Type I Diabetic for 11 years...

by Fuyoko Ichida
(Pennsylvania)

Bring type 1 for 11 years gives me the advantage of knowing my high glucose symptoms faster than the average diabetic with type 2 or who has been diagnosed later on in life. I was diagnosed when I was 4 in July of 2000. I'm 15 now and I'm still living life to the fullest with my partner in crime, diabetes!!!

Most people curse this disease and say it's the worst to live with since you gotta prick yourself everyday or possibly take shots, and not eat too many sweets, you have to count carbs, (and for me since im on the pump) you gotta change your insulin every 3 days and change your set on your stomach. Wah wah wah, cry me a river. I know someone with an incurable disease and her lifespan is maximum until the age of 35-ish.

I honestly can't see my life without diabetes. It's legit a part of my life. If I skip a reading, it feels like my whole day is in whack. Let's just say, it's like skipping a daily shower or a daily coffee. It throws you off.

Anyways, sorry for rambling. My highest reading was when I was first diagnosed. I remember getting the blood test in the hospital and my mom was holding my hand (I was 4 years old at the time) and they took blood from my arm. Afterwards, the ordered an immediate A1c test and they manually took my blood sugar on my finger (the usual job :]___)
My fasting blood sugar that day I remember the doctor said they couldn't read it on the monitor. It kept reading "high glucose, over 600 mg/l"
Then they took my blood glucose again with another device (I don't recall what it is..i was so young!!) and my true reading was "802". My mom had gestational diabetes and she felt like it was all her fault she gave me this disease but the doctors kept reassuring her, that my immune system attack my pancreas and it stopped working on its own. So I got treated and stayed at the hospital for 4 days and 3 nights (fun time for me).

Well that's it :)