Tree house

Tree house

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Living the Life--Type I Diabetes: Know the Signs

World Diabetes Day
My kids have it rough.  If they complain of being thirsty too often or have to pee more frequently than usual, they are subjected to a series of finger pokes and blood sugar checks.  Whether they think about it  or not, along with my nose to one and my legs to the other, I may have also passed along the genes/propensity to get diabetes. 

I'm careful with them because I know the signs. If my parents had known what to look for, my diagnosis would have been much less dramatic.  But this is me friends, so I suppose anything short of dramatic would have been out of character. By the time I arrived at the hospital, my blood sugar was over 800 and I was in full ketoacidosis--I struggled to breathe, I couldn't stop puking, I was hallucinating, and I couldn't stand or move on my own.  If we had waited any longer for treatment, I would have gone into a diabetic coma, and the odds of coming out of one of those aren't pretty.  But I did receive treatment, and every day since I have been figuring out how to live with it.  

This week was World Diabetes Day (November 14th).  According to the International Diabetes Association, the number of people with diabetes is increasing in every country and within a few years, the United Nations has determined that it will be at pandemic levels throughout the globe.  So friends, know the signs.  Be aware of them in your children for Type I and yourself and those older for Type II.  Here's a quick run down:

-Excessive thirst
-Frequent urination
-Lack of energy
-Weight loss 
-Frequent infections/illnesses
-Headaches/difficulty concentrating

There was nothing anyone could have done to prevent me from getting Type I diabetes, and hindsight is always 20/20.  Knowing the symptoms is key to prevention in Type II at least, and the sooner you catch Type I, the easier it is to control within the first few months.    Life may be rough for my kids that's for sure.  But if we can avoid the drama my family and I went through all those years ago, it's definitely worth the finger pricks now and then. 

Monday, November 4, 2013

Living the Life-- Type I Diabetes: Not Your Grandma's Disease

When I was 12 years old, I was diagnosed with Type I diabetes mellitus.  No, this isn't the same thing your grandma has.  No, I didn't get it because I was fat or drank too much sugared pop.  I'm diabetic because cells in my body attacked the beta cells in my pancreas, and effectively killed off that part of the organ.  I didn't do anything wrong to get it; I couldn't do anything to avoid it.  No one is completely sure why some people get it and some don't.  It may be genetic, it may not.  Whatever it is, there is no cure.  And to be honest, I have very little hope that there will be one in my life time at the rate the research is going.

 Part of the reason for the delay in the cure is that Type I diabetes only affects 5% of all diabetics. That's right--5%.  The total number of diabetics in our country is growing at an exponential rate.  In 2011, the CDC reported that there are 25.8 million diabetics.  That's 8 out of every 100 Americans.   So in other words, 95% of all diabetics in this country have Type II diabetes.  That, my friends, is the preventable kind in almost all cases.  There are a few cases of Type II occurring due to medications (steroids such as prednazone, for example) in otherwise healthy adults, but overall, the number one cause of Type II diabetes is being overweight and a lack of physical activity.  In fact, according to the CDC's study, 58% of all of those at risk for Type II diabetes were able to stave off the disease with lifestyle and activity changes.  In those aged 60 and over, that rate increased to over 70% who avoided the development of the disease. 

So where are the bulk of the money and resources going in the fight against diabetes? Education and prevention of Type II.  Am I bitter?  Maybe a little sometimes.  Ok, maybe more than  a little.  It could have to do with the fact that I've gotten flyers from the AARP since I was 13.  It could be that so many people assume I just have to pop a pill and be ok.  It could be because I have a disease I couldn't prevent.  A disease that is the 7th leading cause of death in America.  A disease that is the leading cause of blindness, renal failure, and non-traumatic amputations.  A disease that I didn't get a chance to stop or lose weight to make go away.  So this month (Diabetes Awareness Month) I thought I would share a slice of my life living with this nasty disease. And I promise, it's not all this depressing.  Diabetes is my constant companion, my thorn in the flesh, and even at times, a blessing.  It's not your grandma's disease for sure.  No, my disease is much more complicated than that.