This guest post, “From Diabetes Diagnosis to Motherhood”, was written by Kacie C. as part of the Share Your Story program.
I was 21 years old when I was diagnosed as being Type 1 diabetic. I had been sick for two weeks – tired, frequent urination, thirsty, weight loss – the whole nine yards. No one in my family is diabetic so that never crossed my mind. I went to my gynecologist and she ordered some lab work thinking that my hormones were out of whack. This was on a Monday and I did not do the lab work until Thursday. By Friday I was so sick and just wanted to sleep. I could not hold my head up I was so sleepy and sick.
I work in an ambulatory surgery center and went to the recovery room to talk to one of the nurses and she sent me to the doctor. I got to the doctor and I had yeast in my mouth so he said that I had esophagitis and sent me home. Well, as I was checking out of the hospital the phone rang and it was my gynecologist and she wanted to speak with the doctor ASAP.
They sent me back to the room and told me that I was diabetic and that he was admitting me into the hospital. I did blood work when I got to the hospital and they sent me to a room. Before I got settled in the room, two nurses came in and told me I was in Ketoacidosis and that I would be going to ICU and my family could wait in the waiting room.
I had never been so scared in my life. I was lucky and I thank God for that. I have recently had a little baby girl and I did great through the pregnancy. I would like to say thank you to Dr. Cheryl S. for her aggressiveness with the blood work and also for her care through my pregnancy. Diabetes is a hard disease. I am now 24 and I have good days and bad but my suggestion to any diabetic is to stay positive and to take care of yourself.
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