When I was 9 years old, I started showing the classic symptoms of diabetes. I was constantly getting sick, I went to the bathroom and drank water like it was my job, and I was a 4th grader weighing in at 48 pounds. You would think that my dad, being a physician, would have picked up on these symptoms easily... not quite. It wasn't until my dog would not leave me alone that my parents really began to question what was going on with me. My dog would just follow me around and lick me constantly for (what seemed like) no reason.
My dad took me to the doctor on April 24th, 2006 for an 8:00am appointment, and there I found out that I had Type 1 diabetes. My dog had been smelling the sweet sugary scent on my skin and wanted to lick it all off of me! I didn't know anything about the disease except that my 1st grade crush had it. I was just excited to miss school and seek all the attention I could get.
8 years later, I am still learning how to manage the disease. Each day and each new chapter in my life presents me with new challenges that affect my blood sugar. By no means have I mastered diabetes management, but it has been one part of my life that I would never want to give up. It has taught me more about life, health, and responsibility than any class could. I've met some of my best friends through diabetes camps and groups. Most importantly, I've learned that I can always rely on my dog to tell me when my blood sugar is too high.
Atlanta, GA
