Our story; the prediagnosis, diagnosis, hospitalization and daily life with type 1 diabetes.

Click here for our prediagnosis/diagnosis Story

Type 2 diabetes is (in a nutshell) insulin resistence. The body makes the insulin, but the receptors on the cells are impaired at taking it in, therefore sugar accumulates in the blood. Can usually be reversed with diet and exercise. There are pills that increase insulin sensitivity.

TYPE 1 DIABETES IS AN AUTO-IMMUNE DISEASE for which there is no prevention or cure (yet!). The body's own immune system destroys the beta cells in the pancreas which produce insulin. As insulin production ceases, sugar accumulates to extremely dangerous levels. Insulin injections MUST be given at each meal in order for food to be used. Without insulin, the person with type 1 diabetes would starve to death in a short time. Type 1 diabetes cannot be outgrown. It cannot be reversed by diet and exercise.

Monday, September 22, 2008

TEENAGERS!!!

Prepare for a whine session!

Having a teen girl is HARD! Having a teen girl with type 1 diabetes downright sucks sometimes. Sorry, Al, but it does.

Allie tore one of her contacts this morning trying to get it in (she just got them Saturday) and she was frustrated and upset. She had a headache and didn't want to go to school. I sent her anyway, as she has already missed too many days this year.

So she and her brother leave for the bus, I get my 2 year old settled in with 'toons and toys, and I plant myself at my desk, determined to get started on the HUGE pile of work that's been waiting for me since last week which is due on Friday.

A quick dash into the kitchen for water and I notice Allie's diabetes kit lying on the kitchen counter. Huh. Maybe that's just her spare. I pick it up for further inspection. Therein are her needles, insulin bottle, and test strips.

She is at school with no meter, no insulin, nothing.

Sigh. Guess I'll be making a trip over to the school in a little while.

I feel guilty for being annoyed that the diabetes is inconveniencing me, since it does more than inconvenience Allie every minute of her life.

The cure is coming soon. It has to.
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