My name is Bonnie, I've had diabetes for 12 years. I was diagnosed December 2004 when I was 8 years old.
I started to feel ill, which turned into a few days, which turned into a week. My mother knew something wasn't right so, she took me to the doctors. The doctors ran test and told us that I had the flu. Once again my mother knew something wasn't right as my condition grew worse as it turned into another week. I became nauseous, lost my appetite completely, was dehydrated, wetting the bed nightly, as I became weaker day by day. I remember my mother coming into my room nightly multiple times to check on me, waking me up holding up her fingers saying, "How many fingers am I holding up?" at this point I was seeing double. Though, my vision was soon lost.
One night, my mother came back into my room and I didn't awake. I woke up after a two week coma in the Children's Hospital. The doctors were surprised I awoke as soon as I did and were surprised I was still alive. Soon, I found my blood sugars were recorded to be over 1,100 and I was Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. I was released from the hospital on Christmas Eve. I couldn't have asked for a better Christmas wish.
Months later, I didn't want to accept the fact that I was living with this 'disease', I refused to take my insulin, refused to test, and didn't take care of myself, my blood sugars ranged from 300 too 500 daily going into ketoacidosis twice in one year, with an A1c of 17.5. I was told that I wouldn't live past 14 if I didn't get my act together. When I was 13, I was scared into taking care of myself, after my father lost his leg due to not taking care of his diabetes.
Today, I am 19 and have my diabetes under control. my numbers now range from 130 to 200 with an A1c of 7.5. It's a miracle to be alive today.
Westminster, CO
