American Diabetes Association: Being Healthy With Diabetes

Being Healthy With Diabetes
Thursday, December 21, 2006
By: Jessica Lynch

My diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes was a very drawn out process.

My junior year of high school I was diagnosed. Between my junior and senior year of high school, my family moved and had to change doctors. This new doctor told me I was not diabetic. What he did not realize is that I was experiencing a "honeymoon" period of normal blood sugars. But I listened to my doctor and accepted what he told me. Therefore my disease went untreated until just recently. This past summer I had some blood work done for genetic purposes and it was brought to my attention that my sugar was abnormally high. Now a sophomore in college, I went to an endocrinologist to see what was going on. With an A1C of 11 and a blood sugar of 596, they immediately started me on two types of insulin. With the help of my diabetes educator and my supportive family, I quickly adjusted to the lifestyle diabetes demands. It was very hard to adjust to this new lifestyle being in college and the marching band because it took a long time for me to feel good after I started the insulin. Things are better now. I just had my three month A1C for the second time and it is now 6.4! I was so excited. My hard work has paid off. My educator said that it was because I checked my glucose often. I want to encourage each and every one of you who is diabetic to never give up and to be dedicated to fighting this aweful disease. Diabetics and people who know diabetics are all around you rooting for you, for us. I hated needles but now I give myself 4 injections a day and check my glucose 4-6 times a day. It's a whole new lifestyle but we must do what we're supposed to in order to prevent complications. As a musician, my eyesight is important for me so I can read and learn the music. I play the piano and alto saxophone. My eyesight and fingers are precious to me for my music and I know I am going to do everything in my power to make sure diabetes does not take those from me. Never lose hope or quit checking!