College Project...Diabetes

Type 1 & LADA
1

I have a grandniece who has graduated from high school, and she has started college. She was given an assignment in her Student Development class.

Her project is to identify obstacles in her own life that have kept her from succeeding at something, and to identify solutions she chose in overcoming them. Then she is to find a real-world example of someone who has encountered an obstacle in his or her life, and research how that person overcame it. The final step in the project is to give a brief presentation on the person she chose to research.

My grandniece knows that I have faced some really difficult obstacles, and she asked me to be her subject. I was pleased to participate.

Here are the questions she asked:

  1. Throughout your life with diabetes, what would you say your chief obstacle has been?

  2. After you were diagnosed as a young child, what emotions were in the forefront of your mind?

  3. How do you think the responsibility you carried for yourself as a child affected your personality and maturity?

  4. What time in your life has been the hardest to live with diabetes?

  5. Would you say that you have “overcome” most of your obstacles at this point?

  6. What has supported you/given you hope/comfort during the most difficult times?

Here are my replies to her questions:

  1. During my 73 years with type 1 diabetes, I have had very little guidance from a reputable source. None of my doctors seemed to really understand my diabetes very well. I have learned more from talking to other diabetics, and I have taught them many things, too. A lack of knowledge about diabetes during my earliest years was my chief obstacle, and that is still a problem today

  2. After diagnosis in 1945, when I was 6 years old, my family knew very little about diabetes. We did not know there were major complications that might be caused by the disease. My doctors did not mention that until I was 30 years old. Ignorance was bliss, and diabetes seemed to be nothing more than an aggravation. I did not like having to take injections of insulin, and I was not supposed to eat anything containing sugar. I avoided many activities that might cause me to have very low blood sugar, and cause insulin reactions (hypoglycemia). I was different, and I was ignored by many classmates in school. That weighed heavily on my mind.

  3. I developed a rather withdrawn personality, and had very few friends. I did, however, complete six years of college, and I taught mathematics at the college level for many years. My diabetes did not keep me from having a very successful and fulfilling life.

  4. When I was 30 years old, I learned about the possible complications that many diabetics could have. Blindness due to eye damage, kidney failure, amputations of feet or legs caused by sores that would not heal, and other problems caused by nerve damage were side effects that many diabetics were experiencing back then. I learned that my life expectancy was not good. I had a wife and two young children at that time, and I was so afraid that I might not live much longer. I thought I might not live long enough to give my family the support they needed. One of my doctors told me I should prepare my will and be prepared for an early death. That was the hardest time of my life, while living with diabetes.

  5. Eventually I overcame my depression, and I had a very good life with my wife and sons. I never developed any of those potential diabetes complications. I saw my sons mature, and become very successful in their own lives. There were no longer any obstacles in my lifetime.

  6. My wife has given me the support I have needed. Our 54 years of marriage has been so wonderful. She developed a very good understanding of my life with diabetes, and she has helped me every step of the way, whenever I needed her.
    I have also joined many diabetes support groups online. I now have many friends who have diabetes, and many of them have young diabetic children. They are inspired to know that I have lived so long with type 1 diabetes, and they now have hope that they and their children can also have long, healthy and happy lives without serious complications.

My grandniece will present her project in college on October 15. I hope that her teacher will be pleased with her report.

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2

You’re 20 years ahead of me, but my journey was much the same. I would have answered most of them with similar response ! I’m pretty sure her teacher will be impressed.

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3

I’m fifteen years into diabetes, and only 8 months into knowing other diabetics. I couldn’t buy an education like this with all the money in the world.

Thank you for making it okay to feel that way. I’ve spent many years not caring to learn and as many years painfully aware of what I did not know. In reality, it’s a complex disease.

I was taught about complications before being taught how to manage my disease. There’s still too much fear in what they teach. It never did motivate me the way learning some control did.

Depression is a tough one for me, and my sons are still very young. There’s a sadness I get when I think of whether or not I will be a burden to them as they grow. Whether or not they’ll have a sick mom. These feelings are fading though. The more I frequent FUD and chat with people in my other group, the more I see that we are okay… that having diabetes isn’t as much a tragedy as it is a journey.

I hope I didn’t say too much in response to your post. My 7 year old, who worries about me, saw your line about seeing your kids grow. He wanted to read it. At the end he asked, “does this mean I can live with you when I get older?”

Thank you for helping my son know we’re going to be okay. Thank you for sharing your story.

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Hi @Nickyghaleb, I appreciate your reply. I am glad that FUD has helped you and your son. You are correct, diabetes is a journey. I hope your journey will be trouble free, and enjoyable!

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5

You answer to #6 is very touching, obviously 54 years of marriage says a lot about you. Additionally, you have absolutely inspired me to have more hope for my son than before I met you. If your grandniece does her part on the writing, she should absolutely do well.

Thank you!

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@Richard157 You are a great inspiration to me Richard, even after 47 trouble free years of diabetes.

In 1973 I entered Dental School after having been diagnosed a few months prior. I didn’t have time for anything, so I just took my insulin and ate when I should.

Aside from the occasional lows, my diabetes has been fairly quiet. In fact, I often think I’m much healthier because of my diabetes.

As with you, I think I can attribute most of my success to my wife.

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