I have been a diabetic since the age of 7, so that makes
45 years this year. Being so young, I really didn't have a chance to miss out
on anything. I just thought it was normal to eat at certain times, but I did
not like the shots — they hurt!
We have come a long way in care with disposable and
smaller needles and lancets and having a machine to tell you your blood sugar
(glucose) rather than guessing with a urine test.
During my late 20s and 30s, I was very rebellious and ate
and drank anything I wanted to and figured, if I took my insulin every day, I
would be OK. For many years, I went on like this and had no complications of
the disease and hid it from my friends and co-workers. I felt embarrassed that
I was not normal.
In my 40s, I had become a nurse years before and was
constantly seeing the effects of poor glucose control. I worked in an invasive
cardiology department and saw firsthand how a young person can die of a heart
attack.
During those years, I had many problems with low blood
sugars at work and was very frustrated and knew I needed to make some changes.
My endocrinologist thought an insulin pump would be the ticket for me with a
flexible schedule. So, in 1996, I was put on a pump. I also had my first A1C
and found out it was 17%!
I also developed some serious complications of the
disease: retinopathy, neuropathy, arthritis, fibromyalgia, memory loss, and
several others. In 2002, I was forced to go on disability when my doctor told
me I could either continue to work or risk losing my feet. For someone who had
been active all her life, it was like a death sentence. I had also lost the
central sight in my left eye from laser surgery, so now I was dealing with my
worst nightmares: immobility and blindness.
Today, I continue my daily fight to keep in control and
appreciate all the new advances in the treatment of the disease. I try to be an
advocate to other diabetics by telling them that diabetes is a very
"livable" disease. It's not a death sentence like it once was.
I am going to be 52 years old in July and have 2 grown
children and 2 (almost 3!) lovely grandchildren. I am enjoying life to its
fullest. I thank God that I am living in this century with its up-to-date
medical treatments and the fact that I can still see, get around the house,
have no kidney disease, and exceed everyone's expectations of being dead before
I was 35.
Don't let diabetes rule your life. Live with diabetes!
Laura S, 51
Garner, NC
133017