Growing up as a bullied child isn't exactly a life I enjoy remembering. Especially the summer of 2005. I had thought that I finally was not going to be bullied my 5th Grade year. I had just turned ten years old when I began losing weight rapidly. I was drinking 2 gallons of water daily, throwing up and once school started, the school notified my mother that they thought I was anoerix. At the end of October, I saw an ad on tv that I'd never seen before or since, this ad listed symptoms of diabets. Although the ad was for type 2 diabetes, I ran and alerted my mom that I was diabetic. I told her I was 100% sure I was. She told me we'd wait a week to go to the doctors. The day we went to the doctors, I couldn't walk into our local Wal Mart without being out of breath. Here is my mother carrying a ten year to the pharmacy, embarassed because her daughter couldn't walk. November 13, 2005 at the doctor's office, I laid on the bed wondering what the doctor would tell me. When my blood sugar was tested, my level was 585 and the doctor told me I was type 1 diabetic. My mother began crying hysterically and the only thing I did was look at her and say "I told you so." I was immediately transported to Womens & Children's Hospital. I was admitted for a week. Over the past eight years of living with diabetes I learned many things. People have difficulty understanding what it's like to be a diabetic. They think we can't consume sugar and we're these disabled people. No, we're strong individuals. If it wasn't for my mother, I wouldn't of gotten my licence, graduated high school and I'm currently in a pre-med program in college to become an Infectious Disease Specialist. Living with diabetes everyday has made me stronger and more focused to live a life without a disease beating me up. Yes, it's difficult somedays and yes, I struggle but this is my life.

Christi Straight
East Concord, NY