Inspiring Stories

Diabetes, It's not that bad

Hi I'm Angie I was born January 2, 1980 daughter of Ed Couch. Life was pretty normal until my 1st birthday. I was told I had been acting ill like I had the flu or something very lethargic wouldn't really eat but consumed fluids like I would never get enough. I was taken into the hospital where a barrage of test's were ran at first they believed I had rye syndrome, that came back negative so more test were done. Finally on January 5th 1981 they came back with the diagnosis the I was diabetic and my parent's had to go through a series of classes to learn the do's and don'ts of the disease. Growing up with it I never realized I was different until I started school and there were children eating foods that I honestly had never even seen. When I was diagnosed the doctors told me I would not live past the age of 18, and I would never have children. I'm now 33 with a husband and family. Diabetes doesn't control you, you control it. Having awesome family and friends for support and some pretty good doctors over the years has helped tremendously. NEVER let anyone tell you that you have to do this or that because it works for every other diabetic, You're an individual, and what works for them may not work for you. Don't be afraid to talk to doctors about stepping outside the box and doing things different. My bodys old school, I still count calories I don't do exchanges, and I have a set insulin routine, not a sliding scale. That's what works best for me personally. Always remember it's a disease it's not who you are you have to be a little more careful but you can still be a human being too.

Angie Brown
Tulsa, OK

Our Hope returned

We thought Hope had a virus of some sort, but after 2 days Of nonstop vomiting and saturating everything she wore, we decided to take some action. It was late in the afternoon, so we went tithe nearest urgent care center. While we waited to see the dr. She soaked herself and me too. The doctor came in, and hardly noticed anything about her. He diagnosed her with a double ear infection, prescribed amoxicillin and lots of Gatorade and pedialyte, and sent us home. Within 12 hours her skin turned grey, her consciousness was further apart and he awareness was waning. I took her to the ER, where they had her diagnosed with diabetes and were trying to her blood sugar of 955 to come down. The doctor couldn't tell me f she would survive. It was the single most horrifying moment of my life. But now, going on 4 years later, she is 7, and thriving. She amazes me everyday. She is my hero...she doesn't complain about finger sticks or shots, and she smiles and laughs and constantly asks questions. I thank God for saving her life and giving us an opportunity to understand this deadly disease and share as much information as is possible!

Robin Wyatt
Boiling Springs, SC

My little bro !

I personally don't have Diabetes My brother had it he was a Type 1 Diabetic and his name was Ricky Uballe you ask if diabetes changed me, then I say yes it has I lost my brother to diabetes July 29th 2013 this year I watched him battle this sickness for 15 years until the bitter end one thing my brother did not like is when people or family would ask him about his sugar levels for the day one thing he always told us was "don't worry about it...I've got it" or "hey I don't need help " and he would lie about the reading and say it was fine so that we didn't question it . So now I must continue my life with out my best friend and brother.

I will continue to carry where my brother left off and I Plan to continue being a Advocate for Diabetes Awareness I also plan to do annual benefit's in his honor on his birthday with a percentage of the proceeds going to the Diabetes Awareness. I have created a Face Book page for my brother when he took ill it was the last 2 years of his life when I started this story so many people came from everywhere sharing their story's with me, people I never met before told me how my brother's story changed the way the take care of themselves with diabetes it's story's like these that keep me going if I can touch the live's of one person with my story then it was all worth it to me.

*** In Loving Memory of Ricky Uballe

Thank you for time Regards, David Uballe

David
Manteca, CA

Still Alive !!

I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when I was 3 years old. I don't remember the time it happened, but the stories goes that I was drinking a lot, even licking dew drops off my father's beer cans. Growing up with this, I was always told that I was a brittle Diabetic, hearing horror stories, which caused me to believe I wouldn't live past 30, if I was indeed that lucky. I went without seeing a doctor from the age of 18 until 30 and was still alive. I got married at that age and had a new lease on life. Two children later, I am still trying my best to monitor and manage my diabetes. The effects of my poor self care started to catch up to me and I thank God every day, for another day. At 43 years of age, I have vision in only one eye, neuropathy, heart disease (6 stents), kidney function below 40%, arthritis and other symptoms. I am able to still drive, play with my two children, work and other areas of a wonderful life. I will continue to face the challenges and accept them, hoping for a change for the better at some point, but remain thankful for the blessings I've received and continue to live with, despite the daily challenges of sudden low's and unfounded high's, working along with all six doctors and keeping track of my schedule, food intake and insulin. Thanks to all for the insulin pump, improved care and love from all.

