I have type 1 diabetes.
Now, I can give you the full and detailed story.
This blog will cover nearly 27 hours worth of information.
If you scroll down, it is LONG.
I wouldn't blame anyone for just skimming, but there will be details.
OK.
It all started about a month ago when I got my chest cold and I was always hungry and thirsty.
I was ALWAYS eating and drinking.
I went through, like, 15 water bottles a day.
It was incredible.
And we didn't know why.
I gradually got thinner and paler and I just REALLY didn't look good.
My mom figured I was just growing (I wish! 5'3'' is so close!).
My grandma, who hadn't seen me for around a week or so, pointed out that something was WRONG.
All my friends at school would be, like, "Madi, you look like CRAP!" and I'd be like, "Thanks guys..."
I jut thought it was a really bad chest cold.
My grandma thought it was Mono.
And my mom thought I was growing.
Finally, on Monday morning, my mom talked to the nurses in her office and told them that I was drinking a lot and eating a lot and I lost some weight and this and that and they all got very quiet and looked at one of the nurses, who said, "That's not Mono, you need to have her checked for Diabetes."
And, not even half an hour later, I texted my mom saying I didn't feel well, so she picked me up and took me to my pediatrician.
We were going to go to the appointment at 3.30, but we rescheduled to 11.30.
Mom told me that it might be Diabetes and I was in SHOCK.
I was frightened by it.
The one word scared me so much more then anything at the time.
She kept saying, "Don't worry." "Remember, it might not be" etc, etc.
We sat in the waiting room for almost 20 minutes.
Then we sat in an exam room for another 15.
Finally, the girl came in and gave me a cup to pee in.
I was like, -_-.
So, I go to the bathroom and go through this whole "wrong key" thing.
Pretty much, I was walking down a long hall with a cup and keys for a few minutes, but it was very aggravating.
When I brought it back, they tested it and the results from my keytones showed that I have diabetes.
My pediatrician just said, "You have diabetes. Go to CHOC hospital ER. Now."
She had no expression.
Just -_-.
As soon as I heard her say, "You have-" I burst into tears.
See, I'm not the kind of person who cries, like, EVER.
Literally, I never cry.
So we left for the hospital and we waited in the waiting rooms and filled out forms.
And they, the emergency room people, put us in a room in the back of the emergency room.
Over and over I answered questions (the same ones over and over and over. Don't these people write shit down and COMMUNICATE???) and met new doctors or nurses or people in scrubs (I don't know WHAT they were) and the whole time, I was crying.
I was in a gown, another thing that set me into a fit of tears.
They had a lady come in to hook me up to an IV, Debbie (I'll never forget that BITCH).
I thought she was going to dissect the inside of my elbow!
It was not good.
They were giving me saline.
I needed fluids, bad.
They tested my blood sugar and it came up around 436, and its supposed to be around 100.
My numbers were high, and it wasn't good.
By the time half of the saline bag was empty, I had stopped crying.
We had arrived at the emergency room around, maybe noon and stopped crying around 5.30 and remember I started crying in the pediatrician's office.
Yeah.
So, they told us that I was going to be admitted.
At about 7.45 my favorite guy, Ron, comes in and tells me I got a room.
It was such a relief.
So we wheeled me through all of these hallways and stuff.
Finally, I was in room 401-1.
There, I met a nurse I didn't like who took away my food.
But she left and wasn't coming back 'til I was gone.
I had some very nice nurses.
My night nurse was the best.
LOVED HER!
So we met with my Endocrinologist, a VERY small, asian woman.
She told me a few things about diabetes.
I had several nurses prick my fingers for my blood sugar, and I became used to it very fast.
I'm the kid that was always DEATHLY afraid of needles, but now I'm all good.
It didn't bother me, but my numbers were a little high, which did bother me.
But the doctors said that it would be like that for maybe a few months, because my pancreas is still making insulin, but my body just isn't recognizing it.
The diabetes explained EVERYTHING, the thirst and hunger and stuff.
Because of the IV, I didn't sleep that night.
Every two hours nurses came in to check my blood pressure and sugar, so it was pointless to.
The food at the hospital was incredible, too!
I had soup, turkey sandwiches, beef, angel food cake, and all kinds of really good food.
It was in select portions.
They told me that I could only eat a certain amount of carbs per meal.
That's what I have to revolve around, carbs.
For breakfast, lunch, and dinner, I have to have 75 carbs, exactly.
And I have two 30 carb snacks between breakfast/lunch and lunch/dinner or b/l and after dinner.
Two of my old, Jr High teachers came to visit me (not enjoyed by me! did not want to see them again) and told me that everything was going to be ok.
Whatever.
I just rode through the night.
The next day, my mom and I met with a woman who would be giving us the majority of our Diabetes Education.
We learned a lot from her.
She gave me my blood sugar stuff, the poker and the meter and strips and little pokey things.
She gave us stuff for me to keep at school.
She taught us about insulin, and how to mix it and administer it.
Later that day we met a dietician who asked me what kind of food I like to eat and I listed off things like burgers, pasta, steak, and stuff like that and she said that I could eat them.
She was, instantly, my favorite person in the building.
Any kind of meat or cheese or fat food I can eat whenever.
They're called "free foods" and they are awesome.
So, I can have ham or string cheese if I want to eat, but can't have any carbs.
SUPER AWESOME!
For stuff, like pasta and sugary food I have to count the carbs and make it a part of the meal or snack.
The dietician taught me and Mom how to do that and it was the greatest thing, ever!
Throughout the day we learned more and more about the disease and became better educated on the details.
That night I gave myself insulin for the first time.
It wasn't easy, but I did it and it went well.
I was pretty happy and Mom was so proud!
I got to go home that night.
It was so nice to not be in the hospital anymore.
To be in my actual home was so much better!
I was still feeling pretty crappy (who wouldn't after being told you're diseased?)
The next morning was rough, but later I took a shower and felt a million times better.
I have had [knowledge of] this disease for six days now and I am doing pretty good.
It's a long path and there's lots to learn along the way.
Let's see how I do!
Y.M.T.
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