Age: 40 Year Diagnosed: 2013 Location: Torrance, Ca
"Working in the health care profession as an Emergency Department Registered Nurse I thought I knew all about Diabetes, it’s treatments, healthy diets, and insulin. I was wrong. At age 38, I was diagnosed with Type One Diabetes. No warnings, no previous illnesses, no family history. I ate an excessive amount of meals a day but still lost 20 Lb in 3 weeks, and felt very tired. My coworker suggested to check my blood sugar while I was at work. First time I checked it was 460, and I refused to believe it. The next day I went to work and checked my fasting blood sugar again. It was 530. Just like that, I was diagnosed with Type One Diabetes.
I was devastated with the news. It was very hard to accept and move on with the life. I thought I could never eat another croissant in my life or never be able to go to restaurants, or swim, or do anything. I thought my life was over. I had so much to learn and it was definitely scary to be on the other side the stethoscope. I always helped others but this time I had to learn how to be the patient. Thanks to my loving and supportive husband, I took one day at a time and learned to overcome the fear of daily injections, changing sensor sites, counting carbs, and checking blood sugars about 50 times a day (I was so scared I really did check my blood sugars 50 times a day). It took me more than a year but I learned to be in the control over Type One Diabetes and not let it control me or define who I am. I still enjoy my favorite foods such as bagels, croissants, and all pastries and European chocolates.
Now, three years later, I see it as a blessing where I daily have an opportunity to help, teach, and guide others with Type One Diabetes. What bothers me the most is when I go to a new restaurant and ask for nutritional information for items on the menu. The waitresses often look at me and sarcastically offer a vegetarian menu. Uhhh, I just order hamburger and french-fries instead.
Managing Type One Diabetes requires self-discipline, self-control, lots of knowledge about food, glycemic index and insulin. It is a scary but manageable disease."