Tiffany's Story
Hi! My name is Tiffany. I am 13 years old and live in Sunapee, New Hampshire. I'm in the seventh grade and do very well in school. I love to play sports! My favorite is basketball, but I also play softball, and volleyball.It all started when I was almost 11 years old. I was always complaining of stomachaches. I was always thirsty and had to go to the bathroom a lot. I'd sleepwalk a lot and try to go to the bathroom in crazy places, like the hamper and my closet.
I had an ear infection and it wouldn't get better, and then I started getting sicker, so the doctor ordered some tests.
When the results came back, the doctors told me to go to New London Hospital immediately because they had found sugar in my urine.
After several more tests, I was told that I had juvenile diabetes, and that I would have to take insulin shots for the rest of my life. I didn't know what diabetes was and I definitely didn't know what to say or how to react. I just sat there trying to figure out what the doctor was talking about. While I was sitting there, the doctor said he would go out of the room so we could talk amongst ourselves. I was then hooked up to an I.V. and put in Intensive Care. I was monitored and got plenty of rest over the next few days.
I was then transported to Dartmouth Medical Center. I had to learn to give myself shots and how to test my blood sugar. I had to plan a new diet I would have to go by†which wasn't easy, because I loved junk food.
I spent three more days in Dartmouth, learning how to take care of myself and learning that diabetes happens when your pancreas no longer makes insulin, and you have to control your glucose by injecting insulin into your body. When I left the hospital I was happy but scared because I didn't know what to expect. But I felt that with the support of my family and friends I could get through this.
Going back to school was scary. How could I tell my friends about my disease? It was hard at first, but the diabetes educator from the hospital came to my classroom and explained it to my classmates. My friends have been very supportive and all have given me a shot, so they know how to do it in an emergency situation.
Every three months I go back to see my doctor and go to a support group. I also have my Hemoglobin A1C test done at this time, to see overall how my sugars have been over the past three months. It's always interesting to see what kind of control I have had.
It has been about two and a half years since I was diagnosed. It was a little scary at first, but it has been a good experience. I feel that diabetes has helped me become a stronger person. Without diabetes, I wouldn't be who I am today. Even though each day brings different challenges, I feel that if I control my sugars now, it will be to my benefit later.