Hello! My name is Gina and I'm thirteen years old. I was diagnosed with diabetes about two months ago, in January. It was scary and unexpected!
I had been drinking a lot, and going to the toilet about three times each night, but I thought it was just a phase. I thought everyone experienced it at some part of their life. But I was wrong.
Blood test
On Friday the thirteenth (unlucky day, I know!) I went to the clinic to get my bloods tested. I was only getting them tested because the Monday before I had come out in a red, itchy rash.
I was sent to the A&E ward at the hospital, and the doctors there said it looked like I'd taken an allergic reaction to something. But the doctor had also asked me a few other questions, like "Do you drink a lot?" I answered honestly, saying I did. When we were holidaying in Disneyland Paris that summer before, I'd been drinking huge cups of Coke and Sprite, and I hadn't been hungry at all, even in special sweet and ice cream shops. I told him all of this. He nodded understandingly, I made me an appointment at the clinic for the Friday, to get my bloods tested, "just in case".
I went home feeling better that day. "It'll all be sorted," I told myself, feeling happier. I went on with my normal school days, continuing to drink a lot of water and juice and running to the toilet a lot, not thinking anything of it.
(Also, a week or so before that, I'd vomited one night completely out of the blue. I had no idea until after my diagnosis that it was my body trying to get rid of ketones.)
Unlucky day
So on the unlucky Friday the thirteenth, people in my class were running around saying things like, "I hope nothing bad happens to any of us today." I joined in their games, laughing, feeling good that the day was actually going pretty well. After school, Mum drove me to the clinic. I got my bloods tested, and they said they'd let us know soon enough. So we went home, had our usual Friday treat from the chip shop, and it was just after tea, when I was happily surfing the web on my computer, when Mum and Dad came rushing into the room, looking anxious.
Going to the hospital
"You have to go to hospital," Mum told me, and I blinked at her, thinking it was some kind of terrible joke. Me? I'd only ever thought about going to hospital, to visit people maybe, but not for myself.
"Pack an overnight bag," Mum said, and I felt tears well up in my eyes. "'I don't want to stay there all night," I gulped, but I did as I was told with shaking hands. What was wrong?
Dad stayed at home with my little sisters. My Mum and I drove to hospital, Mum smiling bravely, me wondering what on earth was happening. When we arrived, we had to wait a while in the A&E, before a nurse came and sat beside me.
"Too high to read"
"Hello, Gina. Would you mind coming with me to the Triage?" she said, cheerfully. Mum came with me. I had to sit on a seat and the nurse took my bloods. It hurt a bit, but I was too worried to think about the pain.
She shook her head when she looked at the reading. "They're too high to read," she said, quietly, and I saw Mum bite her lip. My eyes widened. What did that mean??
We couldn't believe it
Apparently, when they'd checked my bloods at the clinic, they'd been at an alarming 40. That's why I was taken to hospital. I didn't realise until now how exciting my experience actually was. But it was horrible too. My Mum and I couldn't believe it when we found out. We DIDN'T believe. I didn't WANT to.
We waited again, before a doctor took us into a brightly painted room and shut the door. He smiled at me and sat at his desk.
"Hi, Gina," he said. I tried my best to smile. He said some things, but I was so tired I barely listened. The only words that shot out at me like bullets were, "I think we're looking at diabetes." That's what scared me. That's what made my heart beat faster than it ever has before. That's what made me realise....am I sick? All this mad never-ending thirst, the constant running to the toilet.....all linked to one horrible, awful condition? DIABETES?
Everything was a rush
After that everything was a rush. More blood tests were taken, more nurses and doctors to talk to, a urine sample, lying on stretcher beds, drinking water, crying, hugging Mum, hugging Dad (who came later on after asking Granny to babysit my sisters).
I was in hospital from that Friday night until Tuesday. I quite liked the ward, with another girl slightly older than me to talk to. But the blood tests and injections frightened me. I especially hated it when tubes were stuck into my veins to take blood. It hurt a bit, but I'd had magic cream and I never once cried in front of the nurses. I left all the tears for my poor family. They all came to visit me, bringing presents, but just seeing their sad, scared faces when they came in the door made me burst into tears. I mean, why me?
It got me thinking
It got me thinking, in those long, hospital nights, that Type 1 diabetes doesn't come from saying nasty things, or from eating too many sugary foods, or from fighting with your sisters. In fact, it's unclear what it comes from. Some say it's stress, though I wasn't ever REALLY stressed. I worried about school a lot, though, but now my main worries aren't to do with PE in the rain or undone homework. There all linked under one word. DIABETES.
I don't think the injections or the blood testing is what I hate the most. I don't LIKE them, but it's not the worst for me. I think it's just the fact that I've only just become a teenager. Almost like, I didn't even get the chance to experience being a teenager for very long without having to worry about injections and blood meters and not eating too many sweets or chocolate.
My friends are so supportive
I hate having hypos, especially during class. My friends are so supportive though. All of my classmates and teachers are. They don't turn a hair when I have to check my bloods and eat sweets in class, but I still don't like it. I hate having to take my injection at lunch time. My friends say they don't mind, but it still makes me so sad.
I guess before this all happened I took my life as I knew it for granted. I mean, who would've thought that being a simple, healthy teenager without injections to worry about could be so precious? I do now, and the only thing I want more in the world now is for there to be a cure for diabetes. I want to live like a normal person, and I'm sure people with diabetes out there all feel the same way. We ARE the same as everybody else, but like everyone says, we have to plan ahead more, think about things, not just run into them.
I always wake up every morning now, holding my breath, just WISHING that the cure will be found that day. I will never give up. The cure for this condition will be FOUND!!!!
Your comments
Hey I'm Erin and I'm twelve, but I will be 13 in July 2013. When I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2002, when I was around 18 months old, I was the youngest person diagnosed that my hospital had ever seen! I can't remember way back then so I have no idea what I did or what I felt like, but I know I was ill. Also, I know exactly what you mean about the awesome wards! I can only remember one time when I watched the telly in my room and a nurse put on my special cream, but I can't remember what the blood test felt like but I still don't like them. I think you are certianly right about finding a cure for diabetes and I'm going to help with that. xox :)
– Erin
hi I'm Charlotte and I know exactly what it must have felt like to be diagnosed with diabetes. it's horrible!!! I've had it for 8 years (diagnosed when 7) and I still hate it! Just like you I never give up on hoping for the cure but meanwhile there are things to help. I've recently got onto the insulin pump and for the first time in those 8 years my blood results haven't been above 10 for the last three days! I hope you will be OK and just think of diabetes as being unique, not different, it really helped me in those 'why, me' moments! xx – Charlotte
Thank you, Jemma and Georgina for reading my story. Yeah, Jemma I'm not sure how I remember everything so well! I think as I wasn't in a coma (Poor you, by the way!) I was able to take in everything that was happening. I hope you are keeping well with the condition and thanks again for commenting :) – Gina
I know how you feel, my friends are lovely, and me and my friend just sat here reading this in tears, im surprised you can remember it all so clearly, anything i try to remember turns out to be wrong, i cant remember anything from my life before diabetes, i was in a coma and i only remember things after i was in a ward with my family after i woke up:) – Jemma
I know how you feel Gina. My name is Georgina and i hated being dianosied with diabetes we couold become freinds and work together on diabets – Georgina