I WAS A 40-POUND KID WHEN DIAGNOSED WITH T1D IF I CAN THRIVE, YOU CAN TOO! BY DJ SMITH
My diagnosis was a lot calmer than most. No hospital visit, no extremely high blood sugar, and no attempt to get me back on this earth. I know a lot of diabetics did not have the same fortune as me. Although my diagnosis lacked an ambulance or helicopter ride to a hospital, there were things that my seven-year-old head could not understand. I was already someone who had always been skinnier than most and started to lose weight. I lacked energy. I was drinking close to a gallon of water every two hours and never seemed to satisfy my thirst. I couldn't understand why these things were happening to me so abruptly. My parents noticed these changes and booked a doctor’s appointment on October 24, 2011, which led to a very drastic change in how I live my life. In a matter of 8 hours I was put on insulin. I did not understand how this drug worked or what it did. All I knew was once every morning I would get two shots, one for breakfast and one to get me through the rest of the day. While I could tolerate this, the change I did not like was that I could no longer eat whenever I wanted. I had to tell my mom or dad when and what I was eating so they could put this mystery drug in me. With time I have learned what that mystery drug does and the technology that goes with it. Now that I am 16, I don't have to tell my parents what and when I eat since I can just use my insulin pump and do it myself. I know how scary it can be when people are first diagnosed with diabetes, but it gets better. If a little kid that weighed 40 pounds when diagnosed can manage and live with T1D then you can too.
HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS
REGISTER FOR THE PRACTICAL WAYS TO ACHIEVE TARGETS IN DIABETES CARE July 15-18, 2021
It’s time to register for our annual, continuing education
conference designed for healthcare providers caring for adolescents and adults with diabetes. The conference will be held virtually this year. This conference is for: certified diabetes educators, internists, pediatricians, family physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, dietitians and all healthcare providers interested in receiving the most up-to-date type 1 and type 2 diabetes information from world-renowned diabetes experts. Register at: www.atdcconference.com/registration View program details at: www.atdcconference.com RATES INCREASE APRIL 1, 2021 Questions? Contact Lisa Steele at lisa@childrensdiabetesfoundation.org or 303-628-5108
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