Diabetes awareness
Updated: Jul 12
Understanding diabetes can be quite a puzzle. Is it just a condition? Does it affect everyone? And how well do we really know diabetes? I vividly recall the confusion that consumed me when diagnosed with type one diabetes at the age of 12. Back then, I had no clue about the ins and outs of it. I thought it was only temporary, I never anticipated that it would be a lifelong companion. At that age, I had an identity crisis, I had no idea about the shots involved. It was undoubtedly one of the most significant setbacks I've faced, yet strangely, I find myself grateful for having diabetes. It has taught me so much in the past years that I have had it, guiding me to choose my major in university. Now at 16, with two more years to go, I couldn't be happier with my decision.
When I first got introduced to insulin injections, the collection of options was overwhelming. Mine was named Humalog, a fast-acting insulin that I'd inject before indulging in a meal or snack. My doctor also familiarized me with a neat gadget – a freestyle sensor, a smart white circle that found its home behind my arm. Instead of the constant pricking, this sensor lasted for about 14 days, providing a continuous stream of insights into my blood sugar levels.
For people who aren't familiar with diabetes, let me break it down: there are two main types—type one and type two. Type 1, often occurring in children, is typically linked to genetics. If you have a parent or relative with diabetes, your chances of developing type one increase. So, how does it all begin? Essentially, your immune system, the body's defense mechanism, mistakenly targets the cells in your pancreas, disrupting their ability to produce insulin—the required component in managing blood sugar levels. The pancreas, a strong player in the digestive system, becomes collateral damage in this complex puzzle of diabetes.
(The pancreas is a part of the digestive system).
What is diabetes ?
Diabetes is when your body doesn't make enough insulin or can't use it as well as it should. Insulin is an essential hormone. It helps your body turn food into energy and controls your blood sugar levels. Insulin is a naturally occurring hormone made in your pancreas that helps your body use sugar for energy. When blood sugar levels are too high there are many consequences including kidney failure, heart attack, stroke, and problems with the eyes, gums, feet, and nerves. Nowadays your doctor can prescribe you human-made insulin which can help diabetics since they don't have insulin in their pancreas. Diabetics can also have low blood sugar which can cause weakness, Lightheadedness, and dizziness. headaches can occur from a lack of glucose, stress such as nervousness anxiety, and team all-right irritability. There are two types of diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is when your pancreas makes little or no insulin. Insulin helps blood sugar enter the cells in your body for use as energy. Without insulin, blood sugar can get into the cells and build up in the bloodstream. Type two diabetes occurs when the pancreas, a large gland behind the stomach, can't produce enough insulin to control your blood glucose level, or when the cells in your body don't respond properly to the insulin that is produced. This means your blood glucose levels may become very high and is known as hyperglycemia.
My interest in learning about diabetes
My first thought when I was first diagnosed was that I needed to read a lot of information about diabetes, I needed to understand the whole concept. I needed to learn about the types of diabetes, the types of insulin, and how to stay healthy always. Because let me remind you I knew absolutely nothing about diabetes, but I had this urge to know more about it. I wanted to understand my body I wanted to understand what had happened to my body and overall I wanted to know how to take care of myself. I didn't want to depend on anyone else to take care of me or to help me, but me! Because I believed that, for me to grow and learn, I needed to be independent and know how to take care of myself. And for me to be independent I had to learn a lot about diabetes, I needed to go to the doctor every three months, I needed to research diabetes, I had to research more in-depth about diabetes, and, I had to learn the consequences of high blood sugar and low blood sugar. The symptoms of high glucose levels are the symptoms of low glucose levels. The more I learned about diabetes the more I got interested in helping other diabetics. And the more I got introduced to other diabetics, the more knowledge I received. And the more knowledge I received, the more I knew what major to choose from. And what was the right path for me?
My journey in spreading diabetes awareness
Before national diabetes month 2022. I had an appointment with my doctor. And I remember my appointment going well. My sugar was on track. My overall sugar was great. So towards the end of my appointment, I talked to my doctor about the idea of me spreading diabetes awareness on the actual day, November 14th. My idea was to make a PowerPoint presentation and present it to my classmates. talking about the types of diabetes, what can cause diabetes, its symptoms, how to manage it, and most importantly how to spread awareness. And because I'm a painter, and love to paint on canvases, I made a diabetes painting. I put a lot of meaning into it. I included some abstract art, using my creativity and imagination. I had to make sure that whoever was looking at the painting knew the true meaning behind it. On November 14th, 2022, I presented my presentation to my classmates, I gave out blue rubber bands that represent the diabetes logo which is a blue circle. It was such a beautiful experience, I not only talked about diabetes I also showed them the things I use daily. And by the end of my presentation, I said: Now that you know enough information about diabetes you can help me spread awareness to people that might not know the information that you people have now.
Embracing it
To many people, diabetes may only be known as a condition or a sickness. But to me I see diabetes in a whole different way, I see it as a superpower or an ability. In my perspective, as a type one diabetic, I can only see it as a superpower and nothing less, because, it helped me have patience, it opened many new doors for me. It expanded my knowledge. You’ll meet a lot of people in life who might bring you down because you have the condition (sorry this superpower). But you have to be in control of your own body, of your thoughts, and of your actions. You'll have to change your perspective if you see diabetes as a negative aspect. Having diabetes in no certain shape or form makes you less of a person. If you embrace it and not hide it from others, you can see this superpower turn into even more than a superpower. And the more you learn how to embrace it instead of hiding it, other people might change their perspectives too!
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