Why I Walk for Diabetes
Friday, July 22, 2005
By: Eileen Flowers

I accepted the position as a team captain for the first time this year, and I am walking for my family.

My name is Eileen Flowers. I am a Certified Pharmacy Tech with Kroger. I am the Team Captain (for Kroger) for the Walk for Diabetes on September 10th. I'm sure you are aware of the effects of Diabetes, but it has hit close to heart to me too many times.

This walk is important to my family and I. My mother passed away one year ago today, (May 17th) and she lived the last 26 years with diabetes. She was diagnosed with gestational diabetes when she was pregnant with my younger sister. Gestational diabetes doesn't usually stick around after pregnancy, but this time it did. She went through all the medications, the sliding scale insulin, the glucose testing, everything. Her fingers got so raw from testing so often.

In 1997, while my father was in the hospital having his prostate cancer taken care of, when my mother went to visit him. We thank the Lord today that she was in the hospital lobby when she had her heart attack. After they ran tests on her, they discovered that she had already suffered 2 to 3 silent heart attacks. Diabetics can have heart attacks without even knowing it.

The Lord took her away last May, after she had an ulcer in her stomach, a heart attack, a stroke, and then kidney failure. But I am very devoted to helping to find a cure.

At 14 weeks into my current pregnancy, I had to go in early for a glucose test. The first test came up very high, which meant I needed to go back in for a 3-hour glucola testing. Thankfully, that test came out more normal than high, but I have to have the test repeated at 28 weeks. (I am 25 weeks on the 25th of August).
Diabetes Mellitus is not the only type of diabetes. There is also a Diabetes Insipidus, which is rare. Mellitus is also known as sugar diabetes; and Insipidus is known as water diabetes. My daughter was diagnosed with Diabetes Insipidus at the young age of 3. Liquids would go right through her, as her kidneys were not absorbing anything. Her sodium levels need to be checked every so often, and she has to have an MRI every 6 to 9 months. The MRI shows whether there is any growth, cyst, or tumor on her pituitary gland. The pituitary gland produces the hormone that promotes growth. Alyssa was losing weight at 18 months, thankfully due to her medicine that she has to take every day; she is finally catching up to what a 5 year old should be.
I'm sure someone you know close at heart, or even just a friend, or an associate in your store, someone you know has diabetes. Please find it in your heart to help out this year. I want to make this year's Team Kroger the best team ever.
Thanks again.
Eileen M. Flowers, CPhT