Chad Soucy
Kankakee, IL

In the beginning.

Maternal grandmother died of Diabetes and dropsy. Term used in the 1930's for what we now call Odema.. Such is the advance in Medical knowledge when diagnosed as being Diabetic, you have help to control the sugar levels It is said that such disorders occur in every other generation, so wasn't surprised when gettimg out of bed,found myself walking sideways into the wall instead of the door.Phoned the surgery for nurse to check my ear, thinking I might need a clear out. Nurse checked, found nothing amiss, but asked me for a water sample there and then. The sample was dark brown!.The nurse sent away for analysis and correct thinking I had developed latent Diabetes.
Subsequently with diet control and the nurse mentoring what was in my larder, I started a different Lifestyle . Nurse explained that only Garibaldi and Rich Tea biscuits were allowed, both of which I had never enjoyed. This Lifestyle went on for more years being checked by the nurse every six months. And that is how it has been during the last 15 yrs.The medication has been increased since the blood sugar level became higher.
An annual eye screening test ensued. However, approaching my 80th year, there has been more evidence of deterioration both in eyes and feet There are days when an acute tiredness overwhelms my energy level and frustratingly I know its time to rest from daily endeavours. Occassionally. I will allow myself a treat of the forbidden food, Visitors and family now understand my enforced Lifestyle because of Diabetes. All I can do is drool over them enjoying all the forbidden food when in my company
Fortunately I have Diabetes 2, so no need to have insulin injections. The nurse told me one time something that surprised me. When she checked the level with a finger prick. She told me that every thing I eat, regardless of sugar content actually turns into sugar straight away. Hence the medication.
I take heart that medical advancement is such that I can continue to have an acceptable Lifestyle if not a cure.
Mary Donnachie

Anonymous
Brandon, United Kingdom

Mack Carver-Stronger Than I Ever Knew

June 18, 2013, a day I will never forget. We found ourselves rushing my 12 year old baby to Arkansas Children's Hospital. We had previously just thought he had gotten dehydrated from a baseball camp and it was just taking his body alittle longer to recooperate but that just wasn't the case. His blood sugar was at 790 and my baby almost looked like death. We could not drive fast enough. It was a new world for us. I was overwhelmed with all the information I was about to receive and feared that Mack would give up doing everything he loved because of our new diabetic lifestyle. Once again, that was not the case. Mack, a.k.a. BoBo, proved us wrong. He was determined to lead his baseball team to the State Championship in one week. He overcome his HUGE fear of needles and was giving himself his insulin shots by day 3 in the hospital. His courage was contagious and showed me we could knock diabetes out of the park.
One week after being released from the hospital, Mack and his baseball team went on to go undeafeated to become 11&under "A" Arkansas State Champions.

Brandi Jo Carver
De Queen, AR

A change for the better

The year was 2000 and I just became a single mom of a 4 year old. Circumstances we're very hard for my daughter and I that year. I knew many years before I had medical issues, and was not able to obtain insurance. So like most mothers, I made sure my daughter was the one with medical care and I just went on living.

After landing a job at a banking facility and obtaining insurance, I knew I had to get my health back into sink. I knew I wasn't feeling well and there were signs that something wasn't right. After I had broke my toe, I went to the doctor and explained in great detail how I felt. The sweating, my mouth was bleeding, extreme thirst and just no energy. My doctor heard what I said, and asked to take a blood sugar test. A couple of days later, the results were in, I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. It was quite a shock for me. After that, I changed how I ate, exercised and did my best to take care of myself.

Its been 13 years since that diagnosis, I do not regret the changes I made to my life that year. Not only for my daughter, but it gave me an expansion on my own life. Going without insurance can be a very dangerous thing. Especially when if you have medical conditions that can not be ignored. If I not paid attention to what my body was telling me, I wouldn't be alive today.

