Hi, my name's Emma, and I'm 15 years old.
Before I was diagnosed, I had been showing a lot of symptoms. Around four months before, I was sleeping so often. I would come home from school, and sleep around 3–4 hours. I would get up, have dinner and go to bed.
You'd expect a 3–4 hour nap during the day to disturb your sleep at night, but it didn't. I was still sleeping seven hours at the least, at night. And I was still tired all day every day! It was horrible.
I do really well in school, but my school work was really starting to slip. All I could think of in school was how long I could sleep when I got home. Also, I planned out my days around my sleep.
Thirsty
Then, around a month before I was diagnosed I was drinking. Not just normal thirst – I almost had my head under the tap! As it was really warm at the time, we didn't think much of it.
Another thing was I was constantly needing and going to the toilet! Less than six months before I'd been at the doctors with headaches put down to dehydration as I didn't drink much. But now, it was so strange!
21.7!
One night, I'd come home from a concert with my sister, and I was completely worn out – more than you'd expect from a concert. And there was the matter of the drinking too. My dad is Type 2 diabetic and has a blood glucose testing kit, so the next day he tested me. We were all expecting 9 or 10. It flashed up 21.7. There were a lot of tears, and the first words out of my mouth were "Why me?"
I went to the doctors who did my finger prick again and got 22.4. I was taken straight to hospital where I stayed for three days. I was told I'd have to stay in until the Thursday at least, but on the Wednesday my lovely diabetic nurse let me go home as I'd picked everything up so well.
Why me?
Whilst in hospital, I got upset – mostly at night. My mum stayed with me and we'd stay up talking most of the night as I was usually on constant monitoring. One night, I got really upset. I was asking why it was me and not someone else at school, someone who didn't work hard and spent most of their school day messing around. We made a list of the pros and cons of being diabetic, and it really helped – I'd really recommend it to someone who gets sad about being diabetic!
Hypo watch
When I got home, I was on constant hypo watch. Almost every 30 minutes I'd do my blood sugar levels again, convinced I was having a hypo. Looking back, it was quite funny. The thing was that the week after I went into hospital, I was going away to a caravan park. Then, it was Easter on the Sunday and my birthday two weeks after – in some ways it couldn't have come at a better time. It scares me to think how I would've been if I hadn't found out.
Doing well
Now, I'm doing really well. Just over a month later, and I'm still getting used to things but most have become routine in my life. I'm on five insulin injections a day, and usually do my glucose levels 5-7 times. I've still not had a hypo (fingers crossed!) but I have got quite low and I'm lucky as I start to feel my signs around 5 or 4. Well, to tell the truth, my mum has noticed that when I get low, I get really moody. I get a bit pale too and sometimes shake.
At first, I thought I was never going to be able to do anything again – even the most simple of things like straightening my hair or wearing makeup. I also felt like I had two heads and everyone would be looking at me weird. Now I've realised that I'm just as I was before, but far healthier. Since being diabetic I've been on holiday, been out for meals, celebrated my birthday and I've not needed to sleep at all!
The most traumatic thing about my diabetes is that my sister had to get the bus to the hospital every day!
Good luck and big hugs to everyone! xxxxxxxxxxxx
Your comments
Emma is my best friend and im so proud of her by how she reacted to it, also that she so open to talk about it. I was even scared for her so she must of been scared out of her wits. However, When i went to visit her the day after she was diagnosed. She had a big smile on her face and alot better than she been the weeks before hand. Before she was diagnosed she was very moody and snapped at nearly anything. I though she wasn't my friend anymore, all i could tell that something was serious wrong. She was just not her happy, cheerful and up for nearly everything person. It was like a different person took over my best friend.
Now she back to herself and if i was her i would still be depressed. She so amazing, I have learned so much about this condition that surrounded by rumors that the only way you can get it is by weight and problems like that which has nothing to do with Type 1 diabetes.Also that you can never eat stuff with sugar in(which is alot of stuff) which is not true at all! She has her family to thank alot without all her family she wouldn't be were she is today, So like to thank them to get my wonderful best friend back to health. I love you Emma, and seeing you go through this means that i have learned nothing that life throws at you is impossible and there is a way to deal with everything.
Love and Support
Your Best Friend Molly :)
– Molly
ive known emma since she was 3 yrs old and without sounding patronising emma-i am really proud of you
and you ask why you??? because you can handle it and becasue of it you can make a difference xxxx – Amanda