I supposed it would be good to start at the beginning of this crazy ride. Last summer, while on vacation with my family in Minnesota I got really tired. Ok, not just tired, exhausted. I started sleeping a LOT. Family and friends assumed I was pregnant or getting the flu. After sleeping the entire way home I couldn't even stay awake to unload the car. Four days later, my mom arrived and decided I was going to the emergency room.
Two hours in the waiting room and ten IV attempts later I was told my sugar was over 750, I was severely dehydrate, in Diabetic Ketoacidosis, and had a severe infection in my finger. Tests later confirmed that I was Type 1 diabetic. Now I have always thought I knew a lot about many things. In my mind, Type 1 diabetics are always children. They are really sick. They have a lot of walks and fundraisers but they probably won't live to be grown ups. All of the sudden I began to realize I knew nothing. My hospital assigned endocrinologist spent less than five minutes with me over the next three days. I was sent home with insulin, needles and orders to 45 grams of carb per meal. Check back in three months.
I was left alone to manage a disease I knew very little about. I can never know everything about diabetes and every day is a new challenge but what I do know is that there is power in conversation.
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