Dyana Lyon
Phoenix, AZ

Brave son influence parents to be strong

Tim Tim is 10 years old from Hong Kong. We rarely give him junk food, he looks fit and healthy recently.

May-Jun 2013, he drank a lot of water and went to toilet very often (Luckily no other serious symtom). My husband checked his urine (Grandfather had Diabetes II, so he got those test paper at home) and it turned to abnormal colour. So we brought him to our family doctor, took some blood and said glucose (fasting) was 10mmol/L (normal iss 4-8mmol/L). Then we were directed to public hospital to have further check, the doctor said he got Diabetes I that he need to have insulin injection 4 times daily in the rest of life and no way to make pancreas better or making more insulin by himself...We were so upset like the end of the day...

During first 5 days at hospital, he was not so use to the 1cm long needle, he cried and we heart broken. But after that he started to use pen type of injection which has 4mm long needle and less painful. Beside poking fingers, he adapted to have shot himself, he pick up fast and don't cry anymore - just after 5 days.

He was discharged from hospital after 9 days, we as parents, need to back on track to take care his diet and monitor his shot. I am blessed he stay strong so that we can be strong.

Honesly, I don't believe insulin injection is the only cure, and there are many news saying there might be cure one day. Let's pray for this day to come!

PS: His face got a lot of acen for at least half year, after insulin shot, they disappear. May be it is a kind of symtom that show imbalance of internal secretion.

Irene
Hong Kong, Hong Kong

It's his diabetes and we will do it his way.

Micah was 8 when he was diagnosed with Type I diabetes. It was such a shock to all of us but I can remember it like it was yesterday.

For about a month Micah had been wetting the bed 5 out of 7 nights a week no matter what we did and believe me...we tried it all. First we started by cutting back the amount he drank before bed. Then we cut him off... nothing to drink past 6:00 pm but by 7:00 pm he would be in tears telling us he was so thirsty. Even when we would wake him every 2 hours to go to the bathroom he would still wet the bed. I never thought that any of those symptoms would turn out to be diabetes.

I will never forget when the doctor came in and said "we are looking at sugar" and Micah looked up at me and said "See mom, I told you it wasnt diabetes." God love his heart he didnt realize how his life was getting ready to change. Micah tried so hard to be strong and brave but once the doctor started talking about admitting him in the hospital Micah crawled up in my lap and started to cry. It was then I realized I was holding my breath and fighting back the tears too. His blood sugar was so high at that point it would not even read on the office monitor.

Micah spent 4 nights in the hospital. It was like a whirlwind of information and I was certain that I would be the death of my own child simply because of my own ignorance to the disease but we are still here and learning how to live with this every day. Since we left the hospital Micah has been checking his own sugar and giving his own shots. He tried the insulin pump for all of 10 minutes and didnt like it and from that point on we all agree that This is his Diabetes and we will do it his way!

I never imagined

Christina Hyskell
Bristol, TN

My outlook from Ghana

"I don't feel sick until I have to pick up a syringe each day to inject myself"-young Larsh, Ghana
I take a different perspective on my experiences with diabetes.
I am a doctor working in developing country in West Africa, Ghana and I have been fortunate to encounter the lives of the brave children, young men and women living daily with diabetes mellitus.
My first ever patient was a young boy 13years old who had been newly diagnosed, I still remember his face, he was scared and so was his father who had no idea about the condition diabetes mellitus. He was 13 therefore was admitted to the adult ward of our hospital, and as though this was not scary enough we had to introduce him to injecting himself with insulin multiple times as day. As scared as he was he took charge of his condition and I am happy to say that he is now 17 years old and in senior high school with great control of his blood sugar.
I take strength from these young ones who brave it each day taking good care of themselves and also thankful for the support from the parents and medical personnel who had sacrificed many time and money for these precious lives.
My first patient inspired me to set up the first ever support group for diabetes for young people living with diabetes in Ghana, Diabetes Youth Care.
Glucometers, strips and sometimes insulin are not always available but there is hope because of the awareness we are creating about diabetes in Ghana and folks are reaching out to help out.
Lets spread the good news and offer support!

Nana Ama
Sekondi, Ghana