Living with Diabetes
“Get Mommy some juice.”I told my 6 year old as I sat on the cold kitchen tile trying to hold myself together. I felt dizzy. It was almost an out of body experience. The world started to move slowly around me, my words slurred, and I just knew. My blood sugar dropped and my body was still adjusting to the new medicine I was prescribed. My daughter, oblivious to the situation, offered me her juice box. I then broke down and cried. I never want my kids to see me this way, ever. I was ashamed of myself.
That moment happened years ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday. I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes when I was in my twenties. Yes, it was in college, after gaining the dreaded Freshman 15. Since then, my diagnosis has been a roller coaster ride of good days and bad days. But until I addressed the shame that came with being diabetic, I was never fully in the driver seat.
I had gone to the doctor for a physical after getting a job as a preschool teacher after graduating college. I remember the doctor asking me how long I’ve been diabetic. Yikes. I didn’t realize that being tired all the time was not a result of studying all night in college but was a symptom of diabetes.
Diabetes is a chronic health condition that affects how well your body’s cells absorb sugar. When we eat food, your pancreas releases insulin that lets your cells take in the sugar for energy. People with diabetes either do not make enough insulin or the insulin does not work. Over time, if there is too much sugar in the bloodstream because it is unable to get into the cells, it can cause serious health problems such as vision loss, kidney disease, and heart disease. Diabetes symptoms are easy to miss. They could be mistaken for other things going on in life.
Symptoms include:
- Increased thirst
- Unintentional weight loss
- Fatigue
- Irritability or behavior changes
- Sweet smelling breath
- Frequent urination
Every change in my life presented new challenges to being diabetic. Each pregnancy was considered high risk. Stress from a new job, moving, death of a parent, all causes my blood sugar to shoot through the roof. Diabetes can affect every family member and every ethnicity.
My children now know what to do if they see me in a diabetic episode. I found that being open and honest with my family helps me mentally and I can say that their support motivates me to stay on track with my blood sugars. There is no cure, but I know I can manage my diabetes by maintaining a healthy weight, eating the correct amount of food, and exercising.
 |  |
Tackling diabetes takes effort, support, and a team consisting of a nutritionist, a diabetic specialist, your doctor, and sometimes a therapist or support group. I learned not to let diabetes control me, but it’s a daily lesson with lots of mistakes and failures. My goal is to take a step in the right direction every day.
If you have more questions or need more information about diabetes, please visit…
American Diabetes Association: diabetes.org
Healthy Recipes for Diabetics: www.diabetesfoodhub.org/
More Healthy Eating: www.cornerstones4care.com/healthy-eating/where-healthy-meets-delicious.html
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation: www.jdrf.org
