Thanks to support, Bunn living with diabetes

Diabetes.

November 12, 2009: Volume 36 #23, Page B2

Whenever I hear this word, I shudder a bit. Now the beautiful thing about that word is the fact I get to hear it constantly, as it was something I was soon diagnosed with. I have Type 1 diabetes.

The diagnosis was almost a sigh of relief. In a way that explained what I was going through before I found out what was happening with me. I soon began to sleep 10-14 hours a day, drinking litres of water at a time. I soon lost a lot of weight.

It was like my whole body was shutting down, and we had no idea what it was. I remember the moment we began to find out.

My mother had taken me into the doctor’s earlier in the day, I got a check up, blood work done. It was later in the night we got a phone call, it was my doctor saying to head into emergency. My blood sugar was at 39. Considering the average blood sugar is anywhere between four to nine, mine being a plus 30 to that wasn’t all that great. I can remember the hospital visit, learning about diabetes. Not all that exciting, by the way, not a way to spend a weekend.

Anyhow, coping. I would still like to announce I am still struggling with this part. Managing diabetes is all routine.

You have to take insulin at this time, you have to take insulin when this occurs, you just have to take insulin. You have to check your blood sugar levels and do this three times a day for sure like morning, noon, supper and check my blood sugar whenever I felt like I was having a low. Luckily, I was never one to make a huge fuss about needles.

Also, luckily, I have supportive people around me. My mother, now with NAN, played the role of mother, lecture-lecture, nag-nag, do this, do that. My work, Quality Market, understands my condition, and for the people at Diabetes Health Thunder Bay who told me how to take care of myself, so I don’t end up on the worst side of diabetes.

Rebecca Bunn, 17 years old
Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in 2005