How it all began---
--I was 6 years old and I will never forget--That was the year that changed my life forever! I have type 1 diabetes, and here is my story....
--Pre-Diagnosis--
--I started out living a pretty normal life like any other child...Nothing to worry about, and I could do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted (as long as my parents thought it was ok of course), and EAT what I WANTED!
One summer day, I came down with some form of the flu. I was in bed being sick for a week. After my little "spout" it felt like my body was different. I was so hungry, so very very hungry all the time...People would watch me eat and say I sure ate alot for a 6 year old, rivaling my dad who was a BIG EATER (he now has type 2 diabetes).
My mom was so upset because I was ALWAYS using the bathroom, it seemed like that was all I ever was doing really. I barely slept cause I was using the bathroom ALL night long. I almost got afraid to tell people when I had to go, cause I knew they were talking about it.
I never noticed this one myself, but my mother relates to me that everyone said I was very thin--especially for a girl who ate so much, it seemed like I was losing weight. My mom didn't seem to notice and chalked it up to good metabolism (if only).
It was nearing the end of July and my family wanted to hike Mt. Timpanogas with all of our relatives. I remember being very very very thirsty and very very very tired. I didn't understand why I couldn't really keep up with all of the other kids.
--Deciding there was a problem & diagnosis---
most of this is from my mom's perspective of what she told me, but I will relate m own vivid memories
My Aunt was a nurse and pulled my mom aside and told her I looked sickly and bad and needed to be checked out! My mom didn't really want to think that anything was wrong with her daughter, but thought that at least she could take me in to my dad's lab (my dad is a medical technologist and did a LOT of blood work).
All I remember is my daddy drew my blood because they thought I was sick ...I had no clue what was going on, just did what I was told.
I remember it was the middle of the day and I was in the bathtub getting clean and ready for a parade my mom had promised me, when I heard the phone ring. I don't know what happened, but I heard my mom scream and yell "get Jamie out of the bathtub."
From this point, I just remember being yanked out of the tub, hearing a prayer or two and being whisked in a car (later on in life I learn that my dad had called my mom and said to rush me to the hospital since my blood glucose level was 755).
Everything was a rush of a blur for me from that point. There just seemed like so much was happening and so many people around me and I didn't understand what was going on. The next thing I remember was a doctor coming in and telling me that I had something called DIE---A- BEEE--Tees!
All I heard was the word DIE! I was really confused. Am I going to die? The next thing I know I am being put in a hospital gown, hooked up to some machine. Later, who knows how long, I remember they say I can eat and they will bring me some food. It just happened to be FISH. I was thinking " Fish is not my favorite food, and that's what they are giving me to eat as my last meal ( I really did think this and to this day I won't eat FISH).
I stayed in the hospital for a week being trained on how much my life was going to change. Being taught to test my blood, recognize when I had low blood sugars, and that I was just going to live a completely different life from now on. Told over and over again that I was still me and nothing had changed, I just had to be responsible.
--Moving on....Why I am starting this blog--
That was a week before my 7th birthday. I am now 2 months from my 31st birthday. I am married and I have 2 children and would love to have some more. That day 24 years ago truly changed my life forever. There have been times where I have let diabetes control my life and get me down, and other times where I truly have seen a blessing in disguise.
Living with diabetes has not been easy, not at all...It also has not been that horrible. It just is a life adjustment, a change, and alot of love, patience and understanding from me and from those who encircle my life. There have been many trial and errors along this path.
The truth is, like any life threatening disease ( and I am not even going to pretend that this is the hardest thing anyone can have and there aren't far worse things out there, there are plenty!), it cannot be ignored and changes how you run your day and your life. It makes you view things differently.
I have learned that there is a LOT of life to live. One thing that inspired me as a child was finding a fellow diabetic who had five children of her own. It gave me hope that diabetes wouldn't stop me from living my dreams and getting all my desires (yes, I may have to work a little harder for them and go about them in a different way, but I can still do it).
That is how I started this blog...I want to use it as an outlet mainly for myself, and hopefully for some others to show how to get what I want out of life with diabetes, and maybe not only give myself a pat on the back and a boost, but hopefully another as well.
I might do some venting of my own as I start on this adventure, but that is part of the personality of this blog. Get out of the system. I invite you to read along with me, and comment openly with ANY words of encouragement, suggestions, or anything someone has to offer!
