I'm creating a website to inspire teens to take part in JDRF, whether he or she has Type 1 or not. Although JDRF has a ton of great information, I want to hear personal stories that I can feature beyond what is already there. I've done the research, but now I'm ready to talk to the people with the true experience and fully understand what it's like to live with Type 1 as a teen. I'm entitling my campaign, "Fearless Freedom"; the power to live life to the fullest with the burden of Juvenile Diabetes and the hope of finding the cure.
The reason for my efforts is to win 1st place at the NC SkillsUSA State Competition in April 2010 and inspire action! If you're interested in sharing your personal story and helping me in my competition, please get in touch with me asap!
I truly appreciate any feedback that I get and I look forward to meeting you all!
Hey! My name is Monica and I'm 14 years old. I'd love to do whatever i can to help you win!!
This is my story:
On March 23, 2009 I woke up with a really bad headache, so my mom took me to the doctor's. When I was there, my doctor was asking a lot a weird questions, and then told me I need to go to the ER imediatley. When I got there, they did a blood test and my sugar was 345 ( I hadn't eaten anything yet that day so it wasn't too high). And I had really really bad ketones. Later that day I had found out I ahd lost 18 pounds in that past month. I spent the first night on in the ICU, with an IV in my arm, and an oxygen mask, because of the dramatic weight loss, the insane ketones, and because I kept passing out. It was the most horrifying feeling in the world. I felt like I was dying inside, and crumbling before my parents eyes. My dad and brother couldn't come visit me in the ICU because of germs, but my mom was with me. I talked to my brother on the phone, but we didn't say much, just cried. but as the week went on, everything got a little easier. I was in the hospital for a week. The day I got home was the scariest day of all, because I had to do this on my own. One month later I had a seizure from a low blood sugar, and hit my head on the dresser when I went unconcious, and I got a concussion from it. That day is when I decided I wasn't going to let diabetes take me. I'm in this fight to beat diabetes, and everyday I am getting stronger, and I am determined to win. Unfortuneatley, I've had 3 more seizure from lows since then. 3 months later, and went on an insulin pump, and it made my life so much better! I've really been struggling, so I've been going to a support group for teen with type 1, and it's been really helpful. I have overcome a lot in my life, but this is by far the hardest. I went to see my endocrinologist a week ago, and he ordered lab work, because he is pretty sure I have developed Celiac Disease, because of the diabetes. So I'm will find out soon if i do. Next tuesday (March 23, 2010) will be my one year mark with diabetes. It's really gonig to be a hard day for me. But I am so much stronger, and so much more of a fighter, since this diagnosis, so I that day will only make me more determined to help find a cure, and control my diabetes, not let it control me.
Hey, i'm Jeanna i'm 13 and got diabetes when i was 9, and i'm happy to share my story,
Okay well it was a nice summer day in August and we just went shopping that day i was outside playing with my sister and i came inside and my mom was doing something and i'm like "mom what are you doing?" and she told me she was testing her blood sugar and i didn't know what that meant. My mom doesn't have diabetes but she just went on a diet and my grandma has diabetes so i guess it runs in the family, but anyways, i asked her if i test mine if it'd be okay and she said that it should be so she poked my finger, i was scared, and then the meter read, "high glucose" and my mom didn't know what that meant so she went and got the boklet to the meter and it meant my blood sugar was above 600 so she tested it again and it said that again. So my mother was freaking out but she thought it might because i ate a bunch of stuff cause we just went shopping so she cheked my sister's and it was normal so, i went back outside and i was sitting on the swing with my aunt and i asked her what was wrrong with me and she said that i couold have diabetes and i was scared cause i didn't know what that meant and i started crying. Then my mom called the doctor and she told me we had to go to thr doctor the next day. So the next morning we went to the doctors and they took blood and my A1C was like 17 and then they sent me to the hospital and i was in the hospital for like 3days and they told me i had diabetes and they showed me what to do, and i recently just lost ALOT a weight and i always had to go to the bathroom and i was always thirsty and they said that diabetes explained all of that. It's been an interesting 4 years since then.