Maggie 14.

Maggie asked to share her story on the blog this week.  Take a minute and read about her scary experience with diabetes, and how she sees the disease from a teenager's perspective in today's post.

"People at first always thought of the disease before me,and that was hard,because you ARE NOT your disease,you are you,and it is your choice to control the disease,or let the disease control you."

I remember feeling sick,i had a sour taste in my mouth,and i was always going to the bathroom.

i had just turned 8 when it started,but i didn't know that it was a problem,i just thought I was the problem.Going on trips with my family was impossible,every 10 minutes we had to pull over to a gas station so i could use the restroom,and i drank water out the wazoo!On one trip i made with my family,about a month before i was diagnosed,we stopped at a diner for dinner,but sadly,i didn't make it in time to the bathroom,and cried the whole way home about it.This happened a lot,i felt upset,and sick,i couldn't breath right,and my parents didn't know if it was serious,or just something i was going through that's natural.I remember the day before i was diagnosed we went out to my favorite pizza buffet to celebrate my parents anniversary,but i didn't want to eat. I wanted to puke the moment we walked in,and just drank a glass of water.I tossed and turned all night long,until finally i fell asleep,only to wake up and realize i couldn't hardly breath.I ran to my mom and dads room half crying and choking for breath,and tried to tell my mom what was wrong,but she seemed to see the problem.she lay me down on my back and gently pushed on my chest,then flipped me over on my stomach and did the same to my back.I started to calm own and feel a bit better,but my breathing was still bad.My mom called my Godmother,who is a nurse practitioner ,and right away she came over.When she arrived she said she didn't understand the cause of this,and that my mom needs to take me to the Emergency Room.My dad picked me up and then looked worried."She's as light as a feather," he said.They rushed me to the hospital and right away the doctor said: its diabetes.I was at the highest level of diabetic ketoacidosis,i had lost more than half my weight,and my body was being eaten by the ketones.From there on,i remember little,but they did hook me up to an oxygen tank,and put in an ambulance to be taken to a different hospital.I remember being so hungry,and i thought there were pies inside the ambulance on the shelves,and i asked the nurse if i could have some.She looked at me like i was crazy and told me there where no pies.I guess i fell asleep,because the next time i woke up was around midnight,there were nurses all around,and i was cold and hungry.I cried for my mom but didn't see her,though she might have been there,i can't say.I woke up the next morning and heard voices around me,but didn't open my eyes.It was a doctor speaking to my parents,and this is the first time i had heard i had a disease,and he was explaining it to my parents.I wanted to cry,i felt like my whole world was falling apart,and the things he told them about shots everyday and pricking my finger,did NOT sound nice.When he left i opened my eyes,and my heart skipped for joy at what i saw.Both of my parents where there,leaning over my bed smiling,telling me its going to be ok,and my two sisters where there too,my older sister and my younger,who was just a baby still,though she could walk and kept trying to run after the nurses in the hallway.I felt so happy to be with my family,and asked lots of questions about my brothers at home,and what is diabetes,enc..They had brought my favorite stuffed animal,kyle,and my sister gave me some stickers from her sticker collection.After a while,my dad left to take my sister home,and i took a nap.When i woke up again i had yet ANOTHER surprise!My uncle had driven all the way up to see me,and was talking to my mom when i woke up.My mom said she was going to go get some lunch,and that my Uncle was going to stay with me.Then,for the first time in what felt like forever,i got to eat!I got chicken noodle soup and chicken fingers,-but i couldn't feed myself.The nurses had put my IV in my left arm,and i couldn't bend it,and i was left handed,so my uncle had to feed me.I also received a mystery bear,it came into the room with a fake flower,and i never knew who sent it!From there on things are a bit the same,i sleep,eat,and repeat for about a week.I was in a room with another person,who was on the other side of the room.I remember several times when people would rush in the room and close her curtain,and while i lay there listening i would here the voice of a man call: CLEAR! and then this odd thump like sound.When it was time for me to go home,i was feeling pretty good,i could stand up and walk around and was ready to go home.Before we went home we had to attend a meeting helping us get started with my diabetes control.But after that,we were home!I was welcomed by my 10 brothers and sisters,and what a warm welcome it was!I laughed when my little brother asked if i died,and smiled when my sister said she cleaned my room up all nice.Things were hard,it was tough adapting to my new lifestyle,but i did,and moved on.I was in the hospital a lot,always getting sick and getting ketones,and soon enough all the ER nurses knew me.When my Grandmother died my diabetes went out of control,but over time things healed and i am a healthy,young teen with a chronic disease.People at first always thought of the disease before me,and that was hard,because you ARE NOT your disease,you are you,and it is your choice to control the disease,or let the disease control you.I thank God everyday for everything he has done for me,and for all the people who prayed for me,or offered their mass intention for me,the priests who gave me blessings,because without all that i may not be here today,and i wouldn't be able to tell my story. The End