I found out I had diabetes at the age of 13 and thought things would never be the same again. I started feeling sluggish and had lots of trips to the restroom. Oddly our family is no stranger to this disease, my older sister was diagnosed at the age of 13 as well. My mom knew from the signs something was wrong. She cried the day we found out, it was something she couldn't fix. I started out on the pills and within a week was on 4 insulin shots a day. People automatically put limits on you due to the disease. That is more frustrating than the disease. This isn't something that you can take a few pills and fix, there is no cure currently. Insulin keeps us alive to go another day. We have a different diet than most and do have our limits on certain things. Diabetes can be managed but does take discipline. I choose to live and not let this disease defeat me! My mom and dad both now have type 2 diabetes and have had uncles die from this disease. This makes me more determined to help those who need it. I started on an insulin pump 12 years ago and have found it to manage the diabetes better. There are others out there just like you, don't feel like you are alone to fight this. I have lived with the disease for 30 years and still going. I refuse to let Diabetes win.

Mary Cramer
BELLA VISTA, AR