Haley Loveland Valdez

I was diagnosed a month after turning 12 after hitting diabetic keto acidosis shock. I was in the ICU for four or five days before staying in the OHSU children’s hospital for another two days. I don’t remember a lot from that time but I remember not being able to eat anything without getting sick and being really scared. I dropped 35 pounds in three months, and was unable to swallow properly due to the thrush that developed through my mouth. I first saw an urgent care who didn’t test me for anything beyond strep, the next night I had some Kefir before bed and woke up at 2 am violently ill. We sat on the stairs after I had woken everyone up and my dad asked me if I wanted to go to the ER. I just nodded. After getting into the triage room the doctor took one look at me and had the nurse check my blood sugar and ketones before ordering an urgent transfer to OHSU, the biggest specialty hospital in Portland. After that everything becomes a blur. I remember a lot of IVs, and not being allowed to eat or drink anything for a day or so. I remember the big glass doors and feeling really small in the bed. Once I left the hospital I started education and learning my numbers and how to do everything. Ten years later my son just turned one and my last A1C was 7.1, even with the postpartum struggles. I’m beyond proud of myself.