My Diabetes Diagnosis

So, its been a little over 9 years since i was diagnosed, ive been on this site for about a month, and i though id let everyone know the story of how i was diagnosed.

So the wierd thing is that out of all the symptoms a person can notice to know that they have Diabetes, the only one that showed up with me was the constant urination. Long Beach Unified School District elementary school had a yearly tradition where they would take all their 5th grade classes to a camp in the woods called Camp Hi-Hill during the winter or the summer. My class was able to go the week before Christmas break.

It was pretty exciting and exhilarating since it was probably the first time most of us were gone for a week without our parents. I was pretty stoked and had fun throughout the whole week, but, the problem started around the 3rd day. I began going to the restroom like every 10mins and it was becoming a real nuisance. Id have to rush to the cabin to use the restroom when returning from a hike, have to step off the trail if on a hike, have to excuse myself from the table during chow time, it was staring to bother. It got so bad, that a ■■■■ attack occurred halfway through a hike, so i decided to hold it in. Nuh-uh. My bladder decided to slap me for that and i ended up ■■■■■■■ on myself in front of everyone. luckily, it was the 5th day so i would almost go home. Another thing that happened, was during this one hike, I got a really bad headache. I had previously been diagnosed with getting migraine headaches so the nurse thought that might be a cause, gave me piils and sent me back to the cabin to sleep it off.

I arrived home, and spent a whole week rushing to the restroom every 15mins. Finally, one day, i got fed up and went to my dad and tod him to take me to the doctor, that it wasnt normal for a kid my age to go to the restroom so frequently. The next day, January 15th, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I found out my blood sugar level was 759. I was hospitalized for 3 days, with an IV needle in my wrist, learning a completely new lifestyle, how to count carbs, what to be careful eating, what to do in case of an emergency, the risks, the consequences.

Not a nice thing for a 9 year old to go through. Im the ONLY one in my ENTIRE family to have Diabetes, although some people have gotten it. No grandparent had, it, no grand uncle, no uncle, no cousin, no previous family member, just me. At such a young age, with such a life changing event, you really start to question things, but thats a topic ill rant about at a later time.

The docs had me confined to a bed, in a cold, gray room all by myself, in a ward that housed other little kids with health ailments ranging from severe to not so much. Some had Diabetes, some had Cancer, others had kidney problems, but you could hear them cry at night, and even though i was there only 3 nights, it changed me.

Arturo,

I still think about hearing the other kids cry when I was in the hospital after being diagnosed. In fact I still have dreams about being in the hospital and hearing lots of crying. When I was in the hospital the nurses told me I had to be a good example for the other kids because I was the oldest kid on the ward. I was only 13, that was too much responsibility as I was going through a life changing event myself! It does change you for sure…

Heey. When I was diagnosed I had to go to the childrens ward & there were children with cancer, kidney problems etc. I used to feel horrible because there was me in hospital because I was ill and hadn’t taken care of myself (I’d only been diagnosed a few months, I went through denial quite badly), and those children were ill through no fault of there own. I think it was one of the biggest influences into making me take care of myself and change…

Arturo:

Thank you for your story. I feel for you. I was not diagnosed until I was in my 30’s (to you, an ancient age), but it does still have the same effect. Your life is changed forever! I didn’t end up in the hospital because my BG was only in the 300s.

Just try to keep your chin up and take it as it comes. You will make mistakes and learn from them. You may even discover something that helps you control of BG. Whatever you do, it’s important to keep on track or get back on track after a derailment.

If you wish, I would like to invite you to my site to read my profile. It’s scary and sad but I hope to touch you in a way that prevents you having to go through what I did.

God bless you and keep you!

Lois La Rose
Milwaukee, WI

Hey Arturo - Wow - your words opened up my sponge brain to when I was 6 when I was diagnosed. It was my Mum who figured out something was wrong when the iron pills the GP had given me to take - and liver for dinner every night (double ugh) wasn’t making me better. I kept on wetting the bed at night (and was losing weight like crazy). I think the wetting of the bed just got to her so much - as she’s not much of a domestic diva - that she figured the hospital would take me off her hands forever (only kidding - tho’ at times I sometimes think I was abit of a burden on my Mum - as I was abit of a

Devil child - and still am - even at my age of 48 ). Because of diabetes being so rare in children back in the 60’s and the Childrens Hospital was too far for my parents to drive to - I was placed in a room full of old (probably my age now and up ) people. I always remember listening to the other 5 beds snoring away. Because I was so hungry - I would slip out of my bed (no bars could restrain me) - and check out the fridge in the kitchen area. You are so lucky you only got to spend 3 days in the hospital - I was there for 2 loooonnnnngggg weeks!!!