout the night in an attempt to circumvent highs and lows. Even
now, 8 years later, she is still tested during the night.
Let’s fast forward to 8 years later. She has multiple
rankings in Southern California Tennis Association. In the 10 age division, she
is #1; 12 age division, #23; and 14 age division, #46. She is nationally ranked
#71 in the 12s out of 1,200 girls and #892 in the 14s age division out of 1,600
girls. She now sees diabetes as a blessing. She competes at a very competitive
level in national tournaments and is never given preferential treatment for
having diabetes. Her testing of her blood glucose is timed by an official, and
if she exceeds this time, she would be penalized.
In August, Elizabeth will appear on the American Diabetes
Association Web site, in the kids' category of the Web site.
There have been so many people positively affected by her
successes and, hopefully, more children will follow their dreams as well. She
is sometimes asked, "If you could make three wishes, what would they
be?" She never asked not to have
diabetes. When I inquire why, she always states, "Mom, it's not so
bad."
Yvonne P, 48
Long Beach, CA
133025