CHAPTER 1

A DAUGHTER'S PERSPECTIVE

Diabetes is a condition when the pancreas doesn't make enoughinsulin or your body stops responding to the insulin that is produced,so that glucose in the blood cannot be absorbed into the cells of thebody. Some of the symptoms that I had were frequent urination,tiredness, excessive thirst, and hunger. There are two main typesof diabetes, Type I and Type II. Type I is the more popular amongchildren and is often called "Juvenile-onset Diabetes".

I have Type 1 Diabetes. I have had it for four years. You haveto get needles when you start but when you get later into it, youcan get this thing called a pump. When I first started, I was scaredof needles but after a while, I got use to it. Every four months Ihave to get blood drawn so they can make sure my levels or bloodare ok. People my age are supposed to check their sugar 4 or 5times per day; you really need to check your sugar before you goto bed so that your levels are good when you wake up. If you don't,your sugar can be sky high when you wake up. If don't take care ofyourself while you have diabetes, you can spend most of your timein the hospital, with your doctor, or in some type of place that canhelp you or try to help you get better.

When I first found out that I might have diabetes, my doctortold me and my parents that I had to go to the hospital. I was reallyscared. When I first got to the hospital, I had to have blood drawnso they could check to see if I really had it or not. When they got mytests results back and found that I did, they took me to a hospitalroom. I had roommates and sometimes I would be really loud atnight. Other nights, they would be really loud because they checkyour sugar level and iv every so many hours. It seemed like everytime we would get settled, it was time to get checked.

Most of the time my grandma would stay with me and my momuntil my dad came back from church. I had lots of visitors while Iwas in the hospital like: Mary Jones-Turner (my grandma), JanelleJones (my auntie), Javon Jones (my cousin), Veronica Robinson(Friend), Fran clary (an auntie), Terrel heckstall (Friend), ShackHeckstall (Friend), Jailyn Heckstall (Friend) and Joe Ratliff (uncle).when I went to the hospital I missed out on a lot of things. Forinstance, the night I went to the hospital I was supposed to danceat church so I was really sad because I didn't get to. Since it wasduring the school year, I missed schoolwork and tests. I was reallyscared at first but then something just told me, "Don't be scared,it's okay. You will be fine. Just do what they say."

When I first got to the hospital, my sugar level was 411 andthey were trying to get it down so I could go home. I really wantedto go home because I missed church, school and my friends. WhileI was in the hospital, my parents and I had to learn a lot about livingwith diabetes and how our lives were going to change as a result ofthis new condition in my life. One of the things we had to learn wascalculating the numbers of units I needed to give myself to correctmy sugar level. For example, when I wake up in the morning if mysugar is 250 I subtract 135 (optimal sugar level) and I get 115. I thendivide that by 35 and I get 3.27. So in order to correct my sugar andbring it down to an optimal level, I would give myself 3 units ofinsulin. However, if I am eating, I would count the number of carbsin the foods that I am eating. Let's say I am eating sandwich with75 carbs. I would divide that 75 by 10 to get 7.5. So this would be 8units of insulin. When I check my sugar prior to eating, I account formy current level and the food that I am about to eat. So using theprevious example, if my sugar is 250 and I eat a sandwich with 75carbs. I would add the two numbers together, 3.27 + 7.5 = 10.77. SoI would give myself 11 units of insulin.

With Type I Diabetes, you have to check your sugar levels moreoften and give yourself insulin shots. After starting with the shot, Imoved to what is called the omni pod. It is very easy and convenient.it does all the calculations for me to make sure my insulin levelsremain normal. The first day that I tested out the pods was February7th 2010. It was a big day. I had 3 choices of pods to choose from. Sofor the weekend, I used the omni pod and I liked it very much so Iasked for it. The programming process for the omni pod was notas easy as choosing it to regulate my diabetes. You have to be sureto program the omni pod right so that the time and the insulinamounts are set right so that I am given the right amounts on aregular basis and that took a while. When the omni pod arrived, itcame in a bag with the pod, a personal Diabetes manager (PDM)for which you have to purchase batteries, a calculator, a log, a mininotebook and a food book call 'Calorie King'. You have an optionof a green or pink bag. I chose pink. You also get choice of greenor purple for your calculator and I chose purple. Put the pod on byfollowing these steps:

Step 1: Fill the "Pod" with insulin. The pod automatically primesitself and performs safety checks to prepare for the delivery ofinsulin.

Step 2: on your PDM go to "more actions" and select the optionthat you are going to remove the "pod" from site (where youcurrently have your pod on your body). Then select "Yes" to activatethe pod.

Step 3: put the "Pod" on the site and then select "Next" and then"Start". The cannula (needle) is automatically inserted and insulindelivery begins.

Step 4: Say "Yes" or "No" to let the PDM know if the cannula isinserted in your skin correctly. If it inserted properly, click "Yes"and then your PDM will go back to the regular screen or if you click"No" then you have to go back to Step 3.

When you are not diabetic, you can go as you please andeat what you want, but as a diabetic you have to count yourcarbohydrates. I keep track of my carbs in a binder but some peoplehave books. Some people think that I can't eat or drink certainthings because I am diabetic like regular soda or sugar gum butif you weren't in the hospital and did not get the education aboutliving with this condition; then you...