American Diabetes Association: My Story

My Story
Monday, March 19, 2007
By: Benita Williams

I would like to share my story.

Hi,
I would like to share my story. I am a 29 year old blk female. My husband is 31. He had been a juvenile diabetic since age 13. When I met him, (in 1996), he was suffering from very extreme blood sugar levels. They would be extremely high or extremely low. It was very hard to manage his levels. He went into diabetic shock at least 3 times since we had been together. I was very scared b/c prior to him, I knew nothing about diabetes. I started learning a lot about diabetes so that I could help my husband as much as possible. Although we tried really hard, this disease did get the best of my husband. In 2004, my husband went into end stage kidney failure. He was place on dialysis three time per week. Also during this time, I learned that I had Type II diabetes.

Now I was in denial for a minute b/c no one in my immediate family had diabetes, plus I was eating right b/c I had to change my diet due to my husband. Needless to say, we both had diabetes. My sugar levels were so high until I was on insulin needles 2 times a day plus 4 pills per day. At one point I was taking 34units in the morning and 28units at night of Novolog 70/30 mix in addition to 4 Metformin pills. I remember going to the specialists with my husband and older people staring at us as if to say, "what are you doing here, you are too young to be going through all of this." Well, the point is, we indeed "went through it." In 2005 after 10 months of being on dialysis, my husband received a miracle kidney and pancreas transplant! In addition, in 2006, I started taking these breakthrough liquid minerals and "coincidentally" I no longer have Type II diabetes! I am off of all of my medication, (per my doctor) including the insulin and pills. My average level stays around 5.4 and I do still check my blood sugar and it's between 80-120. Feel free to read my bio at benitawilliams.com. May this story be inspiring for others who are "passing through" what we have "gone through." I would love to talk to anyone who needs encouraging or want to find out more information about my story.

Benita Williams, Crusader