American Diabetes Association: Carey's Hope

Carey's Hope
Monday, July 4, 2005
By: Carey Lisk

Carey's hope

My life as a type 1 diabetic does not define who I am just the circumstances I have been given.

I am 23 and have been diabetic since Nov of '90. I was in school and was sick went to the nurse and she called my mom and told her that she had spoke with teachers who were worried about me since I had been drinking so much and having to go to the bathroom all the time. I had also lost a some weight. My mom came and got me and took me to the doctor who listened to the symptoms and did a blood test he told us that he called the children's hospital and told them we were on the way and that I had diabetes. When I got there me and my mom were scared and my dad meet us there where we found out my blood sugar was over 600! They admitted me that night and keep me for a week and taught my parents and me how to handle everything from injections to carb counting. The nurses were so nice. I went to school meet with the nurse again and got a 504 plan under way and was really good at keeping the disease under control. My first a1c was 12.3% but after 6 months of intensive diabetes control I got it back down to 7%. In high school I played soccer and basketball. Before games I would check my sugar and during the games watch for signs of low sugars. pPlaying sports also helped keep my diabetes under control and made me feel like I could do everything everyone else could. Now I am 23 and I work as a paramedic on an ambulance and as a firefighter at our county fire department. I am also in school to become a nurse. I have two yrs left. This disease is not something we asked for but I got it and in no way did I ever let it define who I am or what I did. So for anyone newly diagnosed I would hope that My story gives them the hope and strength to follow there dreams and to know that they can do anything anyone else can!